Polymeric coating of fluidizing nano-curcumin via anti-solvent supercritical method for sustained release

• Method of supercritical antisolvent combined with fluidization was developed.
• PLGA-coated nanocurcumin particles were produced with enhanced loading efficiency.
• Profile of sustained release of curcumin in vitro accorded with the Higuchi model.

Nano-curcumin was coated by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using a novel fluidization assisted supercritical anti-solvent procedure. PLGA solution was sprayed into supercritical CO2 media, in which nano-curcumin particles were fluidized by ultrasonic vibration. The influences of process parameters, such as solvent types, solution concentrations, CO2 flow rates, the ratio of PLGA to curcumin, and ultrasonic power on the particles size and the curcumin loading were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analyzer, and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize as-produced samples in terms of the structure, morphology and particle size distribution. The PLGA-curcumin nano-capsules were obtained with the average size of 63 nm and the loading of 38%, under the ultrasonic power of 210 W, and with the average size of 40 nm and 36% loading, at the ultrasonic power of 350 W. In vitro studies prove that proposed method is successful in preparing sustained release systems.

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