Description

• General description: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polyether compound that is used as an additive in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food.[1] It consists of repeated ethylene glycol units[-(CH2CH2O)n].[2]
• Application: Poly(ethylene glycol) has been used: as a component of University of Wisconsin (UW) cold preservation solutions to stabilize the cell membrane of hepatocytes during temperature changes[3]as a component of the supercooling solution to study supercooling preservation technique of the rat liver for transplantation and to protect against hypothermic injury[4]to prepare aqueous phase for the fabrication of multicellular spheroid (MCS) cultures[4]
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a synthetic polymer that is used as a gold standard in bioconjugation and nanomedicine to extend blood circulation time and enhance drug efficacy.[5] It acts as an ice-modulator by preventing ice crystallization, which is beneficial for cellular membranes. PEG provides protection against hypothermic injury, like lipid peroxidation and cell membrane injury.[4] PEG-conjugated drugs are considered safe for use in humans and are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PEG has several biomedical applications, including biosensing, imaging, and tissue engineering.[5] It also repels protein adsorption and lowers the liver uptake, which helps in coating nanoparticles.[6]