Atomic force microscopy and photon correlation spectroscopy: Two techniques for rapid characterization of liposomes

The direct evaluation of the heterogeneity of the particle population of nanometric drug delivery systems as liposomes is difficult to achieve owing to the dimension and the carrier characteristics. The influence of the lipidic ratio and composition on the physical stability of liposomes during thei...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2005-05, Vol.25 (1), p.81-89
Main Authors: Ruozi, Barbara, Tosi, Giovanni, Forni, Flavio, Fresta, Massimo, Vandelli, Maria Angela
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atomic force microscopy
Biological and medical sciences
Drug Carriers
General pharmacology
Liposomes
Liposomes - chemistry
Medical sciences
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Particle Size
Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Photon correlation spectroscopy
Photons
Storage stability
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Summary:The direct evaluation of the heterogeneity of the particle population of nanometric drug delivery systems as liposomes is difficult to achieve owing to the dimension and the carrier characteristics. The influence of the lipidic ratio and composition on the physical stability of liposomes during their storage was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). Liposomes were made by a mixture of different lipids and obtained using distinct methods of preparation. AFM images, acquired immediately after the deposition of the sample on mica surface, clearly showed the spherical shape of the lipidic vesicles. In all the 7 months of the experiment, the average sizes of the different liposomes evaluated using the two techniques were comparable. According to PCS analysis, AFM images confirmed that almost all the diversified vesicular systems tended to form aggregates during their storage; this loss of stability was strengthened by the increase of polydispersity index value. The different behaviours observed were to ascribe to the lipidic composition more than the methods of liposome preparation. In conclusion, AFM technique owing to the relative simplicity cold be useful for the technological control of size distribution profile according to the preparative factors and moreover to the batch-to-batch reproducibility.
ISSN:0928-0987
1879-0720
DOI:10.1016/j.ejps.2005.01.020