Novel pH-sensitive drug delivery system based on natural polysaccharide for doxorubicin release

A novel pH-sensitive nanoparticle drug delivery system (DDS) derived from natural polysaccharide pullulan for doxorubicin (DOX) release was prepared. Pullulan was functionalized by successive carboxymethylization and amidation to introduce hydrazide groups. DOX was then grafted onto pullulan backbone through the pH-sensitive hydrazone bond to form a pullulan/DOX conjugate. This conjugate self-assembled to form nano-sized particles in aqueous solution as a result of the hydrophobic interaction of the DOX. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization showed that the nanoparticles were spherical and their size was less than 100 nm. The DOX released from the nanoparticles in a pH-sensitive manner. In vitro cytotoxicity assay indicated the pullulan/DOX nanoparticles showed comparable cytotoxicity effect with free DOX on the 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells.