Association of a weakly acidic anti-inflammatory drug (ibuprofen) with a poly(amidoamine) dendrimer as studied by molecular dynamics simulations.
In this work, we report results from fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations regarding the associative behavior of a third-generation poly(amidoamine) dendrimer with ibuprofen, a weakly acidic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in aqueous solutions and at different pH conditions. Employing a combined static and dynamic approach, we describe the specifics of the complexation/encapsulation of the drug within the dendritic structure. In addition, information regarding the dynamic behavior is provided for the self- and the collective motion of the drug molecules. The detail afforded by the present molecular-level description of the relevant associative mechanisms (i.e., electrostatic complexation, hydrogen-bonding), provides a deeper insight for the interpretation of recent experimental findings regarding the behavior of dendrimer/ibuprofen systems in an aqueous environment.
Tanis
I
I
Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Karatasos
K
K
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D050091:Dendrimers; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011073:Polyamines / Q000737:chemistry*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D050091:Dendrimers; C104700:PAMAM Starburst; D011073:Polyamines; D007052:Ibuprofen