title: Enzyme catalysis: tool to make and break amygdalin hydrogelators from renewable resources: a delivery model for hydrophobic drugs.
abstract: We report a novel approach for the controlled delivery of an antiinflammatory, chemopreventive drug by an enzyme-triggered drug release mechanism via the degradation of encapsulated hydrogels. The hydro- and organogelators are synthesized in high yields from renewable resources by using regioselective enzyme catalysis, and a known chemopreventive and antiinflammatory drug, i.e., curcumin, is used for the model study. The release of the drug occurred at physiological temperature, and control of the drug release rate is achieved by manipulating the enzyme concentration and/or temperature. The byproducts formed after the gel degradation were characterized and clearly demonstrated the site specificity of degradation of the gelator by enzyme catalysis. The present approach could have applications in developing cost-effective controlled drug delivery vehicles from renewable resources, with a potential impact on pharmaceutical research and molecular design and delivery strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, The City College of New York, and The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA.
authors.forename: Praveen Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Vemula
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D000678:Amygdalin / Q000737:chemistry*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004798:Enzymes / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010316:Particle Size; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012995:Solubility; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D004798:Enzymes; D020100:Hydrogels; D000678:Amygdalin