Nano-antioxidants for Medical Applications

Central Michigan University
posted on 06/22/2009

Nano-antioxidant dendrimers with improved aqueous solubility, stability, and radical scavenging potency. Nano-particles show stronger interactions with biomolecules, providing better protection than small molecule antioxidants against free radical damage.

Suggested Uses

Combination drug delivery and free-radical scavenging at the diseased site

Advantages

1. Unlike other polymer-based macromolecular antioxidants available, dendritic antioxidants have a defined molecular weight which is a significant benefit in medical applications.

2. Polyphenolic hydroxyl groups function as free radical scavenging sites with a multitude of radical scavenging effects.

3. Use of naturally available antioxidants and other poly-phenolic hydroxyl containing antioxidants provide increased radical stability.

4. Numerous hydroxyl groups (hydrophilic) and benzene rings (lipophilic) create amphiphilic properties, providing access to both aqueous (extracellular and intracellular space) and lipophilic (lipophilic cell membrane and lipoproteins) compartments.

5. Drug molecules can be conjugated on to the surface, making a drug delivery vehicle. The dendrimer-drug conjugate can scavenge harmful free radicals at the diseased site and produce a therapeutic effect after drug molecules becomes unloaded by enzymatic action or acidic pH if it is in cancerous cell.

Innovation Details

Detailed Description

Antioxidants have been reported to be beneficial for prevention of a variety of human diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, pulmonary and chronic ailments. Commonly available antioxidants are small molecular weight compounds that have the ability to neutralize free radicals, destroy potential radical forming substances, boost the immune system and exhibit other biological activities that are beneficial to human health. There is a need for more effective antioxidants in scavenging free radicals and reducing oxidative stress.

This technology provides a means to design potent macromolecular antioxidants from small, weaker antioxidant monomers via covalent assembly. Nano-antioxidant molecules synthesized with building blocks and branching units in a reiterative manner have well-defined and precise dendritic structures. This unique antioxidant architecture is expected to display cooperative effects and beneficial properties such as improved aqueous solubility and stability and enhanced radical scavenging potency. The resulting antioxidant macromolecules possess structural features beneficial for radical scavenging including multiple phenolic hydroxyl groups, benzylic hydrogens, and electron donating substituents on the benzene rings.

Limitations

Limited biological testing so far, but with promising results

File Number: 2009-01

Disease: Cancer

IP Protection