Dendrimer - a Novel Scaffold for Drug Delivery

A dendrimer described as a macromolecule characterized by its highly branched 3D structure which provides a high degree of surface functionality and versatility. Dendrimers also referred to as the “Polymers of the 21 century.” Dendrimers components, namely (1) an initiator core (2) Interior layers (generations) composed of repeating units, radically attached to the interior core. (3) Exterior (terminal functionality) attached to the outermost interior generations. Examples: Poly(amidoamine)dendrimers(PAMAM), Radially layered poly(amidoamine-organosilicon) dendrimers(PAMAMOS), Propylene Imine dendrimers (PPI) etc. The properties of dendrimers are dominated by the functional groups on the molecular surface for example, a dendrimer can be water soluble when its end group like a carboxyl group. Possible to design a water soluble dendrimer with internal hydrophobicity, which would allow it to carry a hydrophobic drug in its interior. Volume of dendrimer increases when it has a positive charge. If this property can be applied, dendrimers can be used for drug delivery system (DDS) that can give medication to the affected part inside the patient’s body directly. The major application of dendrimers are: Gene and oligonucleotide delivery, Targeting of anticancer chemotherapy, As anti-infective agent, In vivo diagnostics, Targeted and Controlled release drug delivery, In photodynamic therapy, In industrial processes etc. Recent successes in simplifying and optimizing the synthesis of dendrimers provide a large variety of structures with reduced cost of their production. Also as research progresses, newer applications of dendrimers will emerge and the future should witness an increasing numbers of commercialized dendrimer based drug delivery systems.