Objective: To synthesize three amphiphilic molecules (TEG-R1, TEG-R2, TEG-R3), with branched oligo polyethylene glycol as hydrophilic fractions and aliphatic chains (containing six, eight and twelve carbon atoms respectively) as hydrophobic fractions, and study them as insoluble drug vectors.
Method: Three compounds were successfully through acylation, substitution reaction, reduction reaction and esterification. Their structures were verified by NMR analysis; and the critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of TEG-R1, TEG-R2, TEG-R3 were determined by pyrene fluorescence probe spectrometry. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) photos displayed the state of the aqueous solution. The self-assembly solution evaporation method was adopted to prepare drug loading podophyllotoxin micelles, and characterize their grain size, in order to detect the hemolysis of the three amphiphilic molecules.
Result: Nuclear magnetism showed the successful synthesis of three amphiphilic molecules, with critical micelle concentrations of TEG-R1, TEG-R2, TEG-R3 of 50, 50, 10 mg x L(1), respectively. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) photos displayed a spherical-like state, with diameter of 20-50 nm. All of the three amphiphilic molecules could be prepared into drug-loading micelles, with the range of grain sizes between 100-200 nm. Hemdytic experiment showed that, among the amphiphilic molecules of the graft six-carbon aliphatic chain, TEG-R1 could not cause hemolysis.
Conclusion: All of the three amphiphilic molecules are micellized in water solution, and can be used as insoluble drug vectors. Among them, TEG-R1 could not cause hemolysis, and is expected to become a new-type drug vector.