Lactide is used for slow release medicine; which biopolymer does this refer to?

Lactide is used for slow release medicine; which biopolymer does this refer to?

• A. Lactide
• B. PLA
• C. PHA
• D. Corn starch polymer

Answer: (A)

Lactide is the starting material that leads to a biodegradable polymer used in slow-release medicines. It is the cyclic dimer of lactic acid that undergoes polymerization to form polylactic acid (PLA), a biopolymer well known for its biocompatibility and controlled degradation in the body. Because the slow-release behavior comes from the polymer formed from lactide, the term lactide is the most direct match to the biopolymer concept in this context. While PLA is the actual polymer produced, the connection to slow-release applications rests on lactide's role as the building block that creates that biopolymer family.

Lactide is the starting material that leads to a biodegradable polymer used in slow-release medicines. It is the cyclic dimer of lactic acid that undergoes polymerization to form polylactic acid (PLA), a biopolymer well known for its biocompatibility and controlled degradation in the body. Because the slow-release behavior comes from the polymer formed from lactide, the term lactide is the most direct match to the biopolymer concept in this context. While PLA is the actual polymer produced, the connection to slow-release applications rests on lactide's role as the building block that creates that biopolymer family.