Injectable Nanoparticle Technology for In Vivo Remediation of Overdosed Toxins

Abstract

Internal and external exposure to excess amounts of natural and synthetic chemicals, including some therapeutics, can be reversed if general or selective antidotes are available. The focus of the present study-in-progress is to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the biological effectiveness of several types of injectable dispersed phases having potential for binding and deactivating some lipophilic molecules that when taken internally in excess cause cardiac failure. The types of dispersed phases under investigation are 1) microemulsions, 2)microgels, 3)porous nanoparticles, 4)nanotubes, 5)core-shell nanoparticles and 6)nanoparticles with toxin receptors covalently attached to their surfaces. in this chapter only types 1), 3) and 6) will be discussed. Biocompatible oil-in-water microemulsions stabilized by co-surfactants have been prepared which are stable in blood and capable of quickly absorbing quantities of bupivacaine, cocaine and amitriptyline. Silica particles to be used for reference purposes have been synthesized with pores templated for bupivacaine and will be evaluated for adsorption capacity. Silica nanoparticles with attached dinitrobenzoyl or cyclodextrin binding receptors show rapid and high yield binding by aromatic π-π complexation or by cavity penetration, respectively. BET, HPLC, NMR, SEM, TEM and TGA data have been obtained to support the chemical conclusions. Bioassays have been performed using EKG/QRS and TEG techniques.