Polysorbate Surfactants as Drug Carriers: Tween 20-Amphotericin B Conjugates as Anti-Fungal and Anti-Leishmanial Agents

Abstract

Tween 20 is a surfactant approved by the US FDA as an additive in food and pharmaceutical preparations. Synthesis of drug conjugates with surfactants such as Tween-20 could open up new opportunities to improve the solubility of many drugs, reduce their toxicity and could possibly target the brain as polysorbates known to facilitate nanoparticulate systems to cross the blood-brain barrier.