Figures & data
Figure 1 Schematic diagram of SpEDS apparatus and brief mechanism for the microencapsulation process.
Abbreviations: HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; MTX, methotrexate; SpEDS, suspension-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluid.
![Figure 1 Schematic diagram of SpEDS apparatus and brief mechanism for the microencapsulation process.Abbreviations: HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography; MTX, methotrexate; SpEDS, suspension-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluid.](/cms/asset/c751aca6-db3c-4942-986e-bb542fa7a7a1/dijn_a_32662_f0001_b.jpg)
Table 1 Particle size and particle size distribution of (A) methotrexate nanoparticles prepared by SEDS, and MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from (B) microencapsulation process and (C) coprecipitation process with a drug dose of 10%
Figure 2 Scanning electron micrograph of methotrexate nanoparticles prepared by the solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluid process.
![Figure 2 Scanning electron micrograph of methotrexate nanoparticles prepared by the solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluid process.](/cms/asset/382f37fe-29f8-4e1c-b114-954b31b6261e/dijn_a_32662_f0002_b.jpg)
Figure 3 Scanning electron micrograph of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from (A) the microencapsulation process and (B) the coprecipitation process.
Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).
![Figure 3 Scanning electron micrograph of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from (A) the microencapsulation process and (B) the coprecipitation process.Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).](/cms/asset/3369d3f7-5c3a-4e66-8e75-e08e81c31676/dijn_a_32662_f0003_b.jpg)
Figure 4 Fourier transform infrared spectra of methotrexate, PLLA-PEG-PLLA, and MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from the microencapsulation process and the coprecipitation process.
Abbreviations: MTX, methotrexate; PLLA-PEG-PLLA, poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).
![Figure 4 Fourier transform infrared spectra of methotrexate, PLLA-PEG-PLLA, and MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from the microencapsulation process and the coprecipitation process.Abbreviations: MTX, methotrexate; PLLA-PEG-PLLA, poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).](/cms/asset/aa0102b2-5cd0-4368-b66b-f8f593286e5c/dijn_a_32662_f0004_c.jpg)
Figure 5 Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from the microencapsulation process and the coprecipitation process, with different drug doses.
Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).
![Figure 5 Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from the microencapsulation process and the coprecipitation process, with different drug doses.Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).](/cms/asset/8762585b-d7ee-4de0-b3ee-667f03946a1a/dijn_a_32662_f0005_c.jpg)
Figure 6 Drug release profiles of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from (A) the microencapsulation process and (B) the coprecipitation process with different drug doses.
Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).
![Figure 6 Drug release profiles of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres from (A) the microencapsulation process and (B) the coprecipitation process with different drug doses.Abbreviation: MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA, methotrexate-poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactide).](/cms/asset/a0b63e85-7499-4fbd-a530-f0f0fcfb6f95/dijn_a_32662_f0006_c.jpg)
Table 2 Correlation coefficient and standard deviation obtained from the first-order release kinetics fitting of drug release profiles of MTX-PLLA-PEG-PLLA microspheres prepared by the coprecipitation process with different drug doses