One-step fabrication of low cytotoxic anisotropic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) particles for efficient release of DOX

Herein, we report a one-step process of distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) to fabricate anisotropic particles in which no stabilizing agent is used. This method is based on in situ crosslinking of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) random copolymers with variety of feed composition that determine morphology of resultant particles. As a result, variation of feed composition led to formation of spherical, spherical with a lobe and a lobed spherical (multiple lobes) particles. These morphologies are discussed according to thermodynamics of colloids and polymerization-induced phase separation. As one of the most important applications, selected morphologies are used as carriers of anti-cancer DOX drug. Results showed high drug loading amount for all carriers those released DOX significantly at pH = 1 whereas no mentionable release was observed at pH = 7.4. Also, release profiles were fitted by well-known mathematical models to understand kinetics of release. Finally, cytotoxicity of carriers are measured by an MTT assay that showed all carriers are biocompatible whereas DOX-loaded particles were significantly cytotoxic.