PURPOSE: The potential of electrochemical/temperature dual stimuli-responsive conducting polymer to be used as general drug delivery systems. It allows on-demand release of incorporated drug is kinetically investigated in real time. METHODS: Online spectroscopic monitoring was used to investigate the electrochemically/thermally controlled release behavior of a model drug (naproxen) from drug-doped polypyrrole (DDPPy) film. Avrami's equation has been used to study the kinetics and further analyzing has been carried out using the Arrhenius and the Eyring equations. Furthermore, drug release behavior, with two other electrochemical techniques was investigated. RESULTS: It was observed both temperature and electrical stimuli increase the rate of release while electrical potential has a greater effect as revealed in the values of release rate constant (from 0.0068 to 0.018 min at 37°C). It was also shown that a linear relationship exists between the applied electrical potentials and release activation parameters. CONCLUSION: The electronic properties of the conducting polymer has an important role in release kinetics, there might be a single mechanism with the same limiting step. In addition, it was demonstrated the rate of drug release from DDPPy dramatically depends on the amounts as well as modes of applying potential which provides enhanced control of drug-release kinetics which can be accelerated or even sustained.
