Doxorubicin anticancer molecule

In addition to the hydrophobic interaction mentioned above to encapsulate guest molecules, other types of nonspecific interactions have also been explored to enhance binding. For example, block copolymer micelles based on PEO as hydrophilic segments and poly(/3-benzyl L-aspartate) as hydrophobic blocks have used to encapsulate doxombicin. The encapsulation efficiency of doxombicin, an aromatic anticancer drug molecule, has been found to be significantly higher. This observation has been attributed to the tt-tt interaction between the anthracycUne moiety of doxorubicin and the benzyl group of poly(/3-benzyl L-aspartate) (Cammas-Marion et al. 1999). 

Figure 5-23 Stereoscopic drawing showing a molecule of daunomycin (Fig. 5-22) intercalated between two base pairs in a molecule of double-helical DNA, d(CGTACG). Nitrogen and oxygen atoms are shown as dots. From Quigley et al.220 Both daunomycin and adriamycin (doxorubicin 14-hydroxy-daunomycin) are important but seriously toxic anticancer drugs.

Carbohydrates, commonly referred to as sugars and starches, are polyhydroxy aldehydes and ketones, or compounds that can be hydrolyzed to them. The cellulose in plant stems and tree trunks and the chitin in the exoskeletons of arthropods and mollusks are all complex carbohydrates. Four examples are shown in Figure 27.1. They include not only glucose and cellulose, but also doxorubicin (an anticancer drug) and 2 -deoxyadenosine 5 -monophosphate (a nucleotide base from DNA), both of which have a carbohydrate moiety as part of a larger molecule. 

One of the most frequently studied drugs conjugated with PEG has been the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox). There are two functional groups in its structure that enable covalent attachment to the PEG carrier, the amino group in daunosamine part of the molecule or the C13 0x0 group. PEGs of various architecture... 

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