A systematic evaluation of hydroxyethyl starch as a potential nanocarrier for parenteral drug delivery

Development of parenteral nanoformulations is highly challenging due to the stringent demands on stability, reproducibility and high drug loading with minimal excipients. This study focuses on the development of a pharmaceutically acceptable nanomatrix system for parenteral delivery based on Hydroxyethyl Starch (HES), a FDA approved polymer that is relatively unexplored in drug delivery research. HES nanoparticles were prepared through a simple, two-step crosslinking-precipitation route, yielding 160 ± 5 nm, nearly monodispersed spherical particles with high colloidal stability. The utility of this nanocarrier for parenteral delivery was verified by a panel of hemo/cytocompatibility assays at high concentrations (0.05-1 mg/ml) in vitro and in vivo. HES nanomatrix was found effective in encapsulating two chemically distinct drugs having varying hydrophobicities, with the release behavior being influenced by their chemical nature and drug-matrix interactions. Better in vitro efficacy was measured for the nanoencapsulated drug than its bare form, establishing the potential of HES nanocarriers for controlled drug delivery.