Polysorbate 80-coated PLGA nanoparticles improve the permeability of acetylpuerarin and enhance its brain-protective effects in rats

Exploring Chinese herbal medicine for ischemic stroke: insights into microglia and signaling pathways

Ischemic stroke is a prevalent clinical condition affecting the central nervous system, characterized by a high mortality and disability rate. Its incidence is progressively rising, particularly among younger individuals, posing a significant threat to human well-being. The activation and polarization of microglia, leading to pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses, are widely recognized as pivotal factors in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) boasts a rich historical background, notable efficacy, and minimal adverse effects. It exerts its effects by modulating microglia activation and polarization, suppressing inflammatory responses, and ameliorating nerve injury through the mediation of microglia and various associated pathways (such as NF-κB signaling pathway, Toll-like signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, among others). Consequently, this article focuses on microglia as a therapeutic target, reviewing relevant pathway of literature on TCHMs to mitigate neuroinflammation and mediate IS injury, while also exploring research on drug delivery of TCHMs. The ultimate goal is to provide new insights that can contribute to the clinical management of IS using TCHMs.

Polysorbate 80 surface modified PLGA nanoparticles: an in-vitro evaluation of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity on neuro-2a cells

AIM

Present study focuses on the development of P80 coated PLGA Nanoparticles loaded with drugs, paroxetine (P80-Par-PLGA-NPs) and clonidine (P80-CLD-PLGA-NPs) for in-vitro evaluation of Cellular Uptake & Cytotoxicity on Neuro-2a cells.

METHOD

P80-Par-PLGA-NPs and P80-CLD-PLGA-NPs were developed and characterised for zeta size, potential, PDI, EE%, DL%, TEM, SEM, FTIR, DSC, in-vitro release, cytotoxicity, histopathological and cell uptake studies using rhodamine loaded P80-NPs.

RESULT

Mean particle diameter of P80-Par-PLGA-NPs and P80-CLD-PLGA-NPs was 204; 182.7 nm, ZP of -21.8; -18.72 mV and 0.275; 0.341 PDI, respectively. TEM and SEM images revealed homogenous surface morphology. In-vitro drug release showed sustained and complete release in 72 h. Cell viability (>90%) at Cmax and no cytotoxicity in histopathology was observed. Significant higher uptake (96.9%) of P80-modified-NPS was observed as compared to unmodified-NPs (81%) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The finding clearly indicated a higher cell uptake of drugs via surface modified P80-coated PLGA-NPs as compared to unmodified particles.

The Role of Biological Rhythms in New Drug Formulations to Cross the Brain Barriers

For brain protection, the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier limit the traffic of molecules between blood and brain tissue and between blood and cerebrospinal fluid, respectively. Besides their protective function, brain barriers also limit the passage of therapeutic drugs to the brain, which constitutes a great challenge for the development of therapeutic strategies for brain disorders. This problem has led to the emergence of novel strategies to treat neurological disorders, like the development of nanoformulations to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain. Recently, functional molecular clocks have been identified in the blood-brain barrier and in the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. In fact, circadian rhythms in physiological functions related to drug disposition were also described in brain barriers. This opens the possibility for chronobiological approaches that aim to use time to improve drug efficacy and safety. The conjugation of nanoformulations with chronobiology for neurological disorders is still unexplored. Facing this, here, we reviewed the circadian rhythms in brain barriers, the nanoformulations studied to deliver drugs to the brain, and the nanoformulations with the potential to be conjugated with a chronobiological approach to therapeutic strategies for the brain.

The synthesis and development of poly(ε-caprolactone) conjugated polyoxyethylene sorbitan oleate-based micelles for curcumin drug release: an in vitro study on breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND

it is now known that curcumin (Cur) has a broad range of biological properties; however, photosensitivity, as well as low bioavailability and short half-life, have limited its clinical application. To overcome these problems the synthesis of poly(ε-caprolactone)-Tween 80 (PCL-T) copolymers was performed.

