Unravelling the Excellent Chemical Stability and Bioavailability of Solvent Responsive Curcumin-Loaded 2-Ethyl-2-oxazoline-grad-2-(4-dodecyloxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline Copolymer Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

A new gradient copolymer has been synthesized by the living cationic ring-opening polymerization of hydrophilic 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline with lipophilic 2-(4-dodecyloxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline (EtOx-grad-DPOx). The prepared copolymer is capable of assembling in water to yield polymeric nanoparticles that are successfully loaded with an anticancer agent, curcumin. Self assembly of the copolymer was found to be tuned by the polarity as well as the hydrogen bonding ability of solvents. Solvent took distinctive role in the preparation of unloaded and curcumin-loaded nanoparticles. The stability of the nanoparticles was increased by curcumin loading promoted by curcumin polymer interactions. Further, the chemical stability of curcumin in water is largely enhanced inside the polymeric nanoparticles. Curcumin-loaded (EtOx-grad-DPOx) copolymer nanoparticles showed excellent stability in the biological medium, low cytotoxicity, and concentration dependent uptake by U87 MG and HeLa cells, which indicate the possibility of their efficient application in drug delivery.