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Preparation of Polymeric Micelles for use as Carriers of Tuberculostatic Drugs


M Silva
E I Ferreira
C Q Leite
D N Sato

Abstract



Purpose: This paper focuses on the characterization of polymeric micelle-forming tuberculostatic prodrugs and the antimycobacterial activity of these prodrugs.

Method: By the condensation of hydroxymethylpyrazinamide, isoniazid and rifampin with free carboxyl groups on the copolymer poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly(aspartic acid), micelle-forming carrier-drug conjugates were obtained. These micelles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, to measure the micelle diameter; by acid-base titration, to determine the percentage of carboxylic groups occupied by the tuberculostatic; by Sudan III solubility tests, to estimate the critical micelle concentration (CMC); and visual control and spectrophotometric measurement, to determine the stability of micelles. These micelles were tested in vitro against several Mycobacterium strains.

Results: As expected, the size and distribution of the micelle-forming tuberculostatic prodrugs found to be small (78.2nm, 84.2nm and 98.9 nm) while the level of the drug conjugated was high (65.02-85.7%). Furthermore, the micelles were stable in vitro, exhibiting a low level of CMC and stronger anti-mycobacterial activity than the original drugs.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that polymeric micelles can be used as efficient carriers for drugs, which alone, exhibit undesired pharmacokinetics, poor solubility, and low stability. The synthesized micelle-forming tuberculostatic prodrugs opens a perspective of alternative prodrugs that prolong action and decrease the toxicity of the tuberculostatic drugs of choice.



Keywords: pyrazinamide, isoniazid, rifampin, tuberculostatic prodrugs, polymer micelles

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 6 (4) 2007: pp. 815-824

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996