METHODS

the copolymers of PCL-T were created using the solvent evaporation/extraction technique. Then Cur was loaded in PCL-T micelles (PCL-T-M) by a self-assembly method. The characterization of copolymer and micelles was assessed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HNMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. The MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay was used to indicate the cytotoxicity of the free Cur, PCL-T-M, and Cur-loaded PCL-T-M.

RESULTS

TEM analysis showed monodispersed and spherical shapes with a size of about 90 nm. Cur was released from PCL-T-M at pH 7.4 (45%) and 5.5 (90%) during 6 days. After 24 and 48 h, the IC50 of the free Cur, PCL-T-M, and Cur-loaded PCL-T-M on MCF-7 cells were 80.86 and 54.45 μg mL-1, 278.30 and 236.19 μg mL-1, 45.47 and 19.05 μg mL-1, respectively.

CONCLUSION

this study showed that, in the same concentration, the effectiveness of the Cur-loaded PCL-T-M is more than the free Cur, and the nano-system has been able to overcome delivery obstacles of Cur drug. Thus, PCL-T-M can be a candidate as a drug carrier for the delivery of Cur and future therapeutic investigations on breast cancer.

Berberine-loaded zein/hyaluronic acid composite nanoparticles for efficient brain uptake to alleviate neuro-degeneration in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

Berberine hydrochloride is a plant alkaloid with versatile medicinal applications, yet it has suffered from multiple limitations in its usage. Nonetheless, the acknowledged role of berberine in controlling seizures has fuelled the need to develop a nanosystem capable of delivering it safely and efficiently to the brain. Consequently, zein and hyaluronic acid were chosen for this purpose, and about twenty formulations with different preliminary factors were screened. Afterward, three promising formulations were loaded with berberine and characterized to select an optimum formulation for further in vivo inspection. The B2 formula of particle size of 297.2 nm ± 1.86 and % entrapment efficiency of 83.75% ± 1.39 has succeeded in the increment of the brain uptake of berberine. Moreover, compared to free berberine suspension, the severity of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in rats was depleted after the subcutaneous administration of B2. The hippocampal tissue of rats receiving B2 showed signs of reduced neuro-degeneration, remarkably lower expression levels of COX-2 and TNF-α, and enhanced antioxidant activity. Finally, the relative safety of the developed system was determined after searching for any sign of intoxication or behavioral changes. In conclusion, the developed berberine loaded composite nanoparticles successfully delivered berberine across the BBB securely to ameliorate the deteriorating impact of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy.

The Effect of Oxidative Stress and Memantine-Incorporated Reactive Oxygen Species-Sensitive Nanoparticles on the Expression of N-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptor Subunit 1 in Brain Cancer Cells for Alzheimer's Disease Application

The aim of this study is to fabricate reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive nanoparticles composed of succinyl β-cyclodextrin (bCDsu), memantine and thioketal linkages for application in Alzheimer's disease, and to investigate the suppression of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 1 (NMDAR1) in cells. Thioketal diamine was attached to the carboxyl group of bCDsu to produce thioketal-decorated bCDsu conjugates (bCDsu-thioketal conjugates) and memantine was conjugated with thioketal dicarboxylic acid (memantine-thioketal carboxylic acid conjugates). Memantine-thioketal carboxylic acid conjugates were attached to bCDsu-thioketal conjugates to produce bCDsu-thioketal-memantine (bCDsuMema) conjugates. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and U87MG cells were used for NMDAR1 protein expression and cellular oxidative stress. Nanoparticles of bCDsuMema conjugates were prepared by means of a dialysis procedure. Nanoparticles of bCDsuMema conjugates had small particle sizes less than 100 nm and their morphology was found to be spherical in transmission electron microscopy observations (TEM). Nanoparticles of bCDsuMema conjugates responded to H₂O₂ and disintegrated or swelled in aqueous solution. Then, the nanoparticles rapidly released memantine according to the concentration of H₂O₂. In an in vivo animal imaging study, thioketal-decorated nanoparticles labelled with fluorescent dye such as chlorin e6 (Ce6) showed that the fluorescence intensity was stronger in the brain than in other organs, indicating that bCDsuMema nanoparticles can efficiently target the brain. When cells were exposed to H₂O₂, the viability of cells was time-dependently decreased. Memantine or bCDsuMema nanoparticles did not practically affect the viability of the cells. Furthermore, a western blot assay showed that the oxidative stress produced in cells using H₂O₂ increased the expression of NMDAR1 protein in both SH-SY5Y and U87MG cells. Memantine or bCDsuMema nanoparticles efficiently suppressed the NMDAR1 protein, which is deeply associated with Alzheimer's disease. Fluorescence microscopy also showed that H₂O₂ treatment induced green fluorescence intensity, which represents intracellular ROS levels. Furthermore, H₂O₂ treatment increased the red fluorescence intensity, which represents the NMDAR1 protein, i.e., oxidative stress increases the expression of NMDAR1 protein level in both SH-SY5Y and U87MG cells. When memantine or bCDsuMema nanoparticles were treated in cells, the oxidative stress-mediated expression of NMDAR1 protein in cells was significantly decreased, indicating that bCDsuMema nanoparticles have the capacity to suppress NMDAR1 expression in brain cells, which has relevance in terms of applications in Alzheimer's disease.

