Development of hemoglobin aquasomes from spherical hydroxyapatite cores precipitated in the presence of half-generation poly(amidoamine) dendrimer

Spherical hydroxyapatite cores were prepared by using carboxylic acid terminated half-generation poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer as templates or crystal modifiers. The hydroxyapatite cores were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The spherical core formation depended on phosphate saturation, pH of the simulated body fluid (SBF) and rate of crystal growth. Hydroxyapatite so formed was amorphous and a mixture of various calcium phosphates. Ca/P ratio determination which showed phosphate rich apatite formation. Hydroxyapatite ores were coated with a sugar layer followed by hemoglobin to obtain aquasomes. Aquasomes were characterized for size, hemoglobin loading, oxygen-binding characteristics and storage stability. The nanometric sized aquasome formulation could load approximately 13.7 mg hemoglobin per g of core and retained oxygen-affinity and cooperativity and stability for at least 30 days. Formulation efficacy was tested in albino rats and indicated its potential utility as blood-substitute. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.