Abstract:
Vincristine sulfate (VCS) was used in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of a variety of cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. However, rapid release of the drug at the site of specific action was still a challenge for antitumor treatment. Recently, hybrid carriers bearing the versatile properties of each component were promising materials in order to improve the effects of therapeutic drugs. This work aimed to prepare and characterize chitosan (CHS)–polyethylene glycol (PEG)–oleic acid (OA) composites as a carrier for VCS delivery. The structure, thermal stability, and surface morphology of CHS/PEG/OA composites were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimeter, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Additionally, swelling degree, water uptake capacity, gas permeability, water contact angle, and in vitro hydrolytic degradation properties of the composites were examined in detail. The VCS-loaded CHS/PEG/OA composites were prepared and drug-loading efficiency was evaluated. CPO-2 sample with a loading efficiency of 64.1 ± 0.6% was selected for in vitro release. due to the highest drug loading efficiency. In vitro release behavior was performed in phosphate-buffered saline buffer (pH 7.4). The release of VCS was completed in almost 24 h and the release data were best fitted to Korsmeyer–Peppas model. The release results revealed that CHS/PEG/OA composites with slow-release behavior could be a promising drug carrier for therapeutic drugs such as VCS. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.