In this study, stable 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-
loaded chitosan (CS)/alginate (Alg) nanoparticles (NPs)
were prepared with poloxamer as a surfactant. The effects of
the Alg concentration, CS/Alg weight ratio, and poloxamer
concentration on the properties of the 5-FU-loaded CS/Alg
NPs were studied. The results of dynamic light scattering
and transmission electron microscopy indicated that stable
5-FU-loaded CS/Alg NPs of around 200 nm with low-size
polydispersities were achieved. Furthermore, the in vitro
release of the 5-FU-loaded CS/Alg NPs was investigated in
phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. The results show that
the encapsulation efficiency of 5-FU depended on the drug
feeding amount (DFA), poloxamer concentration, Alg concentrationconcentration,
and CS concentration. However, the in vitro
release rate of the 5-FU-loaded CS/Alg NPs was only related
to the DFA, Alg concentration, and CS concentration
and was independent of the poloxamer concentration.
The time of 5-FU release from the CS/Alg NPs could becontrolled
to be sustained for more than 12 h. According
to this study, CS/Alg NPs stabilized by poloxamer could
serve as a suitable candidate for the controlled release of 5-
FU.