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Polysorbate 20 vesicles as oral delivery system: in vitro characterization
Luisa Di Marzio1, Sara Esposito, Federica Rinaldi
1Dip. di Farmacia, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy. l.dimarzio@unich.it
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
|January 15, 2013
Summary
Polysorbate 20 vesicles show promise for oral drug delivery, remaining stable in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. These nanovesicles demonstrate mucoadhesion, suggesting potential for drug delivery systems.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Materials Science
Background:
- Non-phospholipid vesicles offer an alternative to liposomes for drug delivery.
- Polysorbate 20 (Tween 20) is a non-ionic surfactant with potential for vesicle formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate polysorbate 20 vesicles as oral drug delivery systems.
- To assess the in vitro stability and mucoadhesion of these vesicles in simulated gastrointestinal conditions.
Main Methods:
- Colloidal stability assessed via size analysis and fluorescence-dequenching assays.
- Mucoadhesion evaluated using light-scattering and protein assays.
- Studies conducted in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, including enzymes and bile salts.
Main Results:
- Vesicles remained stable across varying pH and enzyme conditions (pepsin, pancreatin).
- Bile salts induced a minor release of a fluorescent marker but did not affect vesicle size.
- Nanovesicles exhibited enhanced mucin adsorption at neutral pH compared to acidic pH.
Conclusions:
- Polysorbate 20 vesicles are a versatile tool for oral drug delivery, especially for drugs with poor gastrointestinal stability or permeability.
- Further research is needed to investigate interaction with and transport across gastrointestinal epithelial cells.
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