Issue 29, 2024

One-step synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers PDMS-b-PEG using tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and subsequent study of encapsulation and release of curcumin

Abstract

A series of amphiphilic block copolymer (BCP) micelles based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were synthesized by a one-step reaction in the presence of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (BCF) as a catalyst. The structural composition of PDMS-b-PEG (PR11) and PEG-b-PDMS-b-PEG (PR12) was corroborated by FTIR, 29Si NMR, and TGA. The BCPs were assembled in an aqueous solution, obtaining micelles between 57 and 87 nm in size. PR11 exhibited a higher (2.0 g L−1) critical micelle concentration (CMC) than PR12 (1.5 g L−1) due to the short chain length. The synthesized nano micelles were used to encapsulate curcumin, which is one of three compounds of turmeric plant ‘Curcuma longa’ with significant biological activities, including antioxidant, chemoprotective, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-depressant properties. The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin was 60% for PR11 and 45% for PR12. Regarding the release study, PR11 delivered 53% curcumin after five days under acidic conditions (pH of 1.2) compared to 43% at a pH of 7.4. The degradation products of curcumin were observed under basic conditions and were more stable at acidic pH. In both situations, the release process is carried out by breaking the silyl–ether bond, allowing the release of curcumin. PR11 showed prolonged release times, so it could be used to reduce ingestion times and simultaneously work as a nanocarrier for other hydrophobic drugs.

Graphical abstract: One-step synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers PDMS-b-PEG using tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and subsequent study of encapsulation and release of curcumin

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Jan 2024
Accepted
13 May 2024
First published
17 May 2024

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 7076-7089

One-step synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers PDMS-b-PEG using tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and subsequent study of encapsulation and release of curcumin

A. Camacho-Ramírez, M. Meléndez-Zamudio, J. Cervantes, G. Palestino and A. Guerra-Contreras, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 7076 DOI: 10.1039/D4TB00113C

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