The pharmaceutical utility of silk fibroin (SF) materials for drug delivery was investigated. SF films were prepared from aqueous solutions of the
fibroin protein polymer and crystallinity was induced and controlled bymethanol treatment. Dextrans of different molecular weights, as well as proteins,
were physically entrapped into the drug delivery device during processing into films. Drug release kinetics were evaluated as a function of dextran
molecular weight, and filmcrystallinity. Treatment with methanol resulted in an increase in β-sheet structure, an increase in crystallinity and an increase
in film surface hydrophobicity determined by FTIR, X-ray and contact angle techniques, respectively.