Paclitaxel-Alginate/Chitosan Microcapsules Prepared Using High-Voltage Electrostatic Technique

摘要

In present study, a coated matrix type of paclitaxel-alginate/chitosan microcapsule was successfully prepared using the high-voltage electrostatic technique as a novel formulation for drug delivery. The surface morphology and structure of the obtained paclitaxel-alginate microspheres were analyzed by optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of paclitaxel concentration on drug loading of paclitaxel-alginate/chitosan microcapsules, and the effect of chitosan concentration and chitosan molecular weight on encapsulation efficiency were investigated. Experimental results showed that paclitaxel in an amorphous was heterogeneously entrapped in sodium alginate matrix and combined with it through electrostatic interactions between them. When paclitaxel concentration was 5,15 and 25 mg in 1.5 mL of sodium alginate, the drug loading of the microcapsules was 7.11, 37.09 and 45.67%, respectively. As chitosan concentration was increased from 0.1% to 0.5%, the encapsulation efficiency was decreased from 87.91% to 36.44%. As the molecular weight of chitosan was increased from 50,000 Da to 150,000 Da, the encapsulation efficiency was firstly decreased from 96.37% to 83.53%, and then increased to 98.50%.