Preparation and characterization of (betamethasone sodium phosphate intercalated layered double hydroxide)@liposome nanocomposites

Abstract Herein, we report a nanocomposite of betamethasone sodium phosphate (BMP), a glucocorticoid drug, intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanohybrids encapsulated in liposomes, denoted as BLN@LSs. The BMP-LDH nanohybrids (BLNs) were firstsynthesized via a coassembly route between BMP anions and LDH single-layer nanosheets (SLNSs), and then coated with liposomes consisting of lecithin and cholesterol. The re-dispersity, stability, and drug release behavior of the so-obtained nanocomposites were investigated. Compared with BLNs, the BLN@LSs exhibit excellent water re-dispersity and stability as well as enhanced drug sustained-release performance. The drug release processes can be described using the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and intraparticle diffusion is the release rate-limiting step. Our work demonstrates that liposome-coating for drug-LDH nanohybrids is an effective strategy to enhance their water dispersity and sustained-release performances, and that (drug-LDH)@LS nanocomposites are a potential drug delivery system.