Are nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) better than solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs): Development, characterizations and comparative evaluations of clotrimazole-loaded SLNs and NLCs?

• Published in: European journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2012-08, Vol.47 (1), p.139-151
• Main Authors: Das, Surajit, Ng, Wai Kiong, Tan, Reginald B.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning - methods; Characterization; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical - methods; Clotrimazole; Clotrimazole - chemistry; Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug release; Drug Stability; General pharmacology; Lipids - chemistry; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanostructured lipid carrier; Nanostructures - chemistry; Particle Size; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Solid lipid nanoparticle; Stability; X-Ray Diffraction - methods
• ISSN: 0928-0987; 1879-0720
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2012.05.010

In recent years, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are among the popular research topics for the delivery of lipophilic drugs. Although SLNs have demonstrated several beneficial properties as drug-carrier, limited drug-loading and expulsion of drug during storage led to the development of NLCs. However, the superiority of NLCs over SLNs has not been fully established yet due to the contradictory results. In this study, SLNs and NLCs were developed using clotrimazole as model drug. Size, polydispersity index (PI), zeta potential (ZP), drug-loading (L), drug encapsulation efficiency (EE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), drug release and stability of SLNs and NLCs were compared. Critical process parameters exhibited significant impact on the nanoparticles’ properties. Size, PI, ZP and EE of the developed SLNs and NLCs were