A system of novel nanoparticles of star-shaped
cholic acid-core
polylactide-d-α-tocopheryl
polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (CA-
PLA-TPGS) block copolymer was developed for
paclitaxel delivery for
breast cancer treatment, which demonstrated superior in vitro and in vivo performance in comparison with
paclitaxel-loaded
poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles and linear
PLA-TPGS nanoparticles. The
paclitaxel- or couramin 6-loaded nanoparticles were fabricated by a modified nanoprecipitation method and then characterized in terms of size, surface charge, surface morphology,
drug encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release. The CA-
PLA-TPGS nanoparticles were found to be spherical in shape with an average size of around 120 nm. The nanoparticles were found to be stable, showing no change in the particle size and surface charge during 90-day storage of the aqueous
solution. The release profiles of the
paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles exhibited typically biphasic release patterns. The results also showed that the CA-
PLA-TPGS nanoparticles have higher antitumor efficacy than the
PLA-TPGS nanoparticles and PLGA nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, such nanoparticles of star-shaped
cholic acid-core
PLA-TPGS block copolymer could be considered as a potentially promising and effective strategy for
breast cancer treatment.