Studies on biocompatible nanocapsules formed in microemulsion templated processes

Phase diagrams of the pseudoternary system: N-alkyl-N-methylgluconamines/isobutanol/isooctane /water have been determined. Size and morphology of organic/water microemulsion droplets (optically isotropic, low viscosity one-phase systems) have been characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) to select systems suitable to prepare by interfacial polymerization poly(ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate) nanocapsules, the latter analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The diameter of the nanocapsules (ranging from 300 to 1550 nm) was found to be dependent on the the monomer mass used in the polymerization process. Investigation of those nanoparticles as a cyanine IR-768 carrier, for enhancing the photosensitizer selective delivery to tumor cells, has been performed. Incubation of MCF-7 Dox cells with cyanine dye IR-768 (Indoc5), free or encapsulated in nanoparticles, allowed the cellular accumulation of the photosensitizer. Our preliminary experiments indicate that higher doses of encapsulated cyanine improved the cytotoxic effect.