Copolymer of star poly(epsilon‐caprolactone) and polyglycidols as potential carriers for hydrophobic drugs

Amphiphilic star shape poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐b‐hyperbranched polyglycidol (sPCL‐HPG) were synthesized and used to investigate micell formation and to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs. The synthesis of sPCL‐HPG copolymers was carried out by using sPCL as macroinitiator for the ensuing of hypergrafting reaction with glycidols. ¹H‐NMR and FTIR were used to characterize sPCL‐b‐HPG structures. The self‐assembled structure of the sPCL‐HPG was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The size and size dispersities of micelles were measured by dynamic light scattering DLS. Critical micelle concentration (CMC) was determined using pyrene as fluorescent probe. Hydrophobic methyl red was encapsulated in sPCL‐HPG micelles to illustrate hydrophobic drug loading. The copolymer micelles were used to enhance paclitaxel solubility. The results showed that hydrophobic drugs could be encapsulated in the sPCL‐HPG micelles. The paclitaxel solubility in the micelles of 5 wt% of sPCL23‐HPG170 got to 168 µg/ml. sPCL‐HPG, which have biodegrability and hydrophobicity at PCL part and smaller size of HPG fragments while maintaining the total repeating units of glycidols, provide an alternative choice of carriers for poorly soluble drugs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.