Cationic Surfactants: Self-Assembly, Structure-Activity Correlation and Their Biological Applications

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Zakharova, LY (Author) Other; Pashirova, TN (Author) Other; Doktorovova, S (Author) Other; Fernandes, AR (Author) Other; Sanchez Lopez, E (Author) Other; Silva, AM (Author) Other; Souto, SB (Author) Other; Souto, EB (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Journal Of Molecular Sciences

Vol. 25

Final page: 5534

ISSN: 1661-6596

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 42 Citations

Scopus - 45 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00R-8X1

DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225534

Abstract (EN): The development of biotechnological protocols based on cationic surfactants is a modern trend focusing on the fabrication of antimicrobial and bioimaging agents, supramolecular catalysts, stabilizers of nanoparticles, and especially drug and gene nanocarriers. The main emphasis given to the design of novel ecologically friendly and biocompatible cationic surfactants makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks of nanoformulations preventing their entry to clinical trials. To solve the problem of toxicity various ways are proposed, including the use of mixed composition with nontoxic nonionic surfactants and/or hydrotropic agents, design of amphiphilic compounds bearing natural or cleavable fragments. Essential advantages of cationic surfactants are the structural diversity of their head groups allowing of chemical modification and introduction of desirable moiety to answer the green chemistry criteria. The latter can be exemplified by the design of novel families of ecological friendly cleavable surfactants, with improved biodegradability, amphiphiles with natural fragments, and geminis with low aggregation threshold. Importantly, the development of amphiphilic nanocarriers for drug delivery allows understanding the correlation between the chemical structure of surfactants, their aggregation behavior, and their functional activity. This review focuses on several aspects related to the synthesis of innovative cationic surfactants and their broad biological applications including antimicrobial activity, solubilization of hydrophobic drugs, complexation with DNA, and catalytic effect toward important biochemical reaction.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 31