An amphiphilic nanocarrier based on guar gum-graft-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) for potential drug-delivery applications

J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2010;21(6-7):937-49. doi: 10.1163/156856209X452278.

Abstract

Amphiphilic guar gum grafted with poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (GG-g-PCL) was fabricated as a drug-delivery carrier using microwave irradiation. The structure of the GG-g-PCL co-polymer was characterized by (1)H-NMR spectroscopy. By microwave irradiation, GG-g-PCL with high grafting percentage (>200%) was obtained in a short reaction time. The GG-g-PCL co-polymer is capable of self-assembling into nanosized spherical micelles in aqueous solution with the diameter of around 75-135 nm and 60-100 nm, as determined by DLS and TEM, respectively. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of GG-g-PCL was found to be approx. 0.56 mg/l in a phosphate buffer solution. The drug-release profile showed that the GG-g-PCL micelles provided an initial burst release followed by a sustained release of the entrapped hydrophobic model drug, ketoprofen, over a period of 10-68 h. Under physiological conditions, the GG-g-PCL co-polymer hydrolytically degraded into lower-molecular-weight fragments within a 7-week period. These results suggest that the GG-g-PCL micelles could be used as a nanocarrier for in vitro controlled drug delivery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Carriers / chemical synthesis
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Galactans / chemical synthesis
  • Galactans / chemistry*
  • Ketoprofen / administration & dosage*
  • Mannans / chemical synthesis
  • Mannans / chemistry*
  • Micelles
  • Microwaves
  • Particle Size
  • Plant Gums / chemical synthesis
  • Plant Gums / chemistry*
  • Polyesters / chemical synthesis
  • Polyesters / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Drug Carriers
  • Galactans
  • Mannans
  • Micelles
  • Plant Gums
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone
  • Ketoprofen
  • guar gum