POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) SUPPORTED AMINO DENDRIMERS (DENDRITIC TRIBLOCK COPOLYMER) FOR DELIVERY OF METHOTREXATE (MTX)

Dendrimers are synthetic, highly branched, nanosized, monodisperse macromolecule which proving their applicability in different areas like diagnosis, drug delivery, gene delivery, molecular encapsulation etc. Due to their widespread applications, scientific community is continually engaged in developing newer dendrimers with advanced properties. In the present study, amino dendrimers are synthesized according to procedure given in literature and were utilized for its biocompatibility by observing the influence on RBCs. Along with this amino dendrimers were also utilized for their potential in drug delivery by performing solubilization and drug release studies of Methotrexate (MTX). Up to generation third (G3) dendrimers was prepared by divergent method taking PEG as a core which provides homogenesity during synthesis and increases the biocompatibility to biosystem. A preliminary investigation shows that amino dendrimers caused concentration and time dependent haemolysis which is less than that of amino surface dendrimers like PAMAM having no PEG molecules within it. The solubility of MTX increases to 4.68, 5.93, 8.21 and 11.42 folds for the 0.5, 1, 2, 3 mmol concentrations of G3 amino dendrimer respectively.  Stability studies show that the formulation (drug loaded amino dendrimers) is most stable in the dark at the room temperature.