Polysorbate-Based Drug Formulations for Brain-Targeted Drug Delivery and Anticancer Therapy

Polysorbates (PSs) are synthetic nonionic surfactants consisting of polyethoxy sorbitan fatty acid esters. PSs have been widely employed as emulsifiers and stabilizers in various drug formulations and food additives. Recently, various PS-based formulations have been developed for safe and efficient drug delivery. This review introduces the general features of PSs and PS-based drug carriers, summarizes recent progress in the development of PS-based drug formulations, and discusses the physicochemical properties, biological safety, P-glycoprotein inhibitory properties, and therapeutic applications of PS-based drug formulations. Additionally, recent advances in brain-targeted drug delivery using PS-based drug formulations have been highlighted. This review will help researchers understand the potential of PSs as effective drug formulation agents.

Breaking the barriers for the delivery of amikacin: Challenges, strategies, and opportunities

Hypodermic delivery of amikacin is a widely adopted treatment modality for severe infections, including bacterial septicemia, meningitis, intra-abdominal infections, burns, postoperative complications, and urinary tract infections in both paediatric and adult populations. In most instances, the course of treatment requires repeated bolus doses of amikacin, prolonged hospitalization, and the presence of a skilled healthcare worker for administration and continuous therapeutic monitoring to manage the severe adverse effects. Amikacin is hydrophilic and exhibits a short half-life, which further challenges the delivery of sufficient systemic concentrations when administered by the oral or transdermal route. In this purview, the exploitation of novel controlled and sustained release drug delivery platforms is warranted. Furthermore, it has been shown that novel delivery systems are capable of increasing the antibacterial activity of amikacin at lower doses when compared to the conventional formulations and also aid in overcoming the development of drug-resistance, which currently is a significant threat to the healthcare system worldwide. The current review presents a comprehensive overview of the developmental history of amikacin, the mechanism of action in virulent strains as well as the occurrence of resistance, and various emerging drug delivery solutions developed both by the academia and the industry. The examples outlined within the review provides significant pieces of evidence on novel amikacin formulations in the field of antimicrobial research paving the path for future therapeutic interventions that will result in improved clinical outcome.

Preparation and characterization of efficient and safe lambda-cyhalothrin nanoparticles with tunable particle size

BACKGROUND

Safe and efficient nanopesticides for pest control have attracted attention because of their ability to enhance target efficiency and reduce undesirable side effects. Nanoformulations have a significant role in solving the problem of water solubility for insoluble drugs. However, there are few studies on the physicochemical properties and biological activities of pesticides of different particle sizes and remains unclear how these key physicochemical properties are affected by particle size. In this study, a series of glucose-loaded lambda-cyhalothrin nanoparticles (LCNs) with a tunable size were developed via shearing emulsification and carrier loading in order to evaluate insecticidal action.

RESULTS

The mean particle sizes of the LCNs were 50.6, 115.2 and 221 nm. The wettability, dispersibility and stability of nanoparticles were particle size-dependent, and were mainly determined by particle size and the uniformity of distribution. Furthermore, the insecticidal activity of LCNs was inversely proportional to the particle size.

