Multi-morphological biodegradable PLGE nanoparticles and their drug release behavior

Abstract

A series of amphiphilic tri-block copolymers based on poly(lactide- co-glycolide)- b-poly(ethylene oxide)- b-poly(lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGE) with various segment ratios of PEO/PLGA and segment lengths of PEO were synthesized. Multi-morphological biodegradable nanoparticles – PLGE-NPs were fabricated by an improved emulsion/solvent evaporation technique in the absence of surfactant. By adjusting segment ratio of PLGA/PEO (w/w) and molecular weight of PEO, various morphological and nanoscale sized spheres, elliptic spheres, short rods and threads could be formed. The auto-assembling mechanism of the PLGE-NPs and influencing effectors of composition of the PLGE on morphology of the PLGE-NPs were discussed. The PLGE-NPs were biodegradable, and the factors that affected the degradation rate of the PLGE-NPs were also discussed. By using the amphiphilic PLGE polymer, the biodegradable nanoscale immunosuppressive agent – multi-morphological Cyclosporine (CsA)-loaded PLGE-NPs was fabricated. CsA release behavior of the CsA-loaded PLGE-NPs in vitro was determined, and the effect factors on CsA release behavior of the CsA-loaded PLGE-NPs were discussed.