nanosponges

Cyclodextrin nanosponges are solid, porous, bio-compatible, nano-particulate three dimensional structures which form inclusion complexes with different types of lipophilic or hydrophilic drug molecules and have been used as drug carrier for different drugs. In this present work, new cyclodextrin-based nanosponges of atorvastatin were prepared by condensation polymerization and interfacial polymerization to release Atorvastatin in expected manner in the treatment of dyslipidaemia as novel carriers. Results of encapsulation efficiencies of all formulation trials revealed that condensation polymerization is the best method for nanosponges formation and that is considered as best selected method for preparation. For the selected condensation polymerization, encapsulation efficiencies of atorvastatin in nanosponge formulations were found to be 72 to 86%. SEM images revealed their porous nature and cavity was of β-cyclodextrin. The mean particle size of nanosponges was about 328 nm and Zeta potentials of the nanosponges were sufficient enough (-10 to -15mv) due to presence of carboxylic group and inclusion complex formation which assured stability of formulations. The results of FTIR and DSC confirmed that atorvastatin was compatible with β-cyclodextrin and completely encapsulated in nanosponges structure respectively. The selected formulation produces good dissolution profile (release more than 75% atorvastatin within 60 mins in 0.1 N HCL) which indicated that the solubility of atorvastatin was improved by forming nanosponges. In accelerated stability studies, no significant changes occurred in physical appearance and drug content of atorvastatin nanopsonges formulation during 3 months stability studies. Atorvastatin nanosponges confirmed by insolubility in water and organic solvents like dimethyl formamide, dichloromethane.

Nanosponges are the advancement in nano technology, which are the conspicuous answers for the various formulation challenges like low aqueous solubility, controlled release and targeted release. Nanosponges do not show the bursting release which is the main obstacle in the most of the nano particles formulations. Nanosponges are a novel class of nanoparticles with nanostructured hyper branched polymers and few nanometres wide cavities, in which a large variety of substances can be encapsulated. Nanosponges also have colloidal sizes with a mean diameter of less than 1 μm and narrow size distribution and form opalescent suspensions on dispersion in water. The formulation of nanosponges involves simple chemistry. Nanosponges could be a perfect solution for resolving the scalability issues of various nano approaches in the pharmaceutical industry, paving the way for a nano-revolution.