A study of embolizing materials for chemo-embolization therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: antitumor effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) albumin microspheres, containing chitin and treated with chitosan on rabbits with VX2 hepatic tumors.

As an effective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic arterial chemo-embolization therapy has been widely used, and many embolizing materials have been extensively investigated. In the present study, we prepared various types of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) albumin microspheres using chitin and chitosan, both of which have attracted considerable attention as new non-toxic biological polymer materials having favorable characteristics such as immune adjuvant activity, biological compatibility, and biodegradation. Hepatic artery of rabbit hepatic cancer models, which had transplanted VX2 tumors, were embolized with various types of microspheres. The anti-tumor effects and tumor-targeting of the microspheres, and the effects of the microspheres administration on the hepatic tissue were investigated. As a result, anti-tumor activity of the microspheres was increased by the addition of chitin-containing or chitosan treated materials; tumor growth rates of chitin addition and chitosan treated groups were approximately 160% and 120%, respectively, and were significantly lower than that of the non-treatment groups with a rate of approximately 580%. However, complete inhibition of tumor growth might have been impossible. Anti-tumor activity was increased by the addition of chitin-containing or chitosan treated materials. Whereas the growth inhibitory effect was insufficient, in order to potentiate anti-tumor activity, higher CDDP contents and sustained release of CDDP at a high level from microsphere and so on should be essentially improved for the near future. The CDDP level in hepatic tissue following the administration of microspheres was increased by adding chitin to the microspheres or by treating the microspheres with chitosan.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Preparation and release characteristics of cisplatin albumin microspheres containing chitin and treated with chitosan

Cisplatin (CDDP) containing albumin microspheres and microcapsules incorporating biodegradable macromolecules, chitin and chitosan, were prepared, and their CDDP content and releasing ability and susceptibility to various enzymes were examined. Chitin was incorporated during preparation of the microspheres, while chitosan was used to treat preformed microspheres. CDDP content was remarkably increased by chitin; when chitin was incorporated at a concentration of 1.5%, the CDDP content of the microspheres was found to be 16.2% (1.8 times that with no addition of chitin). CDDP release was suppressed by chitin and chitosan. The 50% CDDP release time was about 1.5 h when no chitin was added, but about 16 h was required when chitin was incorporated into the microspheres at a concentration of 1.5%. Chitin and chitosan suppressed the decomposition by protease. The microspheres treated with 70% deacetylated chitosan showed the greatest susceptibility to lysozyme. In conclusion, CDDP release can be controlled by the use of chitin or chitosan, and the microspheres should show no immunogenicity in vivo because of their susceptibility to lysozyme.     

Release characteristics of cisplatin chitosan microspheres and effect of containing chitin

To increase cisplatin (CDDP) content, to suppress burst effect during the initial phase of drug release, and to improve the capacity of the system for sustained release, we prepared various types of CDDP chitosan microspheres incorporating chitin and investigated the content of CDDP and its in vitro release kinetics from these microspheres. The results of this study showed that the CDDP content increased with increasing chitosan concentration and that the incorporation of chitin in the carrier matrix produced a more pronounced increase in drug content. The addition of chitin also led to inhibition of the initial burst effect. The rate of CDDP release reduced with increasing concentration of chitosan: that is, the 50% CDDP release time was about 0.5 h with the microspheres prepared with 1.0% of chitosan and about 4.5 h with those prepared with 5.0% of chitosan, indicating about nine-fold prolongation. The addition of chitin further resulted in retardation of the rate of CDDP release. Meanwhile, our chitosan microspheres were shown to undergo enzymatic degradation by lysozymes.     

