Methods and compositions are disclosed for the preparation of free radical
scavenging polymers and
polymer films functionalized with antioxidants. Enzymatic and chemical tailoring of monomers with antioxidants followed by enzymatic
polymerization is described. These
antioxidant functionalized polymers can increase
shelf life and quality of
food products, as well as, increase effectiveness of pharmaceutical agents when used as packaging or as coatings on packaging for
oxygen sensitive materials. The novel enzymatic covalent
coupling of antioxidants to a
polymer enhances the free radical
scavenging ability of packaging while also inhibiting the escape of the antioxidants, and thus limiting
exposure and / or absorption by an individual. In addition to its use in food or
pharmaceutical packaging, methods are disclosed for using the
antioxidant coupled polymers in a variety of applications including as coatings on the inside of medical devices, such as stents and catheters, which would substantially reduce free radical damage and / or
oxygen depletion during medical procedures. Furthermore, through the
coupling of antioxidants to biodegradable polymers,
controlled delivery and sustained release of an
antioxidant to a subject is possible.