CONCLUSION

This study not only provides a facile technology for the preparation of nanopesticides with a tunable particle size, but also clarifies the effect of particle size on the performance of pesticides. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physical stability and in vivo brain delivery of polymeric ibuprofen nanoparticles fabricated by flash nanoprecipitation

Ibuprofen (IBP), a common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with a log P of 3.51, has been shown to possess potential benefit in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, the bioavailability of IBP to the brain is poor, which can be linked to its extensive binding to plasma proteins in the blood. This study aimed to evaluate the nanoparticle production of IBP by flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) technology, and to determine whether the nanoparticles prepared by FNP could enhance the delivery of IBP into the brain. Polymeric IBP nanoparticles were prepared with poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) diblock copolymer as stabilizer under optimized conditions using a four-stream multi-inlet vortex mixer (MIVM). The optimized nanoparticles displayed a mean particle size of around 50 nm, polydispersity index of around 0.2, drug loading of up to 30% and physical stability of up to 34 days. In-depth surface characterization using zeta potential measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the surfaces of these nanoparticles were covered with the hydrophilic PEG groups from the diblock copolymer. In vivo brain uptake study of the IBP nanoparticles indicated that the particles, when coated with polysorbate 80, displayed an enhanced brain uptake. However, the extent of brain uptake enhancement appeared limited, possibly due to a rapid release of IBP from the nanoparticles into the blood stream following intravenous administration.

Advancements in the Blood-Brain Barrier Penetrating Nanoplatforms for Brain Related Disease Diagnostics and Therapeutic Applications

Noninvasive treatments to treat the brain-related disorders have been paying more significant attention and it is an emerging topic. However, overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a key obstacle to most of the therapeutic drugs to enter into the brain tissue, which significantly results in lower accumulation of therapeutic drugs in the brain. Thus, administering the large quantity/doses of drugs raises more concerns of adverse side effects. Nanoparticle (NP)-mediated drug delivery systems are seen as potential means of enhancing drug transport across the BBB and to targeted brain tissue. These systems offer more accumulation of therapeutic drugs at the tumor site and prolong circulation time in the blood. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and advancements on various nanoplatforms (NF) and discusses the use of nanoparticles for successful cross of BBB to treat the brain-related disorders such as brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke.

Advanced polymeric nanotechnology to augment therapeutic delivery and disease diagnosis

Therapeutic and diagnostic payloads are usually associated with properties that compromise their efficacy, such as poor aqueous solubility, short half-life, low bioavailability, nonspecific accumulation and diverse side effects. Nanotechnological solutions have emerged to circumvent some of these drawbacks, augmenting therapeutic and/or diagnostic outcomes. Nanotechnology has benefited from the rise in polymer science research for the development of novel nanosystems for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Polymers are a widely used class of biomaterials, with a considerable number of regulatory approvals for application in clinics. In addition to their versatility in production and functionalization, several synthetic and natural polymers demonstrate biocompatible properties that dictate their successful biological performance. This article highlights the physicochemical characteristics of a variety of natural and synthetic biocompatible polymers, as well as their role in the manufacture of nanotechnology-based systems, state-of-art applications in disease treatment and diagnosis, and current challenges in finding a way to clinics.

Oral delivery of lycopene-loaded microemulsion for brain-targeting: preparation, characterization, pharmacokinetic evaluation and tissue distribution

