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Dispersion of Nanomaterials in Aqueous Media: Towards Protocol Optimization
Published on: December 25, 2017
Sucrose ester nanodispersions: microviscosity and viscoelastic properties
Sebastian Ullrich1, Hendrik Metz, Karsten Mäder
1Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Martin-Luther-University of Halle, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Summary
Amphiphilic sucrose esters form stable, nanosized drug delivery systems with tunable viscosity. These sucrose ester (SE) dispersions offer a promising alternative to glycerides for enhancing drug solubility and absorption.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Sucrose esters (SE) are potential alternatives to glycerides in lipid-based drug delivery systems (LDDS).
- SE can enhance drug solubility and absorption.
- Nontoxic materials can be used to produce SE-based drug carriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop simple production methods for aqueous nanosized drug carrier systems using amphiphilic SE.
- To investigate the relationship between fabrication history, macroviscosity, and molecular-level viscosity of SE dispersions.
- To characterize the structural and viscoelastic properties of SE dispersions.
Main Methods:
- Oscillating rheology
- Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Main Results:
- High viscosity was achieved with only 2 wt% emulsifier.
- Fabrication history significantly impacted macroviscosity, showing a three-orders-of-magnitude difference.
- Molecular-level viscosity remained close to water, indicating viscoelastic behavior.
- TEM revealed coexisting irregular micelles and lamellar structures.
Conclusions:
- Amphiphilic SE can form complex lipid-based drug delivery systems (LDDS) with tunable macroviscosity.
- Understanding the interplay between fabrication, structure, and rheology is crucial for SE dispersion design.
- These findings are vital for developing advanced drug delivery formulations using SE.
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