Supercooled smectic nanoparticles: influence of the matrix composition and in vitro cytotoxicity.

Cholesteryl nonanoate (CN), myristate (CM), palmitate (CP) and oleate (CO) alone or in combination were evaluated as matrix lipids for the preparation of supercooled smectic nanoparticles with a high stability against recrystallization during storage. The phase behavior of the cholesterol esters in the bulk was studied by polarizing light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Colloidal dispersions with pure and mixed cholesterol ester matrices were prepared by high-pressure melt homogenization and characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy, laser diffraction combined with polarizing intensity differential scattering, DSC and SAXS. The morphology of selected formulations was studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. All smectic nanoparticles with a mixed cholesterol ester matrix were stable against recrystallization when stored at room temperature. Nanoparticles with a pure CN and mixed CM/CN matrix with a high fraction of CN (60% of the whole lipid matrix) could even be stored at 4 degrees C for at least 18 months without any recrystallization. As smectic nanoparticles are studied especially with regard to parenteral administration of lipophilic drugs, the cytotoxicity of selected formulations was compared with that of a clinically used colloidal fat emulsion (Lipofundin MCT) in the murine fibroblast cell line L929 using the sulforhodamine B assay. The supercooled smectic nanoparticle formulations display a good overall cell compatibility although in some cases their cytotoxicity was slightly higher than that of Lipofundin MCT.