Lycopene is considered as a promising neuroprotector with multiple bioactivities, while its therapeutic use in neurological disorders is restricted due to low solubility, instability and limited bioavailability. Our work aimed to develop lycopene-loaded microemulsion (LME) and investigate its potentials in improving bioavailability and brain-targeting efficiency following oral administration. The blank microemulsion (ME) excipients were selected based on orthogonal design and pseudo-ternary phase diagrams, and LME was prepared using the water titration method and characterized in terms of stability, droplet size distribution, zeta potential, shape and lycopene content. The optimized LME encompassed lycopene, (R)-(+)-limonene, Tween 80, Transcutol HP and water and lycopene content was 463.03 ± 8.96 µg/mL. This novel formulation displayed transparent appearance and satisfactory physical and chemical stabilities. It was spherical and uniform in morphology with an average droplet size of 12.61 ± 0.46 nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.086 ± 0.028. The pharmacokinetics and tissue distributions of optimized LME were evaluated in rats and mice, respectively. The pharmacokinetic study revealed a dramatic 2.10-fold enhancement of relative bioavailability with LME against the control lycopene dissolved in olive oil (LOO) dosage form in rats. Moreover, LME showed a preferential targeting distribution of lycopene toward brain in mice, with the value of drug targeting index (DTI) up to 3.45. In conclusion, the optimized LME system demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties, enhanced oral bioavailability and superior brain-targeting capability. These findings provide a basis for the applications of ME-based strategy in brain-targeted delivery via oral route, especially for poorly water-soluble drugs.

Synthesis of terpolymer-lipid encapsulated diruthenium(II,III)-anti-inflammatory metallodrug nanoparticles to enhance activity against glioblastoma cancer cells

Novel formulations of diruthenium(II,III)-NSAID (NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) metallodrugs encapsulated into biocompatible terpolymer-lipid nanoparticles (TPLNs) to target glioblastoma cancer were developed. The nanoformulations of Ibuprofenate (RuIbp) and Naproxenate (RuNpx) metallodrugs were synthesized and characterized. The procedure rationally designed to avoid structural changes on the coordination sphere of the [Ru₂(NSAID)₄]⁺ paddlewheel unit succeeded in giving colloidally stable and nearly spherical shaped loaded [Ru₂(NSAID)₄]-TPLNs with appropriate parameters (~90% loading efficiency; drug loading around 10%; particle size ~130 nm; zeta potential around - 40 mV). The maintenance of the [Ru₂(NSAID)₄]⁺ framework was confirmed by spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The encapsulation enhanced antiproliferative effects in U87MG cells for both metallodrugs. The RuIbp-TPLNs showed efficacy also against the cisplatin chemoresistant T98G cancer cells. Lack of significant effects for the loaded-Ibuprofen-TPLNs (HIbp-TPLNs) on both types of cells supports the key role of the dimetal core in the anticancer activity of the [Ru₂(NSAID)₄]⁺ metallodrugs. The high cell viability (>70%) found for both types of cells suggests activity associated mainly to antiproliferative effects. The blank-TPLNs internalized into U87MG cell cytoplasm mostly at the first 6 h, by energy-dependent mechanism. The cell uptake of the RuIbp-TPLNs occurred during the first 24 h and it was enhanced in relation to the non-encapsulated metallodrug. The development of these novel metallodrug-loaded TPLN nanoformulations, which exhibit colloidal stability suitable for intravenous injection and enhanced drug cellular uptake, expands the perspective for diruthenium(II,III)-NSAID metallodrugs targeting brain glioblastoma cancer.

Preparation, characterization and antifungal activity of pyraclostrobin solid nanodispersion by self-emulsifying technique

BACKGROUND

Pathogenic fungi are the causal agents of 70-80% of plant diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to explore new and high effective fungicides. Constructing nanoscale fungicides using nanomaterial and nanotechnology has attracted wide attention in recent years.

RESULTS

In this research, a pyraclostrobin solid nanodispersion (PSND) was prepared using the self-emulsifying method. The solid nanodispersion had a mean particle size of 20 nm and a zeta potential of -29.3 mV. The solubility and dissolution rate of the PSND increased owing to the decrease in particle size and the actions of the surfactants. The contact angle and retention volumes of the PSND on cucumber and cabbage leaf surfaces were greater than those of the commercial water dispersible granule. In addition, the median lethal concentration against Fusarium oxysporum was 0.7 43 µg mL^-1 . The toxicity of the nanoparticles was 4.5 times that of the water dispersible granule (WDG). The high fungicidal activity of PSND promoted the production of excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). The activity levels of the antioxidant enzymes containing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) decreased in F. oxysporum.

