Pickering emulsions stabilized by biodegradable block copolymer micelles for controlled topical drug delivery.

Surfactant-free biocompatible and biodegradable Pickering emulsions were investigated as vehicles for skin delivery of hydrophobic drugs. O/w emulsions of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil droplets loaded with all-trans retinol as a model hydrophobic drug were stabilized by block copolymer nanoparticles: either poly(lactide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-b-PEG) or poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL-b-PEG). Those innovative emulsions were prepared using two different processes allowing drug loading either inside oil droplets or inside both oil droplets and non-adsorbed block copolymer nanoparticles. Skin absorption of retinol was investigated in vitro on pig skin biopsies using the Franz cell method. Supplementary experiments by confocal fluorescence microscopy allowed the visualization of skin absorption of the Nile Red dye on histological sections. Retinol and Nile Red absorption experiments showed the large accumulation of hydrophobic drugs in the stratum corneum for the Pickering emulsions compared to the surfactant-based emulsion and an oil solution. Loading drug inside both oil droplets and block copolymer nanoparticles enhanced again skin absorption of drugs, which was ascribed to the supplementary contribution of free block copolymer nanoparticles loaded with drug. Such effect allowed tuning drug delivery to skin over a wide range by means of a suitable selection of either the formulation or the drug loading process.

Skin delivery by block copolymer nanoparticles (block copolymer micelles).

Block copolymer nanoparticles often referred to as "block copolymer micelles" have been assessed as carriers for skin delivery of hydrophobic drugs. Such carriers are based on organic biocompatible and biodegradable materials loaded with hydrophobic drugs: poly(lactide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer (PLA-b-PEG) nanoparticles that have a solid hydrophobic core made of glassy poly(d,l-lactide), and poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer (PCL-b-PEG) nanoparticles having a liquid core of polycaprolactone. In vitro skin absorption of all-trans retinol showed a large accumulation of retinol in stratum corneum from both block copolymer nanoparticles, higher by a factor 20 than Polysorbate 80 surfactant micelles and by a factor 80 than oil solution. Additionally, skin absorption from PLA-b-PEG nanoparticles was higher by one order of magnitude than PCL-b-PEG, although their sizes (65nm) and external surface (water-swollen PEG layer) were identical as revealed by detailed structural characterizations. Fluorescence microscopy of histological skin sections provided a non-destructive picture of the storage of Nile Red inside stratum corneum, epidermis and dermis. Though particle cores had a different physical states (solid or liquid as measured by (1)H NMR), the ability of nanoparticles for solubilization of the drug assessed from their Hildebrand solubility parameters appeared the parameter of best relevance regarding skin absorption.