Micellar structure of hydrophobically modified polysaccharides in aqueous solution

Abstract

This article reviews previous studies on the micellar structure formed by hydrophobically modified polysaccharides in aqueous solutions, by static and dynamic light scattering, small angle X-ray and neutron scattering, and fluorescence from pyrene solubilized in the polymer solution. Those experimental results are consistently explained by the full or loose flower necklace model for pullulan bearing octenyl groups and amylose bearing dodecyl groups, and by the randomly branched polymer model, which is often called as "nanogel," for pullulan bearing cholesteryl groups. We discuss the micellar structures of those hydrophobically modified polysaccharides as well as of an amphiphilic alternating vinyl polymer bearing dodecyl groups, depending on the degree of substitution as well as chemical structures of the hydrophobic moiety and backbone chain.

Structural Modification and Biological Activity of Polysaccharides

“…The structural modification of polysaccharides usually involves adding groups to the polysaccharide chain in order to change its structure [ 52 ]. However, during the course of the reaction, some reactions lead to significant breakage of the polysaccharide chains and greater changes in the structure of the polysaccharide.…”

“…The structural modification of polysaccharides usually involves adding groups to the polysaccharide chain in order to change its structure [52]. However, during the course of…”

Amphiphilic Block Copolymers: Their Structures, and Self-Assembly to Polymeric Micelles and Polymersomes as Drug Delivery Vehicles

“…Even poorly water soluble drugs have been covalently attached to the polymer backbone to induce amphiphilic character that displays self-assembly in solution. The hydrophobically modified polymers show hierarchical self-assembly in water to form nanoaggregates/nanogels that may be used as potential reservoirs for drug delivery applications [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”