Search

In this work, paclitaxel-encapsulated polymeric depots were prepared and characterized as drug delivery system for cancer chemotherapy against hepatocellular carcinoma. Effects of different parameters, including drug-loading content, polymer concentration and depot weight on depot formation, percentage of sustained-release taxol and drug release profile were evaluated. Paclitaxel-loaded depots were successfully formed at the polymer concentration above 25% w/v. For all formulations, paclitaxel could be encapsulated with very high percentage of sustained-release taxol (>90%). The release rate of paclitaxel from depots could be controlled by the amount of drug-loading content, polymer concentration and depot weight. Cytotoxicity against liver cancer cell line, HepG2, was evaluated by medium extraction method. Paclitaxel releasing from depots showed cytotoxic effect against HepG2 at different incubation times, whereas blank depots exhibited no cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the preparation and characterization of anticancer-loaded injectable polymeric depots that consisted of d, l-lactide (LA), ε-caprolactone (CL), and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or [poly(ε-caprolactone)-random-poly( d, l-lactide)]-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-[poly(ε-caprolactone)-random-poly( d, l-lactide)] (PLEC) copolymers for malignant gliomas treatment. PLECs were polymerized with different percentages of LA to deliver 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), a highly potent anticancer drug. SN-38-loaded depots could form directly in phosphate buffer saline with more than 98% encapsulation efficiency. The release rate of SN-38 from depots was found to depend on the amount of LA in PLECs, loading content of SN-38 in the depots, and depot weight. Encapsulation of SN-38 inside depots could enhance the stability of SN-38 where all of SN-38 released after 60 days was in an active form. Depots without SN-38 were evaluated as noncytotoxic against U-87MG, whereas SN-38-loaded depots showed cytotoxic effect as a function of concentration. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 101:3708-3717, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]