Factors affecting acoustically triggered release of drugs from polymeric micelles

A custom ultrasonic exposure chamber with real-time fluorescence detection was used to measure acoustically-triggered drug release from Pluronic P-105 micelles under continuous wave (CW) or pulsed ultrasound in the frequency range of 20 to 90 kHz. The measurements were based on the decrease in fluorescence intensity when drug was transferred from the micelle core to the aqueous environment. Two fluorescent drugs were used: doxorubicin (DOX) and its paramagnetic analogue, ruboxyl (Rb). Pluronic P-105 at various concentrations in aqueous solutions was used as a micelle-forming polymer. Drug release was most efficient at 20-kHz ultrasound and dropped with increasing ultrasonic frequency despite much higher power densities. These data suggest an important role of transient cavitation in drug release. The release of DOX was higher than that of Rb due to stronger interaction and deeper insertion of Rb into the core of the micelles. Drug release was higher at lower Pluronic concentrations, which presumably resulted from higher local drug concentrations in the core of Pluronic micelles when the number of micelles was low. At constant frequency, drug release increased with increasing power density. At constant power density and for pulse duration longer than 0.1 s, peak release under pulsed ultrasound was the same as stationary release under CW ultrasound. Released drug was quickly re-encapsulated between the pulses of ultrasound, which suggests that upon leaving the sonicated volume, the non-extravasated and non-internalized drug would circulate in the encapsulated form, thus preventing unwanted drug interactions with normal tissues.