title: Development of electrosprayed artesunate-loaded core-shell nanoparticles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Artesunate (ART) is proven to have potential anti-proliferative activities, but its instability and poor aqueous solubility limit its application as an anti-cancer drug. The present study was undertaken to develop coaxial electrospraying as a novel technique for fabricating nanoscale drug delivery systems of ART as the core-shell nanostructures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated with coaxial electrospraying and the formation mechanisms of NPs were examined. The physical solid state and drug-polymer interactions of NPs were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The effects of materials and electrospraying process on the particle size and surface morphology of NPs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The drug release from NPs was determined in vitro by a dialysis method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ART/poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) chitosan (CS) NPs exhibited the mean particle size of 303 ± 93 nm and relatively high entrapment efficiency (80.5%). The release pattern showed an initial rapid release within two hours followed by very slow extended release. The release pattern approached the Korsmeyer-Peppas model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that the core-shell NPs containing PLGA and CS have a potential as carriers in the anticancer drug therapy of ART.
authors.affiliation: a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy , Ha Noi , Vietnam.|b College of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University , Thua Thien Hue , Vietnam.
authors.forename: Hoang Nhan
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Laidmäe
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kogermann
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meos
authors.affiliation: a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy , Ha Noi , Vietnam.
authors.forename: Chien Ngoc
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia.
authors.forename: Jyrki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinämäki
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D000077332:Artesunate; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077332:Artesunate; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Artesunate; chitosan; coaxial electrospraying; core–shell nanoparticles; poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid