Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Preparation and Characterization of Individual and Multi-drug Loaded Physically Entrapped Polymeric Micelles
Published on: August 28, 2015
N-trimethyl chitosan-coated multivesicular liposomes for oxymatrine oral delivery
Jinna Cao1, Jukui Sun, Xiaoyu Wang
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Multivesicular liposomes (MVLs), uncoated and coated with N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), have been studied for their potential use for drug delivery by the oral route.
Method:
Synthesized TMC was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, revealing the presence of trimethyl groups, and by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, allowing the calculation of the degree of substitution quaternization (70.2%). Oxymatrine (OM), a natural quinolizidine alkaloid used clinically for treating hepatitis B, was chosen as a model drug. The surface-modified MVLs and uncoated MVLs were characterized in vitro in terms of their shape, size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, coating efficiency, the stability of MVLs in polymer suspension, and the stability in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids.
Results:
In vivo, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve obtained from the pharmacokinetics study of TMC-coated MVLs was found to be about 3.26- and 1.96-fold higher than that of OM solution and uncoated MVLs, respectively.
Conclusion:
TMC-coated MVLs can be considered as a potential carrier for oral drug administration.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Delivery Systems: Different Types
Oral Drug Delivery Systems: Delayed-Release Systems
Oral Drug Delivery Systems: Introduction
Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Permeability Enhancement
Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Stability Enhancement and GI Retention
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted

