LAUSR

Abstract The development of systems for transport and release of drugs, also known as Drug delivery system (DDS), and are being used as strategies to combat cancer. These systems can maintain drug delivery at therapeutic levels and protect it from premature degradation in the biological environment, minimizing adverse effects. Based on this, α-terpineol was encapsulated in the polymer matrix of Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the form of nanoparticles. Preliminarily the computational analysis of parameters such as administration, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (PreADMET and SwissADME) for the α-terpineol molecule was performed. Afterward, the synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles of PMMA, encapsulating α-terpineol, through the miniemulsion technique was carried out. The proposed system was characterized by the techniques of FT-IR, TGA, Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Characterization results that α-terpineol-loaded PMMA nanoparticles with sizes between 50 and 150 nm were synthesized. The toxicological profile of PMMA containing 400 mg of α-terpineol was assessed in Artemia salina (LC50 698.8 ± 74.6, 24 h incubation), erythrocytes and normal animal cells like macrophages and fibroblasts (MRC-5), suggesting the high pharmacological security of this drug. The cytotoxic effects of PMMA containing 400 mg of α-terpineol (5–500 μg/mL) were demonstrated against melanoma cell lines from mice (B16- F10) and human (SK-MEL-28) suggesting the potential of these nanoparticles for melanoma therapy.