Polymeric Micellar Systems—A Special Emphasis on “Smart” Drug Delivery

Abstract

Concurrent developments in anticancer nanotechnological treatments have been observed as the burden of cancer increases every year. The 21st century has seen a transformation in the study of medicine thanks to the advancement in the field of material science and nanomedicine. Improved drug delivery systems with proven efficacy and fewer side effects have been made possible. Nanoformulations with varied functions are being created using lipids, polymers, and inorganic and peptide-based nanomedicines. Therefore, thorough knowledge of these intelligent nanomedicines is crucial for developing very promising drug delivery systems. Polymeric micelles are often simple to make and have high solubilization characteristics; as a result, they seem to be a promising alternative to other nanosystems. Even though recent studies have provided an overview of polymeric micelles, here we included a discussion on the “intelligent” drug delivery from these systems. We also summarized the state-of-the-art and the most recent developments of polymeric micellar systems with respect to cancer treatments. Additionally, we gave significant attention to the clinical translation potential of polymeric micellar systems in the treatment of various cancers.

Additive-anchored thermoresponsive nanoscale self-assembly generation in normal and reverse Tetronics®

“…In particular, ethylene oxide–propylene oxide (EO–PO)-based tri- and star-BCPs are made commercially available under the trade names Pluronics® and Tetronics®, respectively. 1–4 Tetronics® stands out because it has a wide range of hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) and a controlled molecular weight of the PO block and % EO block, which makes it very useful for research. Structurally, Tetronics® possesses ethylenediamine as the central unit with four extended arms, to which EO blocks are attached to four nitrogen atoms that are further connected to a PO block forming the other terminal ends.…”

“…The interactions of ionic surfactants with Pluronics® have been mostly studied. 23–27 But studies on the interaction of Tetronics® with surfactants, in particular Tetronics® R in the presence of additives have not been reported.…”

“…Nanoscale copolymeric aggregates have been found to be particularly suitable as drug carriers. 27–32 Here, the hydrophilic corona acts as a stabilizing interface between the hydrophobic core and the outer environment, allowing them to solubilize poorly-soluble drugs and inhibit infected species in biological media, whereas the hydrophobic core acts as a microhabitat for lipophilic drugs. There are a number of drug delivery systems that have been created or are still being researched in order to reduce drug degradation and boost drug availability.…”

Flow-driven translocation of comb-like copolymer micelles through a nanochannel

“…1,2 Due to their high kinetic stability and particularly core–shell structure, in which the hydrophilic outer shell isolates the hydrophobic inner core from the external solutions, micelles with potential for many applications, especially as a carrier for drug transportation, have received wide attention. 3–5 Acting as drug carriers, micelles are subject to many physical and chemical conditions, including temperature, pH, size, and especially changing spatial environments in flow. 6–9…”

Binding and occupancy properties of gabapentin in mixed surfactant systems

“…Micelles provide a way for drugs to bypass the cell barrier, which they normally cannot do (Azum et al, 2021; Basu et al, 2023; Behari et al, 2022; Schittny et al, 2020). Micelles are a promising drug delivery method due to their many advantages in the areas of size, toxicity, drug solubility, and cytotoxicity regulation (Negut & Bita, 2023; Xu et al, 2023). Due to the synergistic effects of a mixed surfactant solution, mixed surfactant systems perform better than single surfactant systems and are often utilized in formulations for many applications in several industries.…”