One-pot synthesis, characterization, and drug loading of polysaccharide-based nanoparticles with carboxy functional groups

Herein, various polysaccharide-based nanoparticles were synthesized from dextran, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl cellulose, respectively, by a self-assembly assisted approach. This approach enables us to prepare stable polysaccharide-based nanoparticles with carboxy functional groups directly from monomers without using any surfactant and organic solvent. The existence of abundant carboxyls in these polysaccharide-based nanoparticles provides them obvious pH sensitivity as verified by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance as well as the potential in loading cationic drug.