Abstract
This study was geared to analyze the preparation methods of pullulan acetate-based nanoparticles loaded with 5-fluorouracil, as well as the potential of pullulan as a biopolymer matrix for obtaining nanoparticles applied in the delivery of anticancer drugs (5-FU). Various methods were used to produce pullulan acetate-based nanoparticles loaded with 5-FU, including nanoprecipitation, modified nanoprecipitation, and double emulsion. Pullulan was previously chemically modified with acetic anhydride, dimethylformamide and pyridine, and yielded pullulan acetate. Pullulan was made using the Aureobasidium pullulans strain through a fermentation procedure. UV-Vis Spectro-photometric and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods were used to assess entrapment effectiveness, size, and polydispersity index (PDI) of pullulan acetate-based nanoparticles loaded with 5-FU. Based on the properties of the nanoparticles obtained, the optimum preparation method was chosen. The maximum entrapment efficiency was found in pullulan acetate nanoparticles loaded with 5-FU generated by a double emulsion method. The mean hydrodynamic size and PDI of all nanoparticles were adequate. The best formulation showed faster 5-FU release profile in acid phosphate-buffered saline (pH 5) than in phosphate-buffered saline pH 7.4. According to the findings, pullulan derivatives have a great potential for producing nanoparticles that might be used to deliver anticancer medicines.
Keywords: polymeric nanoparticles; pullulan; antitumor drugs; cancer