Preparation of Biodegradable Polymer Nanospheres Containing Manganese Porphyrin (Mn-Porphyrin)

Abstract

Herein, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanospheres containing Mn-porphyrin, which exhibit chemically versatile and promising superoxide dismutase mimic, were prepared for biomaterial and drug-delivery-system formulations. The particle sizes and Mn-porphyrin-loading efficiencies of the nanospheres were controlled in order to realize breakthrough therapies for the incurable diseases. The sizes of the prepared Mn-porphyrin/PLGA nanospheres increased with the amount of PLGA used during preparation. Furthermore, the w1-to-o-phase volume ratio affected the loading efficiency of the Mn-porphyrin into the nanospheres. Nanospheres prepared from PLGA of lower molecular weight exhibited higher Mn-porphyrin-loading efficiencies. Furthermore, nanospheres prepared from PLGA with a molecular weight of 5000 exhibited a loading efficiency of 60%, which is higher than those generally reported for other nanospheres (~ 10%). Release testing revealed that the molecular weight of the PLGA influenced the release behaviour of the Mn-porphyrin from the nanospheres. Hence, Mn-porphyrin/PLGA nanospheres with controllable particle sizes, loading efficiencies, and release behaviour were prepared.