Self-assembly of the monohydroxy triterpenoid lupeol yielding nano-fibers,sheets and gel: environmental and drug delivery applications

Lupeol is a medicinally important naturally abundant triterpenoid having a 6–6–6–6–5 fused pentacyclic backbone and one polar secondary “–OH” group at the C3 position of the “A” ring. It was extracted from the dried outer bark of Bombax ceiba and its self-assembly properties were investigated in different neat organic as well as aquous-organic binary liquid mixtures. The triterpenoid having only one polar “–OH” group and a rigid lipophilic backbone self-assembled in neat organic non-polar liquids like n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane and polar liquids like DMSO, DMF, DMSO–H₂O, DMF–H₂O, and EtOH–H₂O yielding supramolecular gels via formation of nano to micrometre long self-assembled fibrillar networks (SAFINs). Morphological investigation of the self-assemblies was carried out by field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, concentration dependent FTIR and wide angle X-ray diffraction studies. The mechanical properties of the gels were studied by concentration dependent rheological studies in different solvents. The gels were capable of removing toxic micro-pollutants like rhodamine-B and 5,6-carboxyfluorescein as well as the toxic heavy metal Cr(vi) from contaminated water. Moreover release of the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin from a drug loaded gel in PBS buffer at pH 7.2 has also been demonstrated by spectrophotometry.

The monohydroxy triterpenoid lupeol forms gels in organic and aqueous organic liquids via self-assembly. The resulting supramolecular gels could be utilized for pollutant capture, drug entrapment and release applications.