Despite being a synthetic molecule produced by the polymerization of ethylene oxide, which results in a ring-opening, polyethylene glycol is a polymeric substance made of ethylene oxide and water as monomers that are both hydrophilic and biocompatible. Since it is made of ethylene and water oxide, it has a wide range of uses in fields ranging from building to medicines.
Polyethylene Glycol Characteristics
PEG has several features that make it unique, even if changing its molecular weight can have a modest impact on some of them, mostly on its form and physical appearance. It is non-volatile, inert, colorless, inert, and non-toxic. It is also very soluble in organic solvents, including carbon tetrachloride, benzene, and chloroform, as well as water.
PEG must be built with variable-length chains in order to have compounds with varying molecular weights. In comparison to smaller PEG molecules, larger ones contain more structural repeats.
Applications in Medical Sector
PEG has a plethora of uses in the medical sector, and the list keeps expanding. Because of its great solubility and lack of toxicity, it is well-suited for several pharmacological and biological uses.
To start, laxatives may be where PEG is used in the medical sector the most frequently. PEG has a laxative effect because it has the ability to apply osmotic pressure, which draws water into the waste material.
In a comparable situation, PEG is frequently used in whole bowel irrigations to get the gastrointestinal system ready for testing or surgery. Many ointments, medicinal lotions, and medical solvents also include PEG.
In Addition, drug targets for many diseases include peptides, proteins, or oligonucleotides. By joining forces with the target molecule, PEG can be employed to bioconjugate itself to the goal and enhance the pharmacokinetic effects of a given medicine.
PEG can be utilized as an inert material that transports medication. PEG plays a significant role in the medication delivery process because it can bind antibody-drug conjugates. Additionally, it can be employed as a surface coating for nanoparticles to enhance systematic drug delivery.
PEG hydrogels are also utilized in tissue engineering and medication delivery. Reactive PEG end units are crosslinked to form PEG hydrogels, which are polymer structures that are robust to adhesion and protein biodegradation. These characteristics are helpful for medication delivery and tissue engineering.
PEG is employed in a number of applications in the biomedical sector, including protein analysis. In addition to being employed as a precipitant for cell crystallization and DNA isolation, the substance also aids in revealing the atomic form of proteins.
Moreover, PEG is also used in gene therapy to coat vectors, like viruses, to prevent the immune system from inactivating them and de-target these in the organs, avoiding their potentially hazardous impact.
More PEG-based medicinal uses are probably on the horizon. PEG fusing damaged axons in peripheral neuron injury and the spinal cord is one aspect of this study that is currently being studied.