Formation of biodegradable copolymeric nanoparticles for anticancer drug delivery

Abstract

The conventional chemotherapeutic agents have often associated with limitations due to the drug's poor aqueous solubility, side effects resulting from toxicity to healthy tissues. Drug incorporated in nanosized polymeric micelles are promising nanocarrier systems for drug and gene delivery, because the polymeric micelles have several advantages, such as controlled drug release, enhanced tumor-penetrating ability, reduced side toxicity, increased stability, loading capacity and specific-tissue target ability, as well as chemical or physical stimuli-sensitivity. Thus, preparation of nontoxic polymeric micelles may ensure their effectiveness and safety in the clinical use. In this present work, we reported the preparation of nanosized micelles based on amphiphilic copolymer of poly(ε- caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b- poly(ε-caprolactone). The polymeric nanoparticles were prepared in aqueous solution by co-solvent precipitation technique at room temperature. Polymeric micelles were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) with the size in a range of 70-90 nm and narrow polydispersity. Additionally, the toxicities of polymeric micelles were evaluated by MTT assay and nitric oxide production. These results confirmed low toxic polymeric micelles, suggest that the polymeric micelles hold a potential for anticancer drug delivery. © Springer-Verlag 2010.