Effect of the copolymerized aromatic and unsaturated monomers on the affinity of drug-polyesters in the core-shell nanoparticles

Abstract

The objective of this study was to get an insight into the influence of the newly provided functional groups from the copolymerization as a strategy on the total interactions of the hydrophobic drug and the polyesteric core of the prepared core-shell nanoparticles. Three amphiphile triblock models of monomethoxy poly(ethylene gycol) (mPEG)-b-polyester-b-mPEG with the same PEG hydrophile part but different hydrophobe polyesteric segments were synthesized and used for preparation of the core-shell nanoparticles that were loaded by quercetin as a model hydrophobe drug in the core. The total amount of the interaction between polyesters in the core and loaded quercetin were monitored by parameters such as drug loadings, in vitro release rates and other newly defined parameters such as micelle encapsulation efficiency. The results highlighted that changing the structure of the saturated aliphatic polyesteric core in the poly(butylene adipate) with diol monomers that are capable of forming additional π stacking and π -OH interactions with quercetin weakens the optimal conditions for the main drug-esteric hydrogen bonding. Therefore, the decreased total affinity of the quercetin and polyesteric core finally resulted in the lower amount of encapsulated drug and the increased release rate. Open image in new window