Effect of Alkyl Chain Length and Unsaturation of the Phospholipid on the Physicochemical Properties of Lipid Nanoparticles.

Previously, we developed lipid nanoparticles (LNs) containing poorly water-soluble drugs using two types of phospholipids, a neutral phospholipid (hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine) and a negatively-charged phospholipid (dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol), with mean particle sizes of less than 100 nm. Here, we studied the effects of alkyl chain length and unsaturation of neutral and negatively-charged phospholipids on the physicochemical properties of LNs. Three neutral phospholipids, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and distearoylphosphatidylcholine, having different alkyl chain lengths, were compared. The mean particle size of the LNs increased with the alkyl chain length, while the concentration of the drug entrapped in the LNs decreased. The particle size of all of the LNs could be maintained at less than 100 nm for 1 month in cool and dark conditions, with the LNs with longer alkyl chain lipids showing greater stability. In the unsaturated phospholipids, the double bond in the alkyl chain of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine and dierucoylphosphatidylcholine did not affect the physicochemical properties of the LNs. The negatively-charged phospholipids dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol and distearoylphosphatidylglycerol were also compared; LNs with longer alkyl chain lipids had larger particle sizes and lower drug concentrations, similar to the results for neutral phospholipids. We concluded that although some changes in physicochemical properties were observed among LNs with different phospholipid alkyl chain lengths, this methodology was general. LNs with suitable physicochemical properties could be prepared irrespective of the type of phospholipids used.

Development of highly stable nifedipine solid-lipid nanoparticles.

To improve the solubility of the drug nifedipine (NI), highly stabilized solid-lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of nifedipine (NI-SLNs) were prepared by high pressure homogenization using two phospholipids, followed by lyophilization with individual sugar moieties (four monosaccharides and four disaccharides). The mean particle diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, drug loading, and the encapsulation efficiency of the NI-SLN suspension were determined to be 68.5 nm, 0.3, -62.1 mV, 2.7%, and 97.5%, respectively. In comparison with the NI-SLNs, the NI-SLNs lyophilized with trehalose (NI-SLN-Tre) showed a slight increase in the particle size from 68.5 to 107.7 nm, but the PDI decreased from 0.38 to 0.33, and no significant change in zeta potential was observed. Aqueous re-dispersibility study demonstrated that NI-SLNs lyophilized with trehalose had the maximum concentration (14.7 µg/mL) at 5 min, compared with lyophilized SLNs using other sugars; the use of other sugars also resulted in significant changes in the particle size, PDI, and zeta potential. A trehalose concentration of 2.5% w/v and a two-fold dilution of the SLN suspension were found to be the best conditions for lyophilization. Data from lyophilized SLNs using differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy indicated eventual transformation of NI-SLN-Tre from a crystalline to an amorphous state during the homogenization process. Finally, a stability study was performed with NI-SLN-Tre for up to 6 months at 30°C and 65% relative humidity, with no significant deterioration observed, suggesting that trehalose might be a useful cryoprotectant for NI-SLNs.

Lipid nanoparticles with no surfactant improve oral absorption rate of poorly water-soluble drug.

A pharmacokinetic study was performed in rats to evaluate the oral absorption ratios of nanoparticle suspensions containing the poorly water-soluble compound nifedipine (NI) and two different types of lipids, including hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol. NI-lipid nanoparticle (LN) suspensions with a mean particle size of 48.0 nm and a zeta potential of -57.2 mV were prepared by co-grinding combined with a high-pressure homogenization process. The oral administration of NI-LN suspensions to rats led to a significant increase in the NI plasma concentration, and the area under the curve (AUC) value was found to be 108 min µg mL⁻¹, indicating a 4-fold increase relative to the NI suspensions. A comparison of the pharmacokinetic parameters of the NI-LN suspensions with those of the NI solution prepared using only the surfactant polysorbate 80 revealed that although the AUC and bioavailability (59%) values were almost identical, a rapid absorption rate was still observed in the NI-LN suspensions. These results therefore indicated that lipid nanoparticles prepared using only two types of phospholipid with a mean particle size of less than 50 nm could improve the absorption of the poorly water-soluble drug.