Specific Interactions and Crystallization of Drug-Loaded Micelles in the System: Prednisolon/PAAm-b-PEO-b-PAAm Micellar Solutions

Encapsulaton of poorly soluble crystallizing drug prednisolone (PS) in micellar solutions of PAAm-b-PEO-b-PAAm triblock copolymer (TBC) based on chemically complementary poly(ethylene oxide) and polyacrylamide (MnPEO=6 kDa, MnPAAm=116 kDa) was studied by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The equilibrium mechanism of the encapsulation process and the effect of specific aggregation of PS-loaded micelles by their “coronas” that promoted the drug crystallization were established. The question about the presence of TBC micelles inside crystalline space was discussed.