• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.2265-2271
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• 2010

In this study, wormorm-like polymeric micelles were construted from poly(L-lactic acid)-b-poly(ethyelen glycol) (PLLA-b-PEG) block copolymers via worm-like (or cylindrical) self- assembly that consisted of a relatively long PLLA block ($M_n$ 7K Daltons) at the core and a relatively short PEG block ($M_n$ 2K Daltons) as the shell. Several cancer-targeting moieties (such as folate, cobalamin, and cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD) peptide) were chemically coupled with the succinylated or maleimided PEG block of PLLA-b-PEG to act as a cancer cell-specific targeting ligand for breast cancer. The worm-like micelles with muplite cancer cell-specific ligands proved to be successful in recognizing different breast cancer cells at once. This has the potential to aid in cancer-specific drug delivery and to be used as an effective treatment for breast cancer.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.153-172
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• 1983

The use of carrier systems for the delivery of drugs to areas in the body in need of pharmacological intervention is now the subject of intense research in many laboratories. Because of its obvious advantages (e.g. protection of drugs from hostile environments, facilitated target penetration and avoidance of side effects), drug delivery is expected to ease the pressure and expense of new drug development by making better use of drugs in existence. Generally, carrier-mediated delivery has been envisaged either as direct transport of drugs to a biological target by a carrier that will associate with it selectively, or as release of drugs from a carrier circulating in the blood or immobilized in tissues, at rates compatible with optimal action. One system that has attracted considerable attention is the use of liposomes as carriers of pharmacologically active agents. 154 references were reviewed with special emphasis on the targeting of drugs by use of liposomes in this respect. Recent advances in the other carrier systems and in methods for the preparation of liposomes were also reviewed briefly.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.175-181
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• 1987

To increase the dissolution rate of furosemide, chitin and chitosan which are widely occurring biodegradable natural materials were used as drug carriers. The ground mixtures of furosemide with chitin or chitosan were prepared by grinding in a ball mill. The ground mixture showed a faster and more enhanced dissolution rate than the physical mixture or intact furosemide. The crystalline peaks of furosemide disappeared in the ground mixtures indicating the production of amorphous form. The comparison of infrared spectra of the physical mixture and the ground mixture showed an interaction such as association between the functional groups of furosemide and chitin or chitosan in the molecular level. The weight losses in TGA curves showed all the same patterns. However, the endothermic peak due to the fusion of furosemide in DTA curve disappeared in the ground mixture indicating the different thermal property. The dissolution of furosemide from ground mixtures was fast in the order of chitosan and then chitin. The co-grinding technique with chitin or chitosan provided a promising way enhancing the dissolution rate of practically insoluble drug.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2009

Size control of therapeutic carriers in drug delivery systems has become important due to its relevance to biodistribution in the human body and therapeutic efficacy. To understand the dependence of particle size on the formation condition during nanoprecipitation method, we prepared nanoparticles from biodegradable, amphiphilic block copolymers and investigated the particle size and structure of the resultant nanoparticles according to various process parameters. We synthesized monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) block copolymer, MPEG-PCL, with different MPEG/PCL ratios via ring opening polymerization initiated from the hydroxyl end group of MPEG. Using various formulations with systematic change of the block ratio of MPEG and PCL, solvent choice, and concentration of organic phase, MPEG-PCL nanoparticles were prepared through nanoprecipitation technique. The results indicated that (i) the nanoparticles have a dual structure with an MPEG shell and a PCL core, originating from self-assembly of MPEG-PCL copolymer in aqueous condition, and (ii) the size of nanoparticles is dependent upon two sequential processes: diffusion between the organic and aqueous phases and solidification of the polymer.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.459-465
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• 2018

Most commercially available detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) require further processing to qualify for use in biomedical applications, as they often contain many impurities and exhibit poor dispersibility in aqueous media. In this work, DNDs are modified to improve purity and impart a high colloidal stability to the particles. The dispersive and adsorption properties of modified DNDs are evaluated in terms of the suitability of DNDs as carriers for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in transdermal delivery. The study of adsorption on strongly positively and strongly negatively charged DNDs showed their high loading capacity for NSAIDs, and a pronounced relationship between the drugs and the particles' charges. Experiments on long-term desorption carried out with DND/NSAID complexes indicate that the nanoparticles exert a sustained effect on the drug release process.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2008

are nanometer or micrometer scale vesicles that can be used as drug delivery carriers. However, plain liposomes are plagued by rapid opsonization, making their circulation time in bloodstream be shortened. In this study, model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated liposomes were prepared by coating cationic liposomes with BSA molecules at higher pH than isoelectric point of BSA. The BSA molecules coated on the liposomal surface were denatured by thermal treatment at above 60oC. While both plain and cationic liposomes had about mean particle diameter of 1041 nm, BSA-coated cationic liposomes (BCL) had mean particle diameter of 1091 nm. Encapsulation of model drug, doxorubicin (DOX), in liposomes were carried out by using remote loading method and the loading efficiency of DOX to liposomes was about 90%. The mean particle diameter of BCL did not increase in blood plasma and adsorption of plasma protein was much less than plain or cationic liposomes. These results suggest that BCL can be used as a long-circulating liposomes in bloodstream.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2008

