Insights on Ultrafiltration-Based Separation for the Purification and Quantification of Methotrexate in Nanocarriers

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2020

Authors

Marques, SS (Author) Other; Ramos, II (Author) Other; Fernandes, SR (Author) Other; Luisa Barreiros (Author) FFUP; Lima, SAC (Author) FFUP; Salette Reis (Author) FFUP; Domingues, MRM (Author) Other; Marcela A Segundo (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Molecules

Vol. 607

Final page: 1879

ISSN: 1420-3049

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 16 Citations

Scopus - 15 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00S-86F

DOI: 10.3390/molecules25081879

Abstract (EN): The evaluation of encapsulation efficiency is a regulatory requirement for the characterization of drug delivery systems. However, the difficulties in efficiently separating nanomedicines fromthe free drugmay compromise the achievement of accurate determinations. Herein, ultrafiltration was exploited as a separative strategy towards the evaluation of methotrexate (MTX) encapsulation efficiency in nanostructured lipid carriers and polymeric nanoparticles. The effect of experimental conditions such as pH and the amount of surfactant present in the ultrafiltration media was addressed aiming at the selection of suitable conditions for the effective purification of nanocarriers. MTX-loaded nanoparticles were then submitted to ultrafiltration and the portions remaining in the upper compartment of the filtering device and in the ultrafiltratewere collected and analyzed by HPLC-UV using a reversed-phase (C18) monolithic column. A short centrifugation time (5 min) was suitable for establishing the amount of encapsulated MTX in nanostructured lipid carriers, based on the assumption that the free MTX concentration was the same in the upper compartment and in the ultrafiltrate. The defined conditions allowed the efficient separation of nanocarriers from the free drug, with recoveries of >85% even when nanoparticles were present in cell culture media and in pig skin surrogate from permeation assays.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15