Preparation and evaluation of albumin microspheres and microcapsules containing cisplatin

Albumin microspheres and microcapsules containing cisplatin (CDDP) were prepared and tested as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. CDDP albumin microspheres were prepared by hardening with glutaric aldehyde in accordance with the method to prepare W/O emulsion. On the other hand, microcapsules were prepared by formation of a coacervate by the phase isolation method. CDDP albumin microspheres and microcapsules thus prepared were sieved and sterilized by dry heat at 135 degrees C for 4h prior to use. The content and release of CDDP were determined. The CDDP contents for albumin microspheres and microcapsules were found to be 9.2% and 33.3%, respectively. Release of CDDP in vitro was found to be significantly different between the two formulations. CDDP release in vivo was also investigated by injecting albumin microspheres and microcapsules into the hepatic artery of adult dogs. The blood CDDP concentrations after injection of both formulations were lower than those noted after injection of CDDP injectable solution, indicating that CDDP might be accumulated in the liver at a higher concentration and that use of the two formulations might result in alleviation of CDDP side effects.     

Preparation of uniform-sized pH-sensitive quaternized chitosan microsphere by combining membrane emulsification technique and thermal-gelation method

In this study, uniform-sized pH-sensitive quaternized chitosan microsphere was prepared by combining Shirasu porous glass (SPG) membrane emulsification technique and a novel thermal-gelation method. In this preparation process, the mixture of quaternized chitosan solution and alpha-beta-glycerophosphate (alpha-beta-GP) was used as water phase and dispersed in oil phase to form uniform W/O emulsion by SPG membrane emulsification technique. The droplets solidified into microspheres at 37 degrees C by thermal-gelation method. The whole process was simple and mild. The influence of process conditions on the property of prepared microspheres was investigated and the optimized preparation condition was obtained. As a result, the coefficient of variation (C.V.) of obtained microspheres diameters was below 15%. The obtained microsphere had porous structure and showed apparent pH-sensitivity. It dissolved rapidly in acid solution (pH 5) and kept stable in neutral solution (pH 7.4). The pH-sensitivity of microspheres also affected its drug release behavior. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model drug was encapsulated in microspheres, and it was released rapidly in acid solution and slowly in neutral medium. The novel quaternized chitosan microspheres with pH-sensitivity can be used as drug delivery system in the biomedical field, such as tumor-targeted drug carrier.     

Cisplatin suppository: preparation, release characteristics and clinical evaluation

Cisplatin (CDDP) has attracted attention as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of uterine endometrial carcinoma but causes serious side effects, including renal toxicity. CDDP suppositories containing NaCl at different concentrations were prepared to enhance the efficacy and to reduce the side effects of CDDP. The release characteristics, melting point and viscosity of the suppositories were first studied. The rate of CDDP release increased as the NaCl concentration increased: it was 12% 12 h after administration of suppositories containing no NaCl, but 32% with 0.2% NaCl. The melting point was raised by addition of NaCl: 35.5 degrees C without NaCl and 36.5 degrees C with 0.2% NaCl. Addition of 0.2% NaCl doubled the viscosity. Clinically, the suppository containing 0.06% NaCl was given to 3 patients with endometrial carcinoma twice a week for 3 weeks to examine serum CDDP levels and endometrial absorption. Patients with endometrial carcinoma showed different peak plasma platinum (Pt) levels which were as low as 0.12, 0.06 and 0.22 micrograms Pt/ml with similar patterns of change in the level. Radiographic analysis revealed many Pt particles in sections of necrosed endometria after 21d of the treatment. No side effects of CDDP were found in biochemical testing or subjective symptoms.     

Preparation and Characterization of Vanillin Cross-Linked Chitosan Microspheres of Pterostilbene

A vanillin cross-linked chitosan microsphere delivery system was established for stabilization and controlled release of pterostilbene. The prepared microspheres were characterized by SEM images, FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetry, and X-ray diffraction. FT-IR spectra results indicated that chitosan was cross-linked by vanillin successfully. Thermal analysis showed that pterostilbene had been totally incorporated into the microspheres and the encapsulation of pterostilbene decreases the rate of degradation and increases the stability. XRD analysis was conducted to confirm the results of DSC analysis. The release rate of pterostilbene from microspheres in pH 3.6 buffer solution could be up to 58.1 % within 48 h.     

