Nanoemulsions for synthesis of biomedical nanocarriers
Nanoemulsions are kinetically stabilized emulsions with droplet sizes in the nanometer scale. These nanodroplets are able to confine spaces in which reactions of polymerization or precipitation can take place, leading to the formation of particles and capsules that can act as nanocarriers for biomedical applications. This review discusses the different possibilities of using nanoemulsions for preparing biomedical nanocarriers. According to the chemical nature, nanocarriers prepared in nanoemulsions are classified in polymeric, inorganic, or hybrid. The main synthetic strategies for each type are revised, including miniemulsion polymerization, nanoemulsion-solvent evaporation, spontaneous em…
A chitosan/silica hybrid 3D scaffold for simultaneous entrapment of two different hydrophilic substances
We report the preparation of a hybrid chitosan/silica three-dimensional (3D) scaffold loaded simultaneously with two model hydrophilic substances, ibuprofen sodium salt and erioglaucine disodium salt. The first substance is entrapped in situ during the preparation of chitosan submillimetric beads by ionotropic gelation with sodium triphosphate, while the latter is post-loaded during the scaffold formation. Controlled release experiments carried out under neutral conditions demonstrate that the presence of nanostructured silica within the polymer matrix retards the release of both hydrophilic substances and increases the structure stability of the scaffold. Release profiles can be fitted to …