Objective: To investigate the preparation of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) loaded with traditional Chinese medicines by high-pressure homogenization, and study the physicochemical characteristics of the particles produced by this method.
Methods: The model traditional Chinese medicines, silibinin (SIL) and tetrandrine (TET), were incorporated into SLN separately by high-pressure homogenization. Transmission electron microscope was employed to study the shape of the particles. Particle characterization system and zeta potential analyzer were used to study the diameter and zeta potential of SLN in the suspension. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading were determined with the sephadex gel chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The stability of SLN was also studied.
Results: The SIL-SLNs prepared by high-pressure homogenization were spherical and regular. The mean diameter and zeta potential of SIL-SLN in distilled water were 157+/-8 nm and -35.36+/-2.68 mV, respectively. The entrapment efficiency was 95.64%, and the drug loading was 4.63%. The TET-SLN was platelet-shaped, irregular and smaller. The mean diameter and zeta potential of TET-SLN were 47+/-3 nm and -32.99+/-2.54 mV, respectively, with drug loading of 4.76%, and up to 97.82% of TET was incorporated. SIL-SLN and TET-SLN had good stability.
Conclusion: High-pressure homogenization is feasible for preparing SLN loaded with traditional Chinese medicines.