5 - Polymeric micelles for theranostic uses

Abstract

Polymeric micelle are core shell nanoscopic structures formed by amphiphilic block copolymers. Polymeric micelle have been emerged as a novel colloidal drug delivery system for the delivery of poorly water soluble and amphiphilc drugs. Compared to surfactant micelles, poly micelle are more stable in nature and able to solubilibize large amount of hydrophobic compounds in their inner core structure. Their hydrophobic core acts as a microcontainer for the entrapment of hydrophobic drugs, whereas hydrophilic shell faces the biological media. Hydrophilic outer shell and nanoscopic size range helped them to circulate in vivo for long period of time and accumulate in cancer cells. In this chapter, emphasis has been given on the description, preparation, procedures, mechanism of drug release from micelles and its potential medical application, especially in different stages of cancer therapy. These polymeric micelle have been found to be effective to attenuate toxicities of anticancer drugs as well as to deliver the drug to proper target area of the body.