Characterization and biological evaluation of paclitaxel-loaded poly(L-lactic acid) microparticles prepared by supercritical CO2

In this study, paclitaxel loaded poly(L-lactic acid) (PTX-PLLA) microparticles were prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical CO2(SEDS) technique. This supercritical antisolvent technique offers the advantage of negligible organic solvent residua in the drug loaded microparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that microparticles exhibited rather spherical shape and small particle size with narrow particle size distribution. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) indicated that PTX was amorphously dispersed in the PLLA matrix. The drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of PTX-PLLA microparticles were 14.33% and 62.68%, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of PTX-PLLA microparticles against nonsmall-cell lung cancer A549 and ovarian cancer SKOV3 cell lines indicated that PTX-PLLA had superior antiproliferation activity against the A549 and SKOV3 cell lines, compared with free PTX formulations. The cellular internalization of fluorescent microparticles was evidenced by fluorescence microscope and further confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This was attributed to the efficient intracellular accumulation of PTX via cell phagocytosis and sustained release of PTX from PLLA matrix. The anticancer activity of PTX-PLLA was associated with PTX-induced cell apoptosis such as nuclear aberrations, condensation of chromatin and swelling damage in mitochondria. The cell apoptosis index detected by flow cytometry was higher in PTX-PLLA group than in free PTX. The PTX-PLLA formulation, which was obtained through micronization of PTX and encapsulation of micronized PTX into PLLA simultaneously in the SEDS process, significantly potentiated the anticancer activity of PTX.