Micellar Carriers of Active Substances Based on Amphiphilic PEG/PDMS Heterograft Copolymers: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Safe Use on Skin.

Justyna Odrobińska,Dorota Neugebauer,Magdalena Skonieczna

doi:10.3390/ijms22031202

Justyna Odrobińska, Dorota Neugebauer + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031202

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Abstract

Amphiphilic copolymers containing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyethylene glycol methyl ether (MPEG) were obtained via an azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction between alkyne-functionalized copolymer of MPEG methacrylate and azide-functionalized PDMS. “Click” reactions were carried out with an efficiency of 33–47% increasing grafting degrees. The grafted copolymers were able to carry out the micellization and encapsulation of active substances, such as vitamin C (VitC), ferulic acid (FA) and arginine (ARG) with drug loading content (DLC) in the range of 2–68% (VitC), and 51–89% (FA or ARG). In vitro release studies (phosphate buffer saline, PBS; pH = 7.4 or 5.5) demonstrated that the maximum release of active substances was mainly after 1–2 h. The permeability of released active substances through membrane mimicking skin evaluated by transdermal tests in Franz diffusion cells indicated slight diffusion into the solution (2–16%) and their remaining in the membrane. Studies on the selected carrier with FA showed no negative effect on cell viability, proliferation capacity or senescence, as well as cell apoptosis/necrosis differences or cell cycle interruption in comparison with control cells. These results indicated that the presented micellar systems are good candidates for carriers of cosmetic substances according to physicochemical characterization and biological studies.

Highlights

Polymeric carriers of active substances are prepared primarily via controlled polymerization methods, including atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer radical polymerization or ring-opening polymerization [1,2]
The control of alkyne groups’ content as well as the hydrophilicity of copolymers was assured by initial proportions of monomers (AlHEMA/MPEGMA: 25/75, 50/50)
The conducted polymerization reactions displayed AlHEMA conversions in the range of 35–71% and 26–60% for MPEGMA, which resulted in DPn above 150 (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Polymeric carriers of active substances are prepared primarily via controlled polymerization methods, including atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer radical polymerization or ring-opening polymerization [1,2]. These methods allow the formation of well-defined polymers with different chemical characteristics and required architecture. Polymeric systems have been studied mainly for the delivery of anti-cancer drugs [3,4]. In the field of cosmetology, polymeric carriers are commonly based on biopolymers, such as polysaccharides, poly(lactic acid) and chitosan [5,6]. Hydroxy- and methoxy-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylates (PEGMA and MPEGMA, respectively) are the most studied to prepare block and graft copolymers [1]

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