Preparation, purification and morphology of polymeric nanoparticles as drug carriers

The aim of this work was to prepare biodegradable poly(D,L-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) copolymer (PLAGA) nanoparticles by the solvent evaporation process and to incorporate an antifungal antibiotic, amphotericin B. Blank nanoparticles obtained were 130 +/- 27 nm in diameter. When amphotericin B was added in the organic phase, the final suspension showed two populations due to unbound drug. Free amphotericin B was removed by contacting the nanoparticle suspension with an adsorbent polymer. Amberlite XAD16, and subsequently ultrafiltering the medium. The drug payload was between 0.7 and 1.3%. To gain more insight in the cause of this low loading, we studied progesterone-loaded nanoparticles using PLAGA and polystyrene as models because progesterone and these polymers exhibit a degree of miscibility. In the case of polystyrene, nanoparticle drug content reached 8%.