This study examined the rheological and mucoadhesive properties of a self-crosslinking anionic thiolated polymer in vitro. Mediated by a carbodiimide, L-cysteine was covalently bound to poly(acrylic acid) of 450 kDa molecular mass. The resulting thiolated polymers (conjugates I and II) contained 90.5+/-15.8 and 511.6+/-52 micromol thiol groups per gram polymer, respectively (mean+/-S.D., n=3). The amount of covalently attached cysteine was therefore dependent on the concentration of carbodiimide used for the coupling reaction. Both conjugates (3%, m/v) were capable of forming inter- and/or intramolecular disulfide bonds in 100 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.8. Consequently, the apparent viscosity of conjugates I and II increased 12- and 10-fold, respectively, within 24 h of incubation at 37 degrees C. Further, rheological synergy was observed by mixing equal volumes of polymer (unmodified as well as modified) with a mucin solution. A six-fold increase in viscosity immediately after mixing could be observed for the conjugate II/mucin mixture. This clearly indicates the high interaction potential of self-crosslinking thiomers with the mucus gel layer. Mucoadhesion studies confirmed the rheological results. Tablets based on conjugate II remained attached on freshly excised porcine mucosa for about 25 times longer than the corresponding controls, which is the longest time of mucoadhesion ever found among anionic thiomers. Due to the results of the present study, self-crosslinking thiolated poly(acrylates) of 450 kDa represent very promising excipients for the development of various mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.