A user-friendly herbicide derived from photo-responsive supramolecular vesicles

Cheng Gao, Qiaoxian Huang, Qingping Lan, Yu Feng, Fan Tang, Maggie P. M. Hoi, Jianxiang Zhang, Simon M. Y. Lee () and Ruibing Wang ()
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Cheng Gao: University of Macau
Qiaoxian Huang: University of Macau
Qingping Lan: University of Macau
Yu Feng: University of Macau
Fan Tang: University of Macau
Maggie P. M. Hoi: University of Macau
Jianxiang Zhang: Third Military Medical University
Simon M. Y. Lee: University of Macau
Ruibing Wang: University of Macau

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Paraquat, as one of the most widely used herbicides globally, is highly toxic to humans, and chronic exposure and acute ingestion leads to high morbidity and mortality rates. Here, we report user-friendly, photo-responsive paraquat-loaded supramolecular vesicles, prepared via one-pot self-assembly of amphiphilic, ternary host-guest complexes between cucurbit[8]uril, paraquat, and an azobenzene derivative. In this vesicle formulation, paraquat is only released upon UV or sunlight irradiation that converts the azobenzene derivative from its trans- to its cis- form, which in turn dissociates the ternary host-guest complexations and the vesicles. The cytotoxicity evaluation of this vesicle formulation of paraquat on in vitro cell models, in vivo zebrafish models, and mouse models demonstrates an enhanced safety profile. Additionally, the PQ-loaded vesicles’ herbicidal activity against a model of invasive weed is nearly identical to that of free paraquat under natural sunlight. This study provides a safe yet effective herbicide formulation.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05437-5

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