Preparation, characterization, and performance analysis of starch-based nanomicelles

Abstract A novel amphiphilic starch-based polymer carrier (R-St-PEG; R = hexadecyl, St = starch, PEG = polyethylene glycol) was prepared using tapioca starch. It was then applied as an effective carrier for encapsulated drug, and used for sustained drug release. First, tapioca starch was made to react with hexadecane bromide (R16) for hydrophobic modification, and then the hydrophobically-modified tapioca starch molecules were grafted onto hydrophilic carboxyl-terminated PEG (mPEG-COOH). The drug-loading capacity and drug release behavior of R-St-PEG were systematically evaluated using curcumin as drug. The results show that the polymer has good drug-loading capacity and sustained-release properties, and it can act as an effective drug carrier. Thus, this study provides a suitable platform for preparing stable amphiphilic polymer carriers and broadens the application range of tapioca starch.