Polymeric Micelles: A Novel Approach towards Nano-Drug Delivery System

Rutuja Hemant Vinchurkar and Ashwin Bhanudas Kuchekar^*

School of Pharmacy, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune- 411 038, India

Corresponding Author E-mail: ashwin.kuchekar@mitwpu.edu.in

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2947

ABSTRACT:

Nano delivery systems, polymeric micelles represent one of the most promising delivery platforms for therapeutic compounds. It has shown that a poorly soluble molecule which has high potency and remarkable toxicity can be encapsulated with the polymeric micelle. There are various poorly soluble drugs used in micellar preparations, mostly for their anti-cancer activity. Drugs in the inner core protect the drug from degradation and allow drug accumulation in the tumour site in the case of cancer treatment. Block copolymers are chosen based on the physicochemical characteristics of medicinal drugs. The amphiphilic block copolymer structure has both lipophilic and hydrophilic blocks, which enclose tiny hydrophobic molecules. It is a targeted drug delivery method because of its high effectiveness for drug retention in tissue, prevention of enzymes from degradation, and improvement of the cellular absorption mechanism. In an experimental environment, variations in temperature and solvent polarity stimulate copolymer micelle self-assembly. This is a thermodynamically guided procedure in which self-assembly happens by converting polymeric micelles. These aggregates go from a non-equilibrium to a thermodynamically equilibrium state, and they stay stable for a long time. The balance of thermodynamic and kinetic forces is critical in micelles self-assembly because the kinetic process predicts assembly behaviour and hierarchical structure. The purpose of this special issue is to provide an updated overview of micelles, a number of polymers and drugs commonly used in micellar preparation and their application.

KEYWORDS: Anti-Cancer Drugs; Block Polymers; Nano Delivery; Polymeric Micelles

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