PCL films incorporated with paclitaxel/5-fluorouracil: Effects of formulation and spacial architecture on drug release

The bi/tri-layered poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL)-based films co-loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel (PTX) are presented for biodegradable film-based stent application. A gradient elution HPLC analytical method was used for simultaneous quantification of 5-FU and PTX. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to observe the microscopic architecture and morphologies, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was employed for analyzing the physical state of the components in the single layer film. Horizontal cells diffusion test results indicated that the multi-layered structure endowed the film with drug release in unidirectional pattern. The in vitro release results showed that drug release was dependent on the drug loading, the ratio of 5-FU/PTX, the composition of surface layer, as well as the addition of hydrophilic PEG. The cytotoxicity results indicated that the PCL-based films co-loaded with 5-FU and PTX could effectively inhibit the proliferation of Eca-109 cells. The in vivo drug release results showed that the in vivo drug release was highly correlative with the in vitro drug releases. This study provided PCL-based films co-loaded with 5-FU and PTX with great potential for anti-tumor stent application, due to their unidirectional and rate-tunable drug release characteristics and dual drug loading capacity.