The pH-responsive delivery of an anti-cancer drug, MX, has been successfully achieved by varying the strength of the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged silicate and positively charged MX, using MSN.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to prepare the positively charged chitosan (CS)- or hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC)-modified solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loading docetaxel (DTX), and to evaluate their properties in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The DTX-loaded SLNs (DTX-SLNs) were prepared through an emulsion solvent evaporation method and further modified with CS or HACC (CS-DTX-SLNs or HACC-DTX-SLNs) via noncovalent interactions. The gastrointestinal (GI) stability, dissolution rate, physicochemical properties and cytotoxicities of SLNs were investigated. In addition, the GI mucosa irritation and oral bioavailability of SLNs were also evaluated in rats. Results: The HACC-DTX-SLNs were highly stable in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF and SIF). By contrast, the CS-DTX-SLNs were less stable in SIF than in SGF. The drug dissolution remarkably increased when DTX was incorporated into the SLNs, which may be attributed to the change in the crystallinity of DTX and some molecular interactions that occurred between DTX and the carriers. The SLNs showed low toxicity in Caco-2 cells and no GI mucosa irritations were observed in rats. A 2.45-fold increase in the area under the curve of DTX was found in the HACC-DTX-SLN group compared with the DTX group after the modified SLNs were orally administered to rats. However, the oral absorption of DTX-SLN or CS-DTX-SLN group showed no significant difference compared with that of DTX group. Conclusions: The positively charged HACC-DTX-SLNs with a stable particle size could provide the enhanced oral bioavailability of DTX in rats.

This study aimed to investigate the role of micellization of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in poloxamer 407 (POX)-based solid dispersions (POX-based SDs) using the anti-solvent method in enhancing the dissolution rate of practically water-insoluble cilostazol (CLT). Herein, SLS was incorporated into CLT-loaded SDs, at a weight ratio of 50:50:10 of CLT, POX, and SLS by three different methods: anti-solvent, fusion (60 °C), and solvent (ethanol) evaporation. The SDs containing micellar SLS in the anti-solvent method were superior in the transformation of the crystalline form of the drug into a partial amorphous state. It was notable that there was an existence of a hydrophobic interaction between the surfactant and the hydrophobic regions of polymer chain via non-covalent bonding and the adsorption of micellar SLS to the POX-based SDs matrix. Moreover, SLS micellization via the anti-solvent method was effectively interleaved in SDs and adhered by the dissolved CLT, which precluded drug particles from aggregation and recrystallization, resulting in improved SD wettability (lower contact angle) and reduced particle size and dissolution rate. In contrast, SDs without micellar SLS prepared by the solvent method exerted drug recrystallization and an increase of particle size, resulting in decreased dissolution. Incorporation of surfactant below or above critical micellar concentration (CMC) in SDs using the anti-solvent method should be considered in advance. Dissolution results showed that the pre-added incorporation of micellar SLS into POX-based SDs using the anti-solvent method could provide a way of a solubilization mechanism to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs.