Abstract
We have developed a novel, light activated drug delivery containers, based on spiropyran doped liquid crystal micro spheres. Upon exposure to UV/violet light, the spiropyran molecules entrapped inside the nematic liquid crystal micro spheres, interconvert from the hydrophobic, oil soluble form, to the hydrophilic, water soluble merocyanine one, which stimulates the translocation of the merocyanine molecules across the nematic liquid crystal-water barrier and results their homogeneous distribution throughout in an aqueous environment. Light controllable switching property and extremely high solubility of spiropyran in the nematic liquid crystal, promise to elaborate a novel and reliable vehicles for the drug delivery systems.
Highlights
Controlled drug delivery systems are gaining increasing importance compared to the traditional forms of drug administration
We have developed a novel, light activated drug delivery containers, based on spiropyran doped liquid crystal micro spheres
Upon exposure to UV/violet light, the spiropyran molecules entrapped inside the nematic liquid crystal micro spheres, interconvert from the hydrophobic, oil soluble form, to the hydrophilic, water soluble merocyanine one, which stimulates the translocation of the merocyanine molecules across the nematic liquid crystal-water barrier and results their homogeneous distribution throughout in an aqueous environment
Summary
Controlled drug delivery systems are gaining increasing importance compared to the traditional forms of drug administration. Assorted types of remotely-triggerable drug delivery systems have been developed, which rely on applying an external stimulus to release the drug load [2]. Such systems could determine the timing, duration, dosage, and even location of drug release, and could allow remote, noninvasive, repeatable, and reliable switching of therapeutic agent flux [3]. The thermo sensitive polymers consisting of drugs and gold nanoparticles have been shown to effectively release the embedded drug upon local heating of the gold nanoparticles via near infrared light (NIR) irradiation [4,5]. A wide range of electromagnetic waves has been proposed to control drug release [8,9]. Upon the exposure to UV/Violet light, a hydrophobic form of SP molecules undergoes a photoisomerization into the hydrophilic MC form, that can potentially destabilize the lipid membrane of NLC-water interface so that, the MC molecules can escape inside the aqueous medium
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