Development and evaluation of novel itraconazole-loaded intravenous nanoparticles

Int J Pharm. 2008 Oct 1;362(1-2):133-40. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2008.05.039. Epub 2008 Jun 7.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to present novel intravenous itraconazole-loaded nanoparticles (ITZ-NPs) using human serum albumin (HSA) as drug carrier materials. The ITZ-NPs were prepared by nanoparticle albumin bound technology involving a series of homogenization and lyophilization procedures. The ITZ-NPs powder could be easily reconstituted and provide stable solutions at a wide range of concentrations at 25 degrees C for 24h. In safety test, the ITZ-NPs caused mild hemolysis below the concentration of 10mg/mL and were well tolerated at the dose of 160 mg/kg in mice, indicating better biocompatibility than cyclodextrin formulation of itraconazole (ITZ-CD). The pharmacokinetic parameters of itraconazole and its major metabolite, hydroxyl-itraconazole, of ITZ-NPs had no differences from those of ITZ-CD in mice. For the ITZ-NPs group, the distributions of itraconazole in the lung, liver and spleen were higher than those for ITZ-CD group. It was of significance that ITZ-NPs increased the drug distribution in lung which was always the portal to fungal infection. These results indicate that the ITZ-NPs can be a potential intravenous formulation of itraconazole.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Drug Stability
  • Female
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Itraconazole / administration & dosage
  • Itraconazole / chemistry*
  • Itraconazole / pharmacokinetics
  • Itraconazole / toxicity
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Serum Albumin / chemistry*
  • Solubility
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Surface Properties
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical / methods*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Serum Albumin
  • Itraconazole