Paliperidone-loaded spherical solid lipid nanoparticles

Abstract

Gelucire® 50/13, a macrogol glyceride, was used as a surfactant for the preparation and stabilization of paliperidone-loaded Capmul® GMS-50K matrix-based solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). Z-average particle size of the SLNs was found to be directly proportional to the concentration of Gelucire® 50/13. 10 mg ml⁻¹ was found to be optimum amount of Gelucire® 50/13 for the formation of a monolayer around the SLNs. SLNs with the optimised amount of surfactant were characterised thoroughly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR spectroscopy analysis showed that the lipid matrix crystallised in the triclinic form in the SLNs. Homogeneously distributed paliperidone did not affect the crystal structure of the lipid matrix in the SLNs. The entrapment efficiency of the optimised formulation was 75% with a 7% drug loading.