Amphiphilic Polysaccharides Acting both as Stabilizers and Surface Modifiers during Emulsification in Microfluidic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) microparticles are crucial for drug delivery.
• Developing continuous, scalable methods for microparticle production is essential.
• Polysaccharide coatings can enhance microparticle properties and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a continuous emulsion/solvent diffusion process for polysaccharide-covered PLA microparticles.
• To investigate the use of microfluidic devices for this preparation.
• To evaluate the stability and reconstitution properties of the produced microparticles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a flow-focusing junction in a microfluidic device for emulsification.
• Employed hydrophobically modified dextran in an aqueous solution for coating.
• Investigated microfluidic device preconditioning methods to improve aqueous phase wetting.
• Assessed lyophilization and reconstitution of microparticle suspensions.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced dextran-covered PLA microparticles with controlled size distribution.
• Demonstrated that microfluidic devices require preconditioning for stable emulsion formation.
• Found that preconditioning time can be reduced with specific surface treatments.
• Achieved stable lyophilization and reconstitution of microparticle suspensions without cryoprotectants.
• Prepared octyl gallate-loaded PLA microparticles using the developed method.

Conclusions:

• A continuous microfluidic process for polysaccharide-covered PLA microparticles is feasible.
• Microfluidic device preconditioning is critical for process stability.
• The developed method offers a scalable and efficient approach for microparticle production.
• The ability to lyophilize and reconstitute without cryoprotectants enhances practical applicability for drug delivery.