Microbial reclamation of squid pens and shrimp shells

Byproducts generated in high levels by marine processes have been recognized for their value as recyclable or reclaimable waste. Among marine byproducts, shrimp shells, crab shells, and squid pens have the highest chitin content. The chemical treatments of these chitin-containing byproducts for preparing chitin and chitosan create waste disposal problems because neutralization and detoxification of the discharged wastewater are necessary. Therefore, the cost of chitin and chitosan preparations was far higher than those of their raw materials, marine chitin-containing byproducts. Chitin and chitosan have been widely used as the major carbon source of bacteria for producing chitinolytic enzymes. In 1997, the bifunctional chitinase/lysozymes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa K-187 using shrimp and crab shells as the sole carbon/nitrogen (C/N) source was first reported. Thereafter, the use of squid pens as the only C/N source for producing enzymes and bioactive materials had also been studied. The use of shellfish chitin waste as the sole C/N source not only solves environmental problems, it decreases the production costs for microbial conversion. This review summarizes our recent research of microbial reclamation of these marine byproducts for producing enzymes and bioactive materials; the characterization and applications of these products were also studied.     

Effect of molecular weight and degree of deacetylation on controlled release of isoniazid from chitosan microspheres

Glutaraldehyde cross‐linked chitosan microspheres for controlled release of isoniazid were prepared using chitosan of different molecular weights (MWs) and degrees of deacetylation (DDAs). Chitosan microspheres were characterized for their size, hydrophobocity, degree of swelling and loading of isoniazid. Hydrophobicity of chitosan microspheres increased on increasing the degree of cross‐linking and MW of chitosan. Chitosan microspheres with high degree of deacetylation (DDA) (75 wt%), high MW chitosan (2227 kg mol^?1), and with 12 wt% concentration of glutaraldehyde showed optimum loading and release of isoniazid. The isoniazid from chitosan microspheres was released in two steps, i.e. burst (%R_B) and controlled (%R_C) steps. The microspheres with low MW chitosan (260 kg mol^?1) and low DDA (48 wt%) showed prominent burst release of isoniazid, but microspheres with high MW chitosan (2227 kg mol^?1) and high DDA (75 wt%) have released more isoniazid in a controlled manner (60 wt%) at 37°C in a solution of pH 5.0 ± 0.1. The burst step of drug release (%R_B) has followed first order kinetics, whereas controlled step of drug release (%R_C) followed zero order kinetics. The burst step of drug release was Fickian and controlled step was non‐Fickian in nature. The diffusion constant (D) for isoniazid release was influenced by the properties of chitosan and degree of cross‐linking. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

离子凝胶反应法制备壳聚糖/N,O-羧甲基壳聚糖微球

以一氯乙酸与壳聚糖反应形成N,O-羧甲基壳聚糖两性聚电解质,分光光度法测定其等电点IEP=2．86。以此两性聚电解质与壳聚糖可以在一定条件下形成微球,光学显微镜和电子显微镜测试表明,控制两种聚电解质配比可以制备不同粒径大小的微球,而超声功率对微球粒径的影响较小。红外光谱测试表明微球中N,O-羧甲基壳聚糖羧基以羧酸根形式存在,分光光度与电导法联合测定表明两种聚电解质以离子凝胶作用形成微球,其最佳制备条件为IEP（CM-CHITOSAN）〈pH〈pKa（CS）,在此较宽的pH值范围内微球可稳定存在。     

生物降解聚酯包埋利福平缓释微球的制备及释放行为

以生物可降解乙交酯和丙交酯的无规共聚物(PLGA)为载体,将抗结核病药利福平溶解于PLGA的有机溶液中,采用通常乳化-溶剂挥发方法制备了药物缓释微球.研究了影响微球制备的工艺条件.用电子显微镜观察了微球及降解后的表面形态,测定了微球粒径及载药量,评价了载药微球的体外释放行为.结果表明,以质量分数为1%的明胶为稳定剂,制备的微球形态完整,粒径范围为10～30μm,微球中利福平的平均质量分数为24.3%.体外释药时间可以通过高分子的降解速率来调控,本实验的释药时间可以在42～84d之间调控,药物缓释达到了理想的零级动力学释放.因此,利福平PLGA微球具有显著的长效、恒量药物缓释作用.     

