T. Gothsch

In vitro and ex vivo toxicological testing of sildenafil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the potential cytotoxicity of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) loaded with sildenafil. The SLNs were tested as a new drug delivery system (DDS) for the inhalable treatment of pulmonary hypertension in human lungs. Solubility of sildenafil in SLN lipid matrix (30:70 phospholipid:triglyceride) was determined to 1% sildenafil base and 0.1% sildenafil citrate, respectively. Sildenafil-loaded SLN with particle size of approximately 180 nm and monomodal particle size distribution were successfully manufactured using a novel microchannel homogenization method and were stable up to three months. Sildenafil-loaded SLN were then used in in vitro and ex vivo models representing lung and heart tissue. For in vitro models, human alveolar epithelial cell line (A459) and mouse heart endothelium cell line (MHEC5-T) were used. For ex vivo models, rat precision cut lung slices (PCLS) and rat heart slices (PCHS) were used. All the models were treated with plain SLN and sildenafil-loaded SLN in a concentration range of 0–5000 µg/ml of lipid matrix. The toxicity was evaluated in vitro and ex vivo by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Median lethal dose 50% (LD50) values for A549 cells and PCLS were found to be in the range of 1200–1900 µg/ml while for MHEC5-T cells and precision cut heart slices values were found between 1500 and 2800 µg/ml. PCHS showed slightly higher LD50 values in comparison to PCLS. Considering the toxicological aspects, sildenafil-loaded SLN could have potential in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension via inhalation route.

Physicochemical characterization of sildenafil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle dispersions (SLN) for pulmonary application

For the development of any colloidal system, thorough characterization is extremely essential. This article discusses the physicochemical characterization of sildenafil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle dispersions (SLN) including stability analysis over 6 months time period for possible pulmonary administration for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). SLN consisting of phospholipid and triglycerides were manufactured using a novel microchannel homogenization method. These sildenafil-loaded SLN were then subjected to physicochemical characterization namely, particle size and distribution over shelf life, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and analysis of nebulization performance of these SLN by the means of next generation impactor (NGI). Additionally, the morphology of nebulized particles was assessed by transmission electron microscopy using negative staining technique. The solubility of sildenafil citrate and base in the lipid matrix was determined and was 0.1% w/w and 1% w/w, respectively. From the particle size measurements, it was observed that SLN without sildenafil demonstrated consistent particle sizes over 6 months. For the sildenafil-loaded SLN, increased particle sizes were found after manufacturing and further increased within weeks. From WAXD studies, after 6 months high intensity reflections corresponding to the stable β modification were observed. From DSC results, the peak minimum temperatures increased upon storage, hinting at a transformation to the stable β modification of triglycerides in the case of sildenafil-loaded SLN. Hence, it can be concluded that even small drug concentration influences particle size and stability.

Microsystems for Dispersing Nanoparticles

Typically in the production of nanoparticles via bottom-up syntheses, agglomerates or even strong aggregates are formed which have to be redispersed in a subsequent dispersion process. Especially for the processing and screening of aggregated highly potential and cost-intensive biotechnological or pharmaceutical products, microsystems are advantageous due to high stress intensities, narrow residence time distributions, and high reproducibility as well as low volume flow. Depending on the geometry and the operating conditions of dispersing units within microsystems, various stress mechanisms have an effect on the dispersion process. However, in contrast to emulsification processes, the effect of cavitation is disadvantageous for high-pressure dispersion processes and can be avoided by applying backpressure. For the characterization and optimization of the stress intensity distribution and stressing probability in microchannels at various operating conditions, microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) as well as single- and two-phase CFD simulations are well suited.