Hollow polymeric (PLGA) nano capsules synthesized using solvent emulsion evaporation method for enhanced drug encapsulation and release efficiency

Abstract

Nano-hollow polymer shells, especially those polymers which are FDA approved, have captured the attention of many researchers and scientists in the field of pharmaceutical and medical therapeutics. In the field of controlled drug/gene release, nano-capsules in colloidal solutions, i.e. particles with hollow piths, play an important role in cargo encapsulation. These nanoparticles are synthesized using a variety of procedures such as emulsion polymerization, phase separation, crosslinking of micelles, inner core etching and self-assembly. Our work proposes a novel route to prepare hollow PLGA (poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid) nanoparticles (HNPs), which showed increased drug-encapsulation and release efficiency. The simple emulsion solvent evaporation technique was adopted to synthesize nano-hollow shells of FDA approved polymer PLGA using only one organic phase. The hollow characteristics of nanoparticles were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy analysis. The particle size was analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS). Nanoparticles drug loading, encapsulation and release efficiency in vitro were assessed by ultraviolet spectroscopy. The developed nanoparticles were hollow and spherical in shape and approximately 80 nm in size. The drug encapsulation efficiency is 99.4% and the drug was released in a controllable manner during in vitro analysis.