International Journal of Nanomedicine (Aug 2020)
Solid Lipid Nanoparticles of Mycophenolate Mofetil: An Attempt to Control the Release of an Immunosuppressant
Abstract
Asma Iqbal,1 Muhammad Zaman,1,2 Muhammad Wahab Amjad,3 Sharjeel Adnan,1 Maria Abdul Ghafoor Raja,3 Syed Farhan Haider Rizvi,1 Mian Waqar Mustafa,2 Umer Farooq,2 Ghulam Abbas,4 Shahid Shah4 1Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan; 2Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University Rafha, Rafha, Saudi Arabia; 4Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, PakistanCorrespondence: Muhammad ZamanFaculty of Pharmacy, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, PakistanTel +92 3006095928Email [email protected]: Organ transplantation is a critically important procedure, which requires immune modulation by using immunosuppressants. Development of nanoparticles is an emerging and beneficial engineering process to increase the dissolution rate of poorly soluble immunosuppressants as well as to provide controlled release for better therapeutic outcomes.Method: Currently, the nanoprecipitation method was employed to fabricate β-cyclodextrin (βCD) facilitated mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs). The prime objectives of the study included, improvement of the dissolution profile of poorly aqueous soluble drug and controlled release from the SLNs to provide steady state drug concentration. Drug release from the prepared SLNs was assessed in two different media, ie, acidic buffer at pH 1.2 and phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 using USP dissolution apparatus for 12 h, followed by the evaluation of drug release mechanism and pattern by applying kinetic models.Results: Justifiably, in acidic medium, the release was found to be 12% more (68%) in comparison to that in basic medium (56%). However, in both dissolution media, drug release was independent of initial concentration (R2> 0.95) with non-Fickian type of diffusion mechanism. The outcomes of the study have exhibited that prepared formulations were in nanosized range (80– 170 nm) with a net charge of ± 23 charge on their surface. They possessed fairly uniform surface with acceptable polydispersity index (0.23± 0.09). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis illustrated that the nanoparticles had uniform particle size and shape.Discussion: The findings show potential applications of the nanoparticles and the method for the development of SLNPs in controlled release of MMF for better therapeutic outcomes. Conclusively, the prepared SLNPs were well designed in nanosized ranges and justifying the once daily controlled release formulation dose of MMF to enhance patient compliance.Keywords: mycophenolate mofetil, β-cyclodextrin, stearic acid, nanoparticles, controlled release, nanoprecipitation method
