Polyelectrolyte Complexes of [2-(Diethylamino)ethyl]dextran Hydrochloride with Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose

Abstract

Abstract Sodium carboxymethylcellulose(anti-thrombogenic material)(CMC) reacted with [2-(diethylamino)ethyl]dextran hydrochloride(anti-cancer material)(EA) having an opposite charge and three groups of different basicity at different hydrogen ion concentrations to form novel water-insoluble precipitates, the so-called polyelectrolyte complex(PEC) comprised of both biomedical materials, focusing on the coagulation of precipitate(PEC) produced. The mole ratio N(EA)/Na(CMC) of the reaction mixture in solution at the start coagulation increased with a lowering of hydrogen ion concentration. This depended on the change of the degree of dissociation of EA and CMC with changing hydrogen ion concentration. The nitrogen contents which describe the mole ratios of EA/CMC in each PEC thus prepared were determined to range from 1.75 to 4.51. It was established that the hydrogen ion concentration and mixing mole ratio of N/Na in solution play an important role in determining the composition ratio of EA/CMC in the PEC. The results of IR, elemental analyses, solubility measurements, degree of swelling in water, color reaction with Toluidine Blue, and blood clotting test for PEC, revealed that the molecular structure of the various PEC’s differed according to the hydrogen ion concentration and the mole ratio of reaction mixture in solution, though all PEC’s were prepared from the same starting materials. It appears that the degree of dissociation and conformation of EA and CMC change with hydrogen ion concentration. The blood clotting tests were performed on a slightly swelled tablet of PEC where it was found that the PEC suppressed coagulation of the blood.