PNU Today

Iranian researchers develop new drug delivery system

22February2020

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Researchers in Tabriz Payam-e-Nour University has developed multiple-branched body-friendly biodegradable polymers as man-sized delivery systems.


Since citric acid degrades readily when the temperature reaches its melting point, using such monomers in preparing polymers and copolymers is rather difficult. Researchers of Tabriz Payam-e-Nour University in close collaboration with University of Lorestan developed three types of multiple-branched polymers with different ratio of citric acid and glycerol in a similar temperature conditions.

This biologically-adaptable polymer has numerous internal cavities and a great ability in carrying drugs. The presence of active operating groups in polymer surface makes drug delivery to proper receptors possible. Such polymers find wide applications in biological molecules.

Multiple-branched body-friendly biodegradable polymers developed in this research have potentials applications in drug delivery especially in cancer patients. Researchers said that the developed polymers economically viable to produce. In addition, the dosage of anti-cancer drugs encapsulated by such multiple-branched polymers is only half that of normal cancer drugs, thus it can help reduce the side-effects of using drugs in healthy cells.