Novel Carboxymethyl Chitosan Microspheres for Controlled Delivery of Chelerythrine

Novel carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMCS) microspheres containing an anti-tumor drug chelerythrine (CHE) have been successfully prepared by an emulsion crosslinking method using glutaraldehyde. The optimized microsphere formulation was characterized for particle size, shape, morphology, crystallinity and in vitro drug release. Results for mean particle size, drug loading content, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release of chelerythrine loaded microspheres were found to be 12.18 μm, 4.08%, 54.78% and 35.30% at pH 7.4 in 20 h, respectively. The optimized microspheres had an imperfect crystalline lattice and a spherical, rough morphology and the CHE release from O-CMCS microspheres followed the Higuchi matrix model. All these results suggested that O-CMCS microspheres are a promising carrier system for controlled drug delivery.     

Biodegradable PLGA microspheres as a sustained release system for a new luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist

A sustained release poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microsphere delivery system to treat prostate cancer for a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonists, LXT-101 was prepared and evaluated in the paper. LXT-101 microspheres were prepared from PLGA by three methods: (1) double-emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation technique, (2) single-emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation technique, and (3) S/O/O (solid-in-oil-in-oil) method. The microspheres were investigated on drug loading, particle size, surface morphology and in vitro release profiles. An accelerated release approach was also established in order to expedite the evaluation periods. The in vivo evaluation of the microspheres was made by monitoring testosterone levels after subcutaneous administration to rats. The LXT-101 PLGA microspheres showed smooth and round surfaces according to a scanning electron microscopic investigation, and average particle size of ca. 30 mum according to laser diffractometry. The drug encapsulation efficiency of microspheres was influenced by LA/GA ratio of PLGA, salt concentrations, solvent mixture and preparation methods. Moreover, LA/GA ratio of PLGA, different preparation methods and different peptide stabilizers affected in vitro release of drugs. In vivo study, the testosterone levels were suppressed to castration up to 42 d as for the 7.5 mg/kg dose. And in vivo performance of LXT-101 microspheres was dose-dependent. The weights of rat sexual organs decreased and histopathological appearance of testes had little changes after 4-month microspheres therapy. This also testified that LXT-101 sustained release microspheres could exert the efficacy to suppress the testosterone level to castration with little toxicity. In conclusion, the PLGA microspheres could be a well sustained release system for LXT-101.     

甲壳素和壳聚糖作为天然生物高分子材料的研究进展

甲壳素是自然界中含量仅次于纤维素的天然高分子,壳聚糖是甲壳素脱乙酰化后带有阳离子的多糖.壳聚糖中的自由氨基以及它的高结晶性,使得它能溶于酸,而不溶于碱和绝大数的有机溶剂.同时壳聚糖具有无毒性、无刺激性、良好的生物相容性、生物可溶解性, 以及高的电荷密度,因而被作为一种新型的天然生物材料得到广泛应用.文章介绍了甲壳素和壳聚糖的结构和性质,综述分析了甲壳素和壳聚糖在制备微球和作为支架材料中的应用, 并总结了甲壳素和壳聚糖在这两个方面存在的问题和发展前景.     

Chitosan based hydrogel microspheres as drug carriers

Chitosan/tripolyphosphate (CHIT/TPP) and chitosan/tripolyphosphate/chondroitin sulfate (CHIT/TPP/CHS) core-shell type microspheres were prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation in order to develop a biocompatible matrix for drug delivery. The continual method using a multi-loop reactor under sterile conditions was applied for microsphere preparation. All the types of microspheres produced were spherical in shape and had a porous structure. The mechanical resistance of the microspheres increased in the presence of CHS as the second polyanion, which toughened the microsphere shell structure. For a drug release application, the process of microsphere preparation was modified by dissolving ofloxacin (OFL), the fluoroquinolone antibiotic, in CHIT solution before complex formation. This study shows the difference in OFL release comparing the microspheres CHIT/TPP and CHIT/TPP/CHS and implies the potential to control this process.     

