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Grafting Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Polystyrene to Enable Self-Assembly and Anisotropic Patchiness
Published on: April 1, 2018
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Dexamethasone-Loaded, PEGylated, Vertically Aligned, Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for Potential Ischemic Stroke
Patrick P Komane1,2, Pradeep Kumar3, Thashree Marimuthu4
1Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa. patrickk@uj.ac.za.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 13, 2018
Summary
Vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) were optimized for dexamethasone delivery to ischemic brain tissue. These functionalized VA-MWCNTs show enhanced drug release and reduced toxicity, offering potential for ischemic stroke treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Ischemic stroke treatment requires effective drug delivery systems.
- Vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) offer a promising platform for drug delivery.
- Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid with therapeutic potential in ischemic conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize, optimize, and functionalize VA-MWCNTs for dexamethasone delivery.
- To evaluate the physicochemical properties and drug release kinetics of functionalized VA-MWCNTs.
- To assess the in vitro toxicity of functionalized VA-MWCNTs for potential therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and functionalization of VA-MWCNTs, including PEGylation.
- Characterization using SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA, and XRD.
- Evaluation of dexamethasone release at different pH levels (7.4, 6.5, 5.5) using UV-VIS spectroscopy.
- Cytotoxicity assessment in PC-12 cells.
Main Results:
- Optimized VA-MWCNTs were successfully synthesized and functionalized.
- Characterization confirmed morphological changes, functional group addition, and thermal stability reduction.
- Dexamethasone release significantly increased with decreasing pH (55% at pH 7.4, 95% at pH 5.5).
- Functionalized VA-MWCNTs exhibited low toxicity in PC-12 cells across a wide concentration range.
Conclusions:
- Functionalized VA-MWCNTs demonstrate potential for enhanced, pH-dependent dexamethasone release.
- These nanomaterials show promise for the effective treatment of ischemic stroke.
- Further research is ongoing for targeted delivery in stroke models.
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