Naloxone-initiated mechanochemical synthesis of poly(lactic acid)†

Abstract

A mechanochemical approach was utilized for the synthesis of naloxone covalently linked poly(lactic acid) and nanoparticles. This preparation was achieved using lactide as a monomer in anionic ring opening polymerization, naloxone as a drug initiator, and CHCl₃ to perform liquid-assisted grinding. This process resulted in the direct preparation of a naloxone nanoparticle with a drug loading of ∼8.3% w/w and nanoparticles around 600 nm. These findings underscore the promise of mechanochemistry in developing drug delivery systems.