Polyacrylamide–punicic acid conjugate‐based micelles for flutamide delivery in PC3 cells of prostate cancer: synthesis,characterisation and cytotoxicity studies

The aim of the present study was to synthesize a novel biopolymeric micelle based on punicic acid (PA) and polyacrylamide (PAM) for carrying chemotherapeutic drugs used in prostate cancer treatment. A polymer composite micelle was prepared by chemical conjugation between PAM and PA. The micelles were prepared by self‐assembly via film casting followed by ultrasonication method. The successful production of PAMPA copolymeric micelles was confirmed using FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and TEM. Then, flutamide was loaded in the designed nanomicelles and they were characterized. The cell cytotoxicity of the micelles was studied on PC3 cells of prostate cancer. The prepared nanomicelles showed the particle size of 88 nm, PDI of 0.246, zeta potential of −9 mV, drug loading efficiency of 94.5%, drug release of 85.6% until 10 hours in pH 7.4 and CMC of 74.13 μg/ml. The cell viability in blank nanocarriers was about 70% in PC3 cells at concentration of 25 μM. More significant cytotoxic effects were seen for flutamide loaded micelles at this concentration compared to the free drug. The results suggest that the PAMPA co‐polymeric nanomicelles can be utilized as an effective carrier to enhance the cytotoxic effects of flutamide in prostate cancer.Inspec keywords: nanoparticles, cellular biophysics, drugs, biomedical materials, drug delivery systems, colloids, hydrophilicity, pH, transmission electron microscopy, particle size, cancer, casting, toxicology, electrokinetic effects, polymer blends, proton magnetic resonance, nanomedicine, self‐assembly, nanofabrication, Fourier transform infrared spectraOther keywords: PC3 cells, chemotherapeutic drugs, prostate cancer treatment, polymer composite micelle, chemical conjugation, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, cell cytotoxicity, prepared nanomicelles, drug loading efficiency, drug release, critical micelle concentration, cell viability, cytotoxic effects, flutamideloaded micelles, flutamide delivery, polyacrylamide‐punicic acid conjugate‐based micelles, PAMPA copolymeric nanomicelles, biopolymeric micelle, PAM‐punicic acid copolymer copolymeric micelles, hydrophilic shell, self‐assembly, film casting, ultrasonication method, Fourier transform infrared spectra, transmission electron microscopy, particle size, polydisperity index, zeta potential, pH, blank nanocarriers, time 10.0 hour