Ethylcellulose nanoparticles prepared from nano-emulsion templates as new folate binding haemocompatible platforms

Highlights: • Ethylcellulose nano-emulsions obtained by the low-energy phase inversion composition method using different aqueous components • Nanoparticles of around 100 nm diameter and positive zeta potential prepared from the nano-emulsions by solvent evaporation • Successful formation of complexes between the nanoparticles and folic acid through electrostatic binding • Nanoparticle:folate complexes show excellent haemocompatibility. Ethylcellulose is a biocompatible polymer attracting increasing interest for biomedical applications. In the present work, the formation of folate-ethylcellulose nanoparticle complexes from nano-emulsion templates prepared by a low-energy approach, using aqueous components suitable for biomedical applications has been investigated. The composition of the aqueous component is shown to be crucial for the formation of stable nano-emulsions and influences the zeta potential values. The ethylcellulose nanoparticles with mean sizes around 100 nm were obtained from the nano-emulsions by solvent evaporation and showed positive zeta potential values above +20 mV due to the presence of the cationic surfactant. The nanoparticles were successfully complexed with folate, as evidenced by both particle size and zeta potential measurements. The complexes prepared with HEPES buffered glucose solution showed excellent haemocompatibility, which make them promising for parenteral therapeutic applications and also for those in which easy access to systemic circulation may occur, like in lungs.