Synthesis of a reduction-sensitive Bletilla striata polysaccharide amphiphilic copolymer

Abstract Recently, much special attention has been focused on the development of amphiphilic copolymers. Herein, a reduction-sensitive stearic acid grafted- Bletilla striata polysaccharide copolymer (BSP-ss-SA) was synthesized and characterized. BSP-ss-SA copolymer could spontaneously form micelles with an average particle size of (106 ± 4.36) nm. Particle sizes were dramatically larger under 10 mmol/L dithiothreitol (DTT) than that in absence of 10 mmol/L DTT. Docetaxel loading content and encapsulation efficiency of micelles were 5.94 wt% and 72.75 wt%, respectively. The docetaxel release rate in vitro in micelles could be remarkably accelerated in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) containing 10 mmol/L DTT compared with that of micelles (0 mmol/L DTT). Furthermore, MTT results demonstrated the anticancer activities in vitro of docetaxel-loaded BSP-ss-SA micelles on HepG2 were superior to that of docetaxel injection. BSP-ss-SA copolymer might be a promising nanocarrier for cancer chemotherapy drugs.