New self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) with amphiphilic diblock copolymer methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (ϵ-caprolactone)

Abstract

The objective of the study is to prepare a new self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) with amphiphilic diblock copolymers methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (ϵ-caprolactone) (MPEG-b-PCL) and to investigate the effect of MPEG-b-PCL on the characteristics of SNEDDS. MPEG-b-PCL was synthesized and characterized by ¹H-NMR, IR and GPC. Various ratios of MPEG-b-PCL copolymers and Tween 80 were used as emulsifier to prepare the new SNEDDS. SNEDDS with high oil and low surfactant content forms a semi-solid gel at room temperature, which could be effectively sealed in soft or hard capsules. The mean droplet size of SNEDDS-generated nanoemulsions significantly decreased after the addition of diblock polymer and increased with increase of PCL chain in MPEG-b-PCL. The drug Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) was chosen as the model compound in this study due to its insolubility in water. CoQ₁₀ from SNEDDS was rapidly dissolved regardless of the fluid condition.

Keywords::

• MPEG-b-PCL
• nanoemulsion
• Coenzyme Q₁₀
• emulsification

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the supports from the National S&T Major Project, China the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology.

Declaration of interest

This work was financially supported by the National S&T Major Project, China (Grant 2011ZX09102-005-02), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant WK0913002), and the Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology (Grant 11DZ2260600). The authors report no conflicts of interest.