Drug Delivery Systems Based on Modified Polysaccharides: Synthesis and Characterization.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Conventional chemotherapy lacks specificity, harming healthy cells and reducing treatment effectiveness.
• Nanotechnology offers solutions for targeted drug delivery, improving therapeutic outcomes.
• Developing safe and effective nanocarriers is crucial for advanced cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel core-shell polymeric nanocarriers for targeted cancer therapy.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanocarriers for improved drug delivery.
• To explore the use of natural polysaccharides and synthetic polymers in nanocarrier design.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of core-shell nanostructures using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cores and polysaccharide shells.
• Layer-by-layer deposition technique utilizing water as a solvent.
• Structural and morphological characterization using AT-IR spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Encapsulation of daunorubicin as a model anticancer drug.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated core-shell polymeric nanocarriers with defined structures.
• Characterization confirmed the successful coating of PMMA nanospheres with polysaccharides.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of encapsulating an anticancer drug (daunorubicin) within the carriers.
• The use of water as a solvent presents an environmentally friendly approach.

Conclusions:

• Core-shell polymeric nanocarriers based on polysaccharides and PMMA are promising for targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy.
• These nanocarriers offer a potential strategy to enhance drug efficacy and minimize toxicity.
• Further research is warranted to explore their in vivo performance and therapeutic potential.