Molecularly imprinted polymers for the treatment and diagnosis of medical conditions

A method for treating a subject suffering from a presence of a toxin in the gastrointestinal tract, the method comprising administering a molecularly imprinted polymer to the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, wherein said molecularly imprinted polymer is capable of binding to the toxin and sequestering the toxin, and wherein said molecularly imprinted polymer is synthesized in the presence of the toxin as a template, and wherein said molecularly imprinted polymer comprises at least one functional monomer selected from the group consisting of:

• 2-, 3- and 4-vinyl-2-hydroxypyridine and N,N′-diethyl(4-vinylphenyl)amidine, and wherein said molecularly imprinted polymer further comprises a cross-linking agent for cross-linking said at least one functional monomer, wherein said crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate, N,N′-diacryloyl- or N,N′-dimethacryloyl ethylenediamine, N,N′-diacryloyl- or N,N′-dimethacryloyl 1,3-diaminobenzene, N,N′-diacryloyl- or N,N′-dimethacryloyl 1,4-diaminobenzene, a diacrylate or dimethacrylate of 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-dihydroxybenzene, N,N′-(4-vinylbenzoyl)-1,ω-diaminoalkane, and an N,N′-diacryloyl- or N,N′-dimethacryloyl 1,ω-diaminoalkane.