Manufacture of polyalkylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles with pilocarpine and timolol by micelle polymerization: Factors influencing particle formation

Abstract

Nanoparticles with pilocarpine and timolol were produced by micelle polymerization. the influence of manufacturing temperature, type of monomer, drug concentration and ethylcyanoacrylate concentration on the particle size were investigated with a Coulter Nano Sizer.

The nanoencapsulation succeeded only with the pilocarpine or timolol base, not with the salts of these drugs. Different micelle formation in aqueous medium compared with organic solvents was evidently responsible for this phenomenon. the particle formation was affected both by the manufacturing temperature and the type of monomer. the smallest particles were produced at lower temperatures and with the most lipophilic monomers. the monomer and drug concentration had very little influence on the particle size. the nanoparticles made with pilocarpine were, in general, much bigger than those made with timolol.