First Vesicular Self‐Assembly of Crotocembraneic Acid, a Nano‐Sized Fourteen Membered Macrocyclic Diterpenic Acid

Abstract

Study of the spontaneous self-assembly of molecules in aqueous binary solvent mixture yielding vesicular self-assem blies has been an area of intense research in recent years because of its tremendous potential application in controlled release drug delivery systems, medical implants, tissue engi neering, etc. Crotocembraneic acid 1, a nano-sized 14-mem bered macrocyclic diterpenic acid, is extractable from the leaves of Croton oblongifolius Roxb. First self-assembly property of the nano-sized macrocyclic diterpenoid 1 in aqueous binary solvent mixtures is reported here. The diterpenoid sponta neously self-assembled in aqueous binary solvent mixtures yielding vesicles of nano- to micro-meter diameters. The vesicular self-assemblies were capable of entrapping various fluorophores including the anticancer drug doxorubicin.