title: The effect of surfactant composition on the chemical and structural properties of nanostructured lipid carriers.
abstract: Fine-tuning the nanoscale structure and morphology of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) is central to improving drug loading and stability of the particles. The role of surfactant charge on controlling the structure, the physicochemical properties and the stability of NLCs has been investigated using three surfactant types (cationic, anionic, non-ionic), and mixed surfactants. Either one, a mixture of two, or a mixture of three surfactants were used to coat the NLCs, with these classified as one, two and three surfactant systems, respectively. The mixed (two and three) surfactant systems produced smaller NLC particles and yielded NLCs with lower crystallinity than the one surfactant system. The combined effects of the ionic and the non-ionic surfactants may play a key role in assisting the lipid-oil mixing, as well as maintaining colloidal repulsion between NLC particles. In contrast, for the three surfactant system, the lipid-oil mixture in the NLCs appeared less homogenous. This was also reflected in the results of the stability study, which indicated that NLC particle sizes in two surfactant systems appeared to be retained over longer periods than for other surfactant systems.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Program, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand .
authors.forename: Kullavadee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karn-Orachai
authors.forename: Siwaporn Meejoo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Sarunya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phunpee
authors.forename: Alongkot
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Treethong
authors.forename: Satit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puttipipatkhachorn
authors.forename: Sirapat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pratontep
authors.forename: Uracha Rungsardthong
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Ruktanonchai
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008055:Lipids; D009821:Oils; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: Nanostructured lipid carriers; Raman mapping; stability; surfactant