Physicochemical aspects of doxorubicin-loaded pH-sensitive polymeric micelle formulations from a mixture of poly(l-histidine)-b-poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)

In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) was physically incorporated into pH-sensitive micelles made from a mixture of poly(l-histidine)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (75/25, wt.%). The DOX-loaded mixed micelles were formulated using dialysis methods and optimal DOX incorporation was achieved at a drug/polymer feed ratio of 0.2 (wt./wt.) when a proper amount of aqueous phase (0.2, v./v.) was added into the common solvent (DMSO) solution, followed by dialysis at 4 °C. Based on the results obtained from dynamic light scattering, UV-Vis absorption, and fluorescence experiments, it was demonstrated that the encapsulated drugs were mainly located inside the hydrophobic micelle cores, well protected and inaccessible to the exterior molecules. Under in vitro conditions, although the microstructure of the micelles was altered below pH 8.0 by the encapsulated drugs, the drug-loaded micelles still exhibited a desirable ability to control the drug release in response to tumor extracellular pH.