CONCLUSION

The research introduced a new method for preparing insoluble pyraclostrobin solid nanoformulation for fungicides to enhance the fungicidal activity and reduce environmental pollution. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

A window into the brain: Tools to assess pre-clinical efficacy of biomaterials-based therapies on central nervous system disorders

Therapeutic conveyance into the brain is a cardinal requirement for treatment of diverse central nervous system (CNS) disorders and associated pathophysiology. Effectual shielding of the brain by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) sieves out major proportion of therapeutics with the exception of small lipophilic molecules. Various nano-delivery systems (NDS) provide an effective solution around this obstacle owing to their small size and targeting properties. To date, these systems have been used for several pre-clinical disease models including glioma, neurodegenerative diseases and psychotic disorders. An efficacy screen for these systems involves a test battery designed to probe into the multiple facets of therapeutic delivery. Despite their wide application in redressing various disease targets, the efficacy evaluation strategies for all can be broadly grouped into four modalities, namely: histological, bio-imaging, molecular and behavioural. This review presents a comprehensive insight into all of these modalities along with their strengths and weaknesses as well as perspectives on an ideal design for a panel of tests to screen brain nano-delivery systems.

Self-assembled amphiphilic core-shell nanocarriers in line with the modern strategies for brain delivery

Disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) represent increasing social and economic problems all over the world which makes the effective transport of drugs to the brain a crucial need. In the last decade, many strategies were introduced to deliver drugs to the brain trying to overcome the challenge of the blood brain barrier (BBB) using both invasive and non-invasive methods. Non-invasive strategy represented in the application of nanocarriers became very common. One of the most hopeful nanoscopic carriers for brain delivery is core-shell nanocarriers or polymeric micelles (PMs). They are more advantageous than other nanocarriers. They offer small size, ease of preparation, ease of sterilization and the possibility of surface modification with various ligands. Hence, the aim of this review is to discuss modern strategies for brain delivery, micelles as a successful delivery system for the brain and how micelles could be modified to act as "magic bullets" for brain delivery.

Nanoformulated Antiretrovirals for Penetration of the Central Nervous System: State of the Art

The central nervous system is a very challenging HIV-1 sanctuary. But, despite complete suppression of plasmatic viral replication with current antiretroviral therapy, signs of HIV-1 replication can still be found in the cerebrospinal fluid in some patients. The main limitation to achieving HIV-1 eradication from the brain is related to the suboptimal concentrations of antiretrovirals within this site, due to their low permeation across the blood-brain barrier. In recent years, a number of reliable nanotechnological strategies have been developed with the aim of enhancing antiretroviral drug penetration across the blood-brain barrier. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the different nanoformulated antiretrovirals, used in both clinical and preclinical studies, that are designed to improve their delivery into the brain by active or passive permeation mechanisms through the barrier. Different nanotechnological approaches have proven successful for optimizing antiretrovirals delivery to the central nervous system, with a likely benefit for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and a more debated contribution to the complete eradication of the HIV-1 infection.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of acetylpuerarin by poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles optimized using uniform design combined with response surface methodology

Acetylpuerarin (AP), an acetylated derivative of puerarin, shows brain-protective effects in animals. However, AP has low oral bioavailability because of its poor water solubility. The objective of this study was to design and develop poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance the oral bioavailability of AP. The NPs were prepared using a solvent diffusion method optimized via uniform design (UD) combined with response surface methodology (RSM) and characterized by their morphology, particle size, zeta (ζ)-potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug loading (DL), and in vitro drug release. A pharmacokinetic study was conducted in Wistar rats administered a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg AP. The optimized NPs were spherical and uniform in shape, with an average particle size of 145.0 nm, a polydispersity index (PI) of 0.153, and a ζ-potential of −14.81 mV. The release of AP from the PLGA NPs showed an initial burst release followed by a sustained release, following Higuchi’s model. The EE and DL determined in the experiments were 90.51% and 17.07%, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC_0−∞) of AP-PLGA-NPs was 6,175.66±350.31 h ng/mL, which was 2.75 times greater than that obtained from an AP suspension. This study showed that PLGA NPs can significantly enhance the oral bioavailability of AP.