HYDROTROPIC POLYMERS AND HYDROGELS: A NEW APPROACH FOR SOLUBILIZATION OF POORLY WATER-SOLUBLE DRUGS

摘要

Hydrotropic polymers (Hytrops) and hydrotropic hydrogels (Hytrogels) were synthesized, and their abilities to increase the water solubility of poorly soluble drugs were examined. Hytrops and Hytrogels have been synthesized based on the chemical structures of new, low molecular weight hydrotropic agents that efficiently increased the solubilities of poorly soluble drugs. Paclitaxel, griseofulvin, and progesterone were examined as model poorly soluble drugs in this study. Hytrops and Hytrogels maintained hydrotropic properties of their monomeric counterparts. Hytrops and Hytrogels increased the water solubility of the poorly soluble drugs by several orders of magnitude. In general, Hytrops enhanced the aqueous solubilities of the test drugs to a larger extent than their monomeric forms at the concentration range of 1 M and lower. One of the main advantages of Hytrops and Hytrogels is that the aqueous solubility of poorly soluble drugs can be increased by several orders of magnitude without using organic solvents.