Abstract
In this study, chlorhexidine-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) nanospheres (CHX-NS) were prepared and successfully coated on the urinary catheters. Properties of CHX-NS were evaluated including drug loading content and the nanosphere size. Effects of different lyoprotectants for long-term storage of CHX-NS were also investigated. In vitro release study and antibacterial activity were also conducted using 20 cycles coated-urinary catheters. Results showed that the high-pressure emulsification-solvent evaporation technique provided the drug loading content at 1.14 ± 0.16% and the size of nanospheres was 152 ± 37 nm. The suitable lyoprotectant for long-term storage of CHX-NS was sucrose which provided noticeably no aggregation at the degree of reconstitution at 89.95%. The amount of CHX loading on coated catheters was at 4.55 ± 0.31 mg. Drug release from the coated catheters in artificial urine could be prolonged up to 2 weeks and bacteria proliferation was inhibited up to 14 days. These results suggest that the antimicrobial activity of CHX-NS reduces the adherence of the uropathogens to the catheter surface. Chlorhexidine-loaded polymeric nanospheres were fabricated which can be successfully coated on urinary catheters. These systems have potential use for prolonged antimicrobial applications.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.