Investigating of the physico-chemistry thiolated dextran derivatives

The study aimed to create redox-responsive dextran carriers for controlled hydrophobic molecule release using glutathione, a natural cellular reducing agent, by modifying dextran with a thiol derivative. Investigating the impact of different hydrophobic length on the molecular self-organization of polysaccharide derivatives into nanoparticles helped to understand their roles in this process. The study demonstrated that thiolated dextran particles can be used as emulsifier and can effectively encapsulated hydrophobic molecules like Nile red dye, with the disulfide linkage being cleaved by glutathione under physiological conditions for rapid release. Additionally, the dextran-based particles were found to be non-toxic to living cells.