Separation And Gel Properties Of Natural Low Molecular Weight Gelators

The unique properties and structures of low molecular weight gels have attracted widespread attention for decades.Gelators based on non-covalent interactions give specific properties of low molecular weight gels,such as reversibility,external stimuli reactivity,and self-healing properties.The "dynamic growth" self-assembly behavior of low molecular weight gels has also attracted wide interest from researchers.Among them,natural product-based low-molecular-weight gels are used in medicine,agriculture,and the environment because of their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability,but these applied gelators are almost all synthesized.Until 2011,Bag and his colleagues repor ted on an unmodified natural low molecular weight gelator that allowed the discovery of natural low molecular weight gels hidden in natural products.In this study,a general and effective method was used to separate a gel-active substance,namely a natural low-molecular-weight gelator from Arisaema heterophyllum Blume.The results showed that the gel active substance in Arisaema was shown as [beta]-sitosterol(Sito),and that Sito was capable of gelling five organic solvents.The morphology,self-assembly driving force and solvent parameters of the xerogel were tested.It was found that the morphology of dry and wet gels was not different,and different solvents led to different morphologies of the gels.The main driving force for the self-assembly of molecules in the Sito gel was confirmed by hydrogen-bond interactions.A process simulation map of molecular deposition was obtained.Finally,in-vitro experiments were conducted on the possibility of drug loading of nanofibers in the gel.The sito gel has inhibitory effect on cancer cells,and the nanostructures can be well dispersed in the culture solution,indicating that Sito can be used as a drug carrier.At the end of the article,we discussed the effect of solvents on gelation in gel formation.It was confirmed once again that the hydrogen bond contribution ability of the solvent is an important factor that leads to the appearance of gelation.A comprehensive study of the natural low-molecular-weight gels was conducted.Low-molecular-weight gels provide isolation and research ideas,and provide more applicable gel synthesis modules for low-molecular-weight gel researchers,which can extend the scope and research of low-molecular-weight gels.