Enhanced Entrapment and Improved in Vitro Controlled Release of N‐Acetyl Cysteine in Hybrid PLGA/Lecithin Nanoparticles Prepared Using a Nanoprecipitation/Self‐Assembly Method

To enhance the in vitro controlled release of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) hydrophobic core and a soybean lecithin mono-layer coat were prepared. Hybrid NPs were synthesized using a nanoprecipitation combined with self-assembly method. To characterize prepared NPs, zeta potential, diameter size, surface morphology, disparity, and lipid coating of hybrid NPs were detrmined using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. High-performance liquid chromatography was employed to evaluate drug loading yield and encapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release of prepared NPs. The cytotoxicity of hybrid NPs was assayed on normal L929 alveolar epithelial cells using MTT method. Prepared NPs were found to disperse as individual NPs with a well-defined spherical shape. The hydrodynamic diameter and surface charge of NAC-loaded hybrid NPs were 81.8 ± 1.3 nm and -33.1 ± 2.1 mV, respectively. Drug loading yield and encapsulation efficiency of NAC-loaded hybrid NPs were found to be 38 ± 2.1% and 67 ± 5.7%, respectively. Prepared hybrid NPs showed no significant cytotoxicity against normal alveolar cells. Our data suggest that the hybrid PLGA-lecithin NPs may be An efficient controlled release drug delivery system for NAC. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4203-4209, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.