Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(propylene oxide)-Polyamidoamine Linear Dendritic Block Copolymer for Drug Delivery

摘要

The drug delivery potential of various polymers including block copolymers and dendrimers has been investigated. Due to their amphiphilic nature, block copolymers have the ability to form micelles with a hydrophobic interior and hydrophilic exterior. The hydrophobic interior can solubilize drug while the hydrophilic exterior allows for longer circulation times through evasion of the reticuloendothelial system. Block copolymer systems can be highly flexible, where modifications to the size, functionality, and stability can be made. In contrast, dendrimers are more stable than block copolymer systems due to their monodisperse unimolecular micelle-like characteristics. Another advantage for using dendrimers is that in the periphery of the molecule there are a dense number of functional groups, which can be used for targeting to cells in receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, dendrimers can be limited in size due to the crowding at the exterior region as the generation number increases.