Issue 23, 2010

Converting drugs into gelators: supramolecular hydrogels from N-acetyl-l-cysteine and coinage-metal salts

Abstract

Here we present the concept of metallophilic hydrogels, supramolecular systems in which the gelator species are metal-thiolates that self-assemble through metallophilic attractions. The principle is applied for a small drug, the mucolytic agent N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which readily forms hydrogels in the presence of Au(III), Ag(I) and Cu(II) salts. The resulting transparent hydrogels present pH induced sol/gel transition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements reveal a microporous structure in form of flakes for the three of them. The low pH at which these hydrogels are formed (pH < 4) limits their direct use as drug-delivery systems, but still this system constitutes a novel method for easy and fast conversion of small drugs into potent hydrogelators. Future developments will help to fully develop the idea in order to create a new class of supramolecular drug-delivery systems.

Graphical abstract: Converting drugs into gelators: supramolecular hydrogels from N-acetyl-l-cysteine and coinage-metal salts

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Jun 2010
Accepted
02 Sep 2010
First published
30 Sep 2010

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2010,8, 5455-5458

Converting drugs into gelators: supramolecular hydrogels from N-acetyl-L-cysteine and coinage-metal salts

P. Casuso, P. Carrasco, I. Loinaz, H. J. Grande and I. Odriozola, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2010, 8, 5455 DOI: 10.1039/C0OB00311E

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