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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Bio-oils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242885
Title: Characterization of novel soybean-oil-based thermosensitive amphiphilic polymers for drug delivery applications

Author
item ABDEKHODAIE, MOHAMMAD - University Of Toronto
item Liu, Zengshe - Kevin
item Erhan, Sevim
item WU, XIAO - University Of Toronto

Submitted to: Polymer International
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2012
Publication Date: 8/29/2012
Citation: Abdekhodaie, M.J., Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z., Wu, X.Y. 2012. Characterization of novel soybean-oil-based thermosensitive amphiphilic polymers for drug delivery applications. Polymer International. 61:1477-1484.

Interpretive Summary: This research determined that soy based polymers can encapsulate the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox), which is a model drug for breast cancer treatment. Aggregation behavior, physical properties and drug-polymer interactions were investigated. The soybean oil polymers were synthesized with chemical reagents to form polymers in benign reaction media such as supercritical carbon dioxide and the molecular interaction between polymers and doxorubicin was examined using multiple methods. The results demonstrated the presence of molecular interaction between soy polymers and doxorubicin. This is important in order to develop a new soy based polymer nanoparticle system for the delivery of Dox and to enhance its efficacy against breast cancer cells.

Technical Abstract: Characterization, aggregation behavior, physical properties and drug-polymer interaction of novel soybean oil-based polymers i.e., hydrolyzed polymers of (epoxidized) soybean oil (HPESO), were studied. The surface tension method was used to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC). CMC was higher for the epoxidized polymer due to higher hydrophilicity. Phase separation temperatures were obtained using UV turbidimetry. The phase transition temperatures (cloud points) were determined from the inflection points of the light transmittance versus temperature curves. The effect of polymer concentration on the cloud points was investigated. The cloud points were insensitive to polymer concentration but were higher for the epoxidized polymer. Contact angle measurements and surface energy calculation for these polymer solutions and two drug tablets were performed following the sessile drop method to study the affinity between polymers and hydrophobic drugs. The contact angles between hydrophobic drugs and polymer solution would be higher for the epoxidized polymer. Powder X-ray diffraction, ATR-FTIR, H-NMR, and PGSE-HMR spectroscopy were used to examine the molecular interaction between HPESO and doxorubicin as an anticancer model drug. The obtained results demonstrated the presence of molecular interaction between HPESO and doxorubicin.