Preparation of Hirudin-Loaded Chitosan/Polycaprolactone Bowl-Shaped Particles and an Application for a Drug Delivery System

Abstract

Atherosclerosis, a disease that mainly affects human blood vessels, can cause various cerebral ischaemic diseases such as coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease. However, conventional drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis have the disadvantages of low bioavailability and high toxicity. Bowl-shaped particles not only have the excellent properties of traditional spherical particles, such as improved drug distribution, increased drug absorption, reduced drug toxicity and side effects, but also are easier to circulate in the blood for a long time, have reduced immune rejection and have a larger specific surface area. Chitosan/polycaprolactone bowl-shaped particles were prepared via electrostatic spraying, and the effects of precursor solution concentration and polymer ratio on particle morphology were investigated. Chitosan/polycaprolactone composite bowl-shaped particles containing hirudin were prepared under optimal parameters for sustained anticoagulation. The anticoagulant molecules of hirudin could be continuously released from the composite scaffold as the bowl particles degraded. The biocompatibility and haemocompatibility of the composite particles were assessed using mouse glial cells and rabbit blood, and the results showed that the cell viability of the drug-loaded particles was overall above 90% and the haemolysis rate was below 2%. By controlling the release rate of hirudin, bowl-shaped particles can achieve a long-term anticoagulant drug delivery system and have wider application potential as a novel blood contact material.