Synthesis, characterization and aqueous dispersion of dextran-g-poly(1,4-dioxan-2-one) copolymers

Fabrication of self-assembled micelles based on amphiphilic oxidized sodium alginate grafted oleoamine derivatives via Schiff base reduction amination reaction for delivery of hydrophobic food active ingredients

The application of hydrophobic β-carotene in the food industry are limited due to its susceptibility to light, high temperature, pH value, and other factors, leading to poor stability and low bioavailability. To address this problem, we adopt a more green and environmentally friendly reducing agent, 2-methylpyridine borane complex (pic-BH3), instead of traditional sodium borohydride, to achieve the simple green and efficient synthesis of amphiphilic oxidized sodium alginate grafted oleoamine derivatives (OSAOLA) through the reduction amination reaction of Schiff base. The resultant OSAOLA with the degree of substitution (DS) of 7.2 %, 23.6 %, and 38.8 % were synthesized, and their CMC values ranged from 0.0095 to 0.062 mg/mL, indicating excellent self-assembly capability in aqueous solution. Meanwhile, OSAOLA showed no obvious cytotoxicity to RAW 264.7 cells, thus revealing good biocompatibility. Furthermore, β-carotene, as the hydrophobic active ingredients in foods was successfully encapsulated in the OSAOLA micelles by ultrasonic-dialysis method. The prepared drug-loaded OSAOLA micelles could maintain good stability when stored at room temperature for 7 d. Additionally, they were able to continuously release β-carotene and exert long-term effects in pH 7.4 PBS at 37 °C, effectively improving the bioavailability of β-carotene, which exhibited tremendous application potential in functional food and biomedical fields.

Functionalizing PLGA and PLGA Derivatives for Drug Delivery and Tissue Regeneration Applications

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) is one of the most versatile biomedical polymers, already approved by regulatory authorities to be used in human research and clinics. Due to its valuable characteristics, PLGA can be tailored to acquire desirable features for control bioactive payload or scaffold matrix. Moreover, its chemical modification with other polymers or bioconjugation with molecules may render PLGA with functional properties that make it the Holy Grail among the synthetic polymers to be applied in the biomedical field. In this review, the physical-chemical properties of PLGA, its synthesis, degradation, and conjugation with other polymers or molecules are revised in detail, as well as its applications in drug delivery and regeneration fields. A particular focus is given to successful examples of products already on the market or at the late stages of trials, reinforcing the potential of this polymer in the biomedical field.

Polymeric micelles: Basic research to clinical practice

Rapidly developing polymeric micelles as potential targeting carriers has intensified the need for better understanding of the underlying principles related to the selection of suitable delivery materials for designing, characterizing, drug loading, improving stability, targetability, biosafety and efficacy. The emergence of advanced analytical tools such as fluorescence resonance energy transfer and dissipative particle dynamics has identified new dimensions of these nanostructures and their behavior in much greater details. This review summarizes recent efforts in the development of polymeric micelles with respect to their architecture, formulation strategy and targeting possibilities along with their preclinical and clinical aspects. Literature of the past decade is discussed critically with special reference to the chemistry involved in the formation and clinical applications of these versatile materials. Thus, our main objective is to provide a timely update on the current status of polymeric micelles highlighting their applications and the important parameters that have led to successful delivery of drugs to the site of action.

Polydioxanone-based bio-materials for tissue engineering and drug/gene delivery applications

Since the commercialization of polydioxanone (PDX) as a biodegradable monofilament suture by Ethicon in 1981, the polymer has received only limited interest until recently. The limitations of polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) coupled with the growing need for materials with enhanced features and the advent of new fabrication techniques such as electrospinning have revived interest for PDX in medical devices, tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Electrospun PDX mats show comparable mechanical properties as the major structural components of native vascular extracellular matrix (ECM) i.e. collagen and elastin. In addition, PDX's unique shape memory property provides rebound and kink resistance when fabricated into vascular conduits. The synthesis of methyl dioxanone (MeDX) monomer and copolymers of dioxanone (DX) and MeDX have opened up new perspectives for poly(ester-ether)s, enabling the design of the next generation of tissue engineering scaffolds for application in regenerating such tissues as arteries, peripheral nerve and bone. Tailoring of polymer properties and their formulation as nanoparticles, nanomicelles or nanofibers have brought along important developments in the area of controlled drug or gene delivery. This paper reviews the synthesis of PDX and its copolymers and provides for the first time an exhaustive account of its applications in the (bio)medical field with focus on tissue engineering and drug/gene delivery.

Synthesis, characterization and cyclic voltammetric study of copper(II) and nickel(II) polymer chelates

Graft copolymers based on dextran (Dx) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulphonic acid (AMPS) were synthesized by free radical initiated solution polymerization technique using ceric ammonium nitrate as initiator. These graft copolymers were used to prepare Cu(II) and Ni(II) chelates by reactions with Cu(II) and Ni(II) metal ions respectively. Graft copolymer and metal chelates were characterized by elemental analysis, intrinsic viscosity, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Elemental analysis, intrinsic viscosity and FT-IR studies revealed the incorporation of metal ions to form metal chelates. SEM studies showed the change in morphology due to metal incorporation. From AFM studies it was observed that there was increase in Root mean square (RMS) roughness values in case of metal complexes. Metal chelates were observed to be thermally more stable than graft copolymer from TGA. UV-vis spectroscopy study revealed increase in absorbance values and cyclic voltammetric (CV) studies showed more than tenfold increase in redox current due to formation of Cu(II) and Ni(II) metal chelates. The binding constants of each complex determined by using UV-visible spectroscopy revealed that Cu(II) has more binding ability than Ni(II).

Synthesis and Characterization of Graft Copolymer of Dextran and 2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane Sulphonic Acid

A novel biodegradable graft copolymer of dextran (Dx) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulphonic acid (AMPS) was synthesized by grafting poly-AMPS chains onto dextran backbone by free radical polymerization using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an initiator. Different amounts of AMPS were used to synthesize four different grades of graft copolymers with different side chain lengths. These grafted polymers were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1HNMR, rheological technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). They exhibited efficient flocculation performance in kaolin suspension.

A review on comb-shaped amphiphilic polymers for hydrophobic drug solubilization

Comb-shaped amphiphilic polymers are rapidly emerging as an alternative approach to amphiphilic block copolymers for hydrophobic drug solubilization. These polymers consist of a homopolymer or copolymer backbone to which hydrophobic and hydrophilic pendant groups can be grafted resulting in a comb-like architecture. The hydrophobic pendants may consist of homopolymers, copolymers and other low-molecular weight hydrophobic structures. In this review, we focus on hydrophobically modified preformed homopolymers. Comb-shaped amphiphilic polymers possess reduced critical aggregation concentration values compared with traditional surfactant micelles indicating increased stability with decreased disruption experienced on dilution. They have been fabricated with diverse architectures and multifunctional properties such as site-specific targeting and external stimuli-responsive nature. The application of comb-shaped amphiphilic polymers is expanding; here we report on the progress achieved so far in hydrophobic drug solubilization for both intravenous and oral delivery.