Synthesis of high loading and encapsulation efficient paclitaxel-loaded poly(n-butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles via miniemulsion

The manufacture of stable paclitaxel-loaded poly(n-butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles containing high loading and encapsulation efficiency simultaneously were achieved in the presence of pluronic F127 via miniemulsion. It was found that both drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies of PBCA nanoparticles prepared by miniemulsion were higher (approximately three times) than those obtained by emulsion with similar paclitaxel content in the feed monomer (1%, w/w). Furthermore, the loading and encapsulation efficiencies increased concurrently (to a maximum of 4 and 80%, respectively) with increasing paclitaxel content and these nanoparticles were spherical in shape and with size near 100 nm. XRD patterns revealed that paclitaxel in particles was distributed in the molecular or amorphous state or in the form of small crystals. The in vitro drug release profile of drug-loaded PBCA nanoparticles prepared from miniemulsion exhibited a gradual release; more than 80% (w/w) of the paclitaxel was released after 96 h. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.