title: Ultrafast photodynamics of drugs in nanocavities: cyclodextrins and human serum albumin protein.
abstract: In this feature article, we discuss recent advances in studying ultrafast dynamic and structural aspects of host-guest interactions. Steady-state and time-resolved techniques exploring events from the femto- to nanosecond regime were used to examine the ultrafast photodynamics and subsequent events in selected nanostructures of the formed complexes. These consist of aromatic systems, biologically relevant molecules, and drugs trapped within cyclodextrins (CD) and human serum albumin (HSA) protein pockets. We examine the effects exerted by these chemical and biological cavitands on internal twisting motions, proton transfer and charge transfer, and cis-trans isomerization reactions that may occur in the confined molecular systems. In addition, the influence of a restricting environment on the interaction of guest molecules with biological water is considered. The dynamic details of the complexes (diffusion, early interactions, formation, stability, internal guest diffusion, and conformational changes) and the excited-state relaxation pathways, rate constants of the involved processes, and changes in the electronic distribution within encapsulated guests gave clues to elucidate their photobehavior and are relevant to the photostability and delivery of drugs when using nanocarriers.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Bioquímica, and INAMOL, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Boiko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Abderrazzak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Douhal
mesh_terms: D003505:Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004579:Electron Transport; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009038:Motion; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011522:Protons; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D003505:Cyclodextrins; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011522:Protons; D012709:Serum Albumin