Uniform chitosan microspheres for potential application to colon-specific drug delivery

Uniform chitosan microspheres have been fabricated and weakly crosslinked for potential applications in colon-specific drug delivery. The effects of microsphere size, crosslinking density and electrostatic interactions between the drug and chitosan on drug release were studied, employing model drugs of different acidities. When the drug was basic, all chitosan spheres exhibited 100% release within 30 min. As the acidity of the drug increased, the release slowed down and depended on the crosslinking density and microsphere size. The release of weakly acidic drug was most suppressed for large spheres (35-38 microm), while the small spheres (23-25 microm) with higher crosslinking exhibited the most retention of highly acidic drug, indicating that they are a promising candidate for colon-specific delivery.     

Biodegradable heparin-loaded microspheres: carrier molecular composition and microsphere structure

Microspheres of amphiphilic triblock polymers PLLA-PEG-PLLA were investigated as carriers for heparin delivery. Two series of PLLA-PEG-PLLA triblock were synthesized and prepared into microspheres with heparin loaded. The microspheres were hollow and the surface morphology varied from smooth to porous. The pore size increased with increasing PEG content. The microsphere size distribution showed that higher PEG content increased the average microsphere size. The release rate of heparin was closely related to the surface morphology of the microspheres. DSC spectra showed that both cold crystalline temperature (Tc) and crystalline melting temperature (Tm) of heparin-loaded microspheres were related to the copolymer composition and the Tc was lower than those of corresponding pure microspheres. [IMAGES: SEE TEXT]     

聚乳酸载力福平微球底制备及其释药性能

药物释放;聚乳酸载力福平微球底制备及其释药性能     

Water sorption on and water diffusion in chitin and chitosan

The kinetics of the sorption of water vapor on powders of crab-shell chitin and chitosan are studied via the methods of static sorption, thermography, and X-ray structural analysis. Sorption isotherms are obtained in the range of humidity from 10 to 95%. S-Shaped water-sorption isotherms observed for all chitin and chitosan samples are approximated via superpositioning of Langmuir and Flory-Huggins isotherms. The water-polysaccharide interaction parameters and the maximum sorption capacities of water located in chitin and chitosan are determined. The cluster integral is calculated, and the moisture values corresponding to water-cluster formation are determined. The water-diffusion coefficients are determined, and the effective activation energies of water diffusion are estimated: 70 kJ/mol in chitosan and 60 kJ/mol in chitin. The data on the concentration dependences of the coefficients of diffusion of water in the powdered chitin and chitosan are summarized.     

Effect of method of preparation and process variables on controlled release of insoluble drug from chitosan microspheres

An inexpensive and simple method was adopted for the preparation of chitosan microspheres, crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA), for the controlled release of an insoluble drug‐ibuprofen, which is a commonly used NSAID (non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug). The chitosan microspheres were prepared by different methods and varying the process conditions such as rate of stirring, concentration of crosslinking agent, and drug:polymer ratio in order to optimize these process variables on microsphere size, size distribution, degree of swelling, drug entrapment efficiency, and release rates. The absence of any chemical interaction between drug, polymer, and the crosslinking agent was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) techniques. The microspheres were characterized by optical microscopy, which indicated that the particles were in the size range of 30–200 µm and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed a smooth surface and spherical shape of microspheres. The microsphere size/size distributions were increased with the decreased stirring rates as well as GA concentration in the suspension medium. Decreasing the concentration of crosslinker increased the swelling ratio whereas extended crosslinking exhibited lowered entrapment efficiency. The in vitro drug release was controlled and extended up to 10 hr. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.