Preparation and Release Profiles of a Solid Oleoylchitosan Coated Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles

A solid oleoylchitosan (OCS) coated Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (OCS-coated PLGA NPs) were prepared using the emulsification–evaporation method. The nanoparticles in suspension (TEM) and solid state (SEM) were spherical and very regular and compact. The effects of OCS concentration, PLGA concentration, drug concentration, and release media on drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release behavior were investigated for the release properties using rifampicin (RFP) as a model drug. Both the increase of PLGA concentration and the increase of OCS concentration could decrease the drug release rates. The RFP release rates decreased as the RFP concentration increased. The RFP release rate was sensitive to the pH of the release media.