Development of species/site-specific drug delivery technology using carrier particles and their application to agriculture field(Fostering Joint International Research)

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15KK0025
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefecture University
• Principal Investigator: Nomura Toshiyuki 大阪府立大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (00285305)
• Research Collaborator: Routh Alexander F. University of Cambridge, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Professor
• Project Period (FY): 2016 – 2018
• Keywords: 環境材料 / 薬物送達システム / コロイドソーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated environment-friendly synthetic methods for the encapsulation of water-soluble substances in biodegradable poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) polymer particles. As a result, PLGA nanoparticles generated using vegetable oil as a continuous phase self-assembled on water droplets to stabilize W/O (Water in Oil) emulsion and then the polymer particles were fused by heating, leading that PLGA microcapsules capable of encapsulating water soluble polysaccharides, proteins and microorganisms have been successfully synthesized.

Free Research Field

微粒子工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

PLGAは、生体適合性、生分解性、薬物徐放性に優れたポリマー基材であるが、疎水性のため、親水性物質の封入には適していない。また、PLGA粒子の合成には、生体に有害な化学物質が使用される。本研究で合成したPLGAマイクロカプセルは、内相が水であるため、親水性物質の封入が可能であるたけでなく、その合成プロセスにおいて有害な化学物質をまったく使用していないため、環境調和型の薬物送達システムを可能とする。