Peroral administration is the most convenient one for the administration of pharmaceutically active compounds. Most of poorly water-soluble drugs administered via the oral route, however, remain poorly available due to their precipitation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and low permeability through intestinal mucosa. In this study, one of drug delivery carriers, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were designed in order to reduce side effects and improve solubility and stability in GI tract of the poorly water soluble drugs. However, plain LNPs are generally unstable in the GI tract and susceptible to the action of acids, bile salts and enzymes. Accordingly, the surface of LNPs was modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the purpose of improving solubility and GI stability of paclitaxel (PTX) in vitro. PEG-modified LNPs containing PTX was prepared by spontaneous emulsification and solvent evaporation (SESE) method and characterized for mean particle diameter, entrapping efficiency, zeta potential value and in vitro GI stability. Mean particle diameter and zeta potential value of PEG-modified LNP containing PTX showed approximately 86.9 nm and -22.9 mV, respectively. PTX entrapping efficiency was about 70.5% determined by UV/VIS spectrophotometer. Futhermore, change of particle diameter of PTX-loaded PEG-LNPs in simulated GI fluids and bile fluid was evaluated as a criteria of GI stability. Particle diameter of PTX-loaded PEG-LNPs were preserved under 200 nm for 6 hrs in simulated GI fluids and bile fluid at $37^{\circ}C$ when DSPE-mPEG2000 was added to formulation of LNPs above 4 mole ratio. As a result, PEG-modified LNPs improved stability of plain LNPs that would aggregate in simulated GI fluids and bile solution. These results indicate that LNPs modified with biocompatible and nontoxic polymer such as PEG might be useful for enhancement of GI stability of poorly water-soluble drugs and they might affect PTX absorption affirmatively in gastrointestinal mucosa.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.117-123
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• 2016

Taxol (paclitaxel) is a powerful anti-cancer drug widely used against several types of malignant tumors. Because Taxol may exert several side effects, a variety of formulations have been developed. One of these features liposomes, regarded as one of the most promising drug carriers, biocompatible and best able to reduce drug toxicity without changing efficacy against tumor cells. Eruca sativa seed extract (SE) is considered a promising natural product from cruciferous vegetables against breast cancer, increasing chemotherapeutic and eliminating harmful side effects. The effects of Taxol-encapsulated liposomes (T) alone and in combination between Eruca sativa seed extract on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) gene expression levels were investigated in rat mammary gland carcinogenesis induced by 7,12 dimethylbenz(${\alpha}$) anthracene (DMBA) using qRT-PCR. The results showed that DMBA increased NF-${\kappa}B$, COX-2 and Bcl-2 gene expression levels and lipid peroxidation (LP), while decreasing glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and total antioxidant concentration (TAC) compared to the control group. T and T-SE treatment reduced NF-${\kappa}B$, COX-2 and Bcl-2 gene expression levels and LP. Hence, T and T-SE treatment appeared to reduce inflammation and cell proliferation, while increasing apoptosis, GST and SOD activities and TAC.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.48-57
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• 1976

An enhancement in the dissolution rate of the drug should facilitate its GI absorption if the absorption process is dissolution rate limited. One of the need for the techniques that can potentially enhance the dissolution rate and extent of absorption of hydrophobic drugs is the formation of coprecipitates with pharmacologically inert, polymeric materials. The physicochemical modification offers the advantage of possibly enabling one to administer the drug orally in a form from which it is most available for GI absorption. Several $investigation^{1-15)}$ demonstrated that the formation of solid dispersions or coprecipitates of relatively water-insoluble drugs with various pharmacologically inert carriers can increase singnificantly their in vitro dissolution rates. However, little information is available in the literature related to the dissolution rate patterns of furosemide, a water-insoluble diurectices, with respect to the sort of copolymer and the ratio of coprecipitates as a function of time, respectively. The purpose of the present investigation was to ascertain, the general applicability of the copolymers to use fore more fast, enhanced dissolution techniques of furosemide. To accomplish the need for enhancement in the dissolution rate of furosemide, varying ratio coprecipitates with different water-soluble polymers, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene glycol 4000(PEG 4000), and polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000), were quantitatively studied by comparing their dissolution characteristics of furosemide. The dissolution patterns of pure furosemide, varying ratio furosemide-PVP coprecipitates, (1:2, 1:5, and 1:9(w/w)), furosemide-PEG 4000 coprecipitates (1:4, 1:9, and 1:19(w/w), furosemide-PEG 6000 coprecipitates(1:4, 1:9, and 1:19(w/w)), and the same ratio physical mixtures, respectively, were compared by the amount dissolved as a function of time.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.457-465
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• 2008

Development of various medical systems was accomplished through the progress of biotechnological method for therapy of human diseases. Furthermore, drug delivery systems have been investigated to carry the bioactive materials such as drug or gene in the body effectively. The most important thing in this system is to develop biomedical polymers having biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Chitosan, a natural polymer, has been importantly considered as biomedical materials due to its good biocompatibility and various bio-active characteristics. Since the property of chitosan is differently explained according to the crystalline structures of chitin, the study for structural analysis of chitin has to proceed to apply as a biomaterial. From this point of view, this article introduced the analysis of crystalline structural of chitin, general property of chitosan and potential characteristics of low molecular weight water-soluble chitosan (LMWSC) as a biomaterials. Furthermore, chemical modification of LMWSC using various functional groups was also performed to enhance its bioavailability and emphasize their potential as drug delivery carriers (DDS).