Influence of different generations of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers on human erythrocytes

The unique characteristics of dendrimers make them attractive candidates as drug carriers. However, the toxicity associated with dendrimers is a basic hurdle in their biomedical application. To ensure development of dendrimer based safe and effective delivery systems, the effect of dendrimers on human erythrocytes (RBCs) must be studied. The present study explores the toxicological behavior of different generations of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers on human RBCs. Plain fifth generation PPI dendrimers (1 mg/mL) showed approximately 6.39% hemolysis which was an indication of their suitability in drug delivery. The study was conducted on all generations from 0.5 to 5.0 G of PPI dendrimers.