Microfluidic synthesis of curcumin loaded polymer nanoparticles with tunable drug loading and pH-triggered release

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Polymer nanoparticles (NPs) are crucial for drug delivery and triggered release applications.
• Producing polymer NPs with controlled properties and tunable drug loading remains a significant challenge.
• Traditional nanoprecipitation methods often result in suboptimal drug loading efficiencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel microfluidic nanoprecipitation approach for polymer NP synthesis.
• To achieve tunable drug loading capacities in polymer NPs.
• To investigate the drug release profile of synthesized NPs under different pH conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a microfluidic device for precise control over the nanoprecipitation process.
• Synthesized shellac polymer nanoparticles loaded with curcumin.
• Evaluated NP stability in acidic conditions (pH 4.5) and payload release at neutral pH (pH 7.0).

Main Results:

• Achieved tunable drug loading in polymer NPs up to 50% using the microfluidic method.
• Demonstrated high stability of curcumin-loaded shellac NPs in acidic conditions for 10 days.
• Observed sustained drug release from NPs at neutral pH, indicating triggered release capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The microfluidic nanoprecipitation approach offers a superior strategy for producing polymer NPs with enhanced drug loading.
• The developed NPs exhibit pH-responsive behavior, enabling controlled and triggered drug release.
• This work presents a promising new method for fabricating advanced drug delivery systems.