Synthesis of PAMAM dendrimers anchored to WS2 nano-sheets for controlled delivery of docetaxel: Design, characterization and in vitro drug release

The oral delivery of anti-cancer agents is typically challenging due to low bioavailability and significant gastrointestinal side effects of drugs. Docetaxel is a lipophilic anti-cancer agent used to treat some cancers, such as metastatic breast and prostate cancer. Herein, we represent a highly effective strategy for the delivery of docetaxel using a near-infrared responsive nano-carrier based on WS2 nano-sheets. To do this, Poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) and allyl amine were grafted on the surface of nano-sheets as thermo-sensitive polymer and functional monomer, respectively. Next, three generations of PAMAM dendrimers were anchored to the grafted polymer chains by using methyl acrylate and ethylenediamine. The produced nano-carrier was characterized by using FT-IR, TGA, XRD, FE-SEM systems. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic results were well fitted to Langmuir and second-order models. The results of thermodynamic factors including Gibb's free energy, enthalpy, and entropy supported the drug adsorption process. The thermo-sensitive nano-carrier released a maximum of 88.25% and 32.94% drug in the simulated human blood fluid at 50 °C and 37 °C within 6 h. The in vitro release curves were analyzed using several mathematical models to determine the drug release mechanism. Using the near-infrared irradiation, the drug release was reached at 100% in 12 min, which was about 4.4 times faster than without laser irradiation. The findings show that the produced smart nano-carrier could be a promising choice for sustained delivery of docetaxel.