The conjugation of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) to small peptides for generating multifunctional supramolecular nanofibers/hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Here we report supramolecular hydrogelators made of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and small peptides. The covalent linkage of Phe-Phe and NSAIDs results in conjugates that self-assemble in water to form molecular nanofibers as the matrices of hydrogels. When the NSAID is naproxen (1), the resultant hydrogelator 1a forms a hydrogel at a critical concentration (cgc) of 0.2 wt % at pH 7.0. Hydrogelator 1a, also acting as a general motif, enables enzymatic hydrogelation in which the precursor turns into a hydrogelator upon hydrolysis catalyzed by a phosphatase at physiological conditions. The conjugates of Phe-Phe with other NSAIDs, such as (R)-flurbiprofen (2), racemic flurbiprofen (3), and racemic ibuprofen (4), are able to form molecular hydrogels, except in the case of aspir

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3678635 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature