DRUG ENTRAPMENT IN DENDRIMERS

A. Sharma, D. Swanson, N. Barnhill and R. Uzarski

Chemistry & Biochemistry, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859, USA

Abstract

Polyamidoamine dendrimers are versatile drug delivery systems. Drugs may be conjugated to the surface of the dendrimers or incorporated within their cavities. Surface attachment drastically changes dendrimer interactions with biomolecules and physical properties such as their aqueous solubility thereby impeding their applications in medicine. Simple physical encapsulation of drug within the dendrimer cavity avoids these problems. However physical encapsulation often causes a rapid release of the encapsulated drug molecules within the medium. A new method for incorporating drug molecules in dendrimers is described involving physical encapsulation followed by subsequent covalent capping. Preparation, properties and release kinetics of two chemicals (fluorescein and curcumin) entrapped in generation 4 diaminobutane core polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with hydroxyl surfaces will be presented.

Keywords: Dendrimers, drugs, release kinetics