In vivo pharmacokinetic and hemocompatible evaluation of lyophilization induced nifedipine solid-lipid nanoparticle

Nifedipine-solid-lipid nanoparticles lyophilized with trehalose (NI-SLN-Tre) were prepared by the high pressure homogenization of a roll mixture consisting of NI and hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol, and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties and their hemocompatibility were determined and compared with those of a NI-SLN suspension. The resulting pharmacokinetic data demonstrated that although no significant differences were observed between the time of peak concentration (Tmax), peak plasma concentration (Cmax), and the area under the curve (AUC0→∞) values of both administrated samples, NI tended to be absorbed to a much greater extent from the lyophilized NI-SLN-Tre suspensions because of the enhanced solvation of NI-SLN in gastrointestinal fluid, derived from formation of hydrogen bonds between the polar head groups of the lipids and the O-H groups of trehalose. Furthermore, the results of a hemolysis assay revealed that the NI-SLN and NI-SLN-Tre suspensions showed good hemocompatibility properties with hemolysis values of less than 5%. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that NI-SLN-Tre exhibits suitable pharmacokinetic properties and good biocompatibility.