Blessing Aderibigbe
University of Fort Hare, South Africa
Title: Physicochemical properties and in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of polymer-drug conjugates for combination therapy
Biography
Biography: Blessing Aderibigbe
Abstract
Polymer-drug conjugates are potential therapeutics suitable for combination therapy for the treatment of selected diseases that are characterized by drug resistance such as cancer, malaria etc. In this study, different polymer-drug conjugates containing either anticancer or antimalarial drugs were prepared. The physicochemical properties of the conjugates were evaluated. The scanning electron microscopy images of the conjugates revealed a combination of spherical, interwoven and strip shaped morphologies. In vitro drug release revealed sustained mechanism and the cytotoxic effects of the conjugates was selective when compared to the free drugs. The results obtained suggest that the design of the conjugates influences their biological activity and hence, are potential therapeutics for combination therapy.