title: Synthesis of New Functionalized Citric Acid-based Dendrimers as Nanocarrier Agents for Drug Delivery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Citric acid-polyethylene glycol-citric acid (CPEGC) triblock dendrimers can serve as potential delivery systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this investigation, CPEGC triblock dendrimers were synthesized and then imidazole groups were conjugated onto the surface of the G1, G2 and G3 of the obtained dendrimers. In order to study the type of the interactions between the functionalized dendrimers and a drug molecule, Naproxen which contains acidic groups, was examined as a hydrophobic drug in which the interactions would be of the electrostatic kind between its acidic groups and the lone pair electrons of nitrogen atom in imidazole groups. The quantity of the trapped drug and also the amount of its release were measured with UV spectrometric method in pH 1, 7.4 and 10. The average diameter of the nanocarriers was measured by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The size range of particles was determined to be 16-50 nm for different generations. The rate of the release increased in pH=10 in all generations due to the increases in Naproxen solubility and the hydrolysis of the esteric bonds in the mentioned pH. The results showed that the amount of the trapped drug increased with the increase in the generation of the dendrimer and pH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our findings, we suggest CPEGC triblock dendrimers possess great potential to be used as drug/gene delivery system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Dendrimers and Nano-Biopolymers, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran ; Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Namazi
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motamedi
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Namvari
keywords: Citric Acid; Dendrimer; Drug Delivery; Encapsulation; Nanocarrier; Naproxen