Engineering multifunctional curcumin encapsulated chitosan - g- pluronic micelles by Ultrasonication

Abstract

Supramolecular assemblies of the loading agent embedded into the network of amphiphilic copolymer, with defined structures and tunable functionalities, are an exciting topic in the field of drug delivery system. Here we report a binary system (curcumin/Chitosan-g-Pluronic F127, CF127) capable of assembling cooperatively by forming a complex between anionic and hydrophobic (curcumin) drug and the cationic grafting copolymer CF127 under ultrasonic condition. Crucially, introducing different ultrasonic condition allows both are tuning the final structure of the particles; this makes them attractive in the context of the application. The superstructure of the incorporated nanoparticles was fabricated in the medium under unimolecular micelles as vesicular structure (SV) at lower ultrasonic condition whereas large complex micelles (multi-micelle aggregates, LCMs) at higher ultrasonic power density. Cell-culture studies showed that both unique morphologies endowed fibroblast cells development. Interestingly, the more complex structure as LCM exhibited potential candidate in cancer therapy at lower concentration (4ppm or 0.0004%). At higher concentration of SV, 20wt%, an unprecedented reversible temperature-induced gel-to-gel phase transition at body temperature exhibit robust adhesion to various material surfaces and minimal cytotoxicity as well as wound healing potential. In this novel way, we obtain versatile, multi-level hierarchical supramolecular loading agent-containing assemblies, with good control over their structures and functionalities.