DENDRIMER CHEMISTRY AND HOST-GUEST INTERACTIONS FOR DRUG TARGETING

The objective of this review was to bring a chemicophysical approach towards dendrimers in different aspects including host-guest interaction and drug targeting. These nanosizedz polymeric molecules are unique in structural properties which have made dendrimers a potential candidate to lend itself as a carrier for drugs and bioactive molecules. Dendrimers offer the coupling of guest
molecules by several phenomena including internal complexation and topological complexation forming catenanes and rotaxanes. Surface binding of guest molecules are achieved by coupling with the multiple surface binding groups. The physical attributes like size, shape, molecular weight and surface charge are modified for internalization of dendrimers into the specific cells by passive targeting mode. The polymer-drug couples are linked to targeting ligands for their active targeting by receptor mediated endocytosis. The binding and dissociation kinetics of such molecules can be tuned according to the desired retention time in a biological system.