Norfloxacin-tenoxicam dual drug delivery system based on poly(lactic acid) microspheres and electrospun fibers: Release and in vivo study

This study presents a new dual drug delivery system (DDDS) of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with different morphologies (spheres and fibers). One approach for delivering Norfloxacin-Tenoxicam (NOR-TENO) drugs based on PLA microspheres was prepared by encapsulating TENO into PLA via emulsion-evaporation method to form TENO/microspheres then NOR was then adsorbed onto the surface of these microspheres by loading process. Another approach was designed by integrating a mixture of NOR-TENO drugs into the PLA matrix, then through the electrospinning process; NOR-TENO/electrospun fibers were fabricated. The microspheres and electrospun fibers had been characterized through FTIR, XRD, and SEM. Release behaviors of NOR-TENO were determined at pH (5.4, 6.7 and 7.4), where the release of the two drugs was faster in the two systems at pH 7.4. Antimicrobial activity of NOR-TENO/microspheres and NOR-TENO/electrospun fibers against S. aureus, B. cereus, and E. coli bacteria was examined in vitro, and NOR-TENO/electrospun fibers have better potential in killing bacteria. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of NOR-TENO/microspheres against HepG2, MCF-7, and HCT116 tumor cells were tested, and NOR-TENO/microspheres was highly cytotoxic to MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 21.87 μg・ml–1) with the lowest cytotoxic effect on WI-38 normal cells (the half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 = 58.12 μg・ml–1). In vivo study of DMBA-induced breast cancer in rats had been accomplished for NOR-TENO/microspheres, which offer promising results in breast cancer treatment.