Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Drugs in Pluronic F127 Micelles: Effects of Drug Hydrophobicity, Solution Temperature, and pH
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Three drugs, ibuprofen, aspirin, and erythromycin, are encapsulated in spherical Pluronic F127 micelles. The shapes and the size distributions of the micelles in dilute, aqueous solutions, with and without drugs, are ascertained using cryo-scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments, respectively. Uptake of drugs above a threshold concentration is seen to reduce the critical micellization temperature of the solution. The mean hydrodynamic radii and polydispersities of the micelles are found to increase with decrease in temperature and in the presence of drug molecules. The hydration of the micellar core at lower temperatures is verified using fluorescence measurements. Increasing solution pH leads to the ionization of the drugs incorporated in the micellar cores. This causes rupture of the micelles and release of the drugs into the solution at the highest solution pH value of 11.36 investigated here and is studied using DLS and fluorescence spectrocopy.
Source: Langmuir
DOI: 10.1021/la304836e
Authors: Rajib Basak, Ranjini Bandyopadhyay
Institution: Raman Research Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2010197849