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Table 1 Advantages and disadvantages of different PLGA nanoparticle preparation techniques

From: PLGA-based nanoparticles for the treatment of cancer: current strategies and perspectives

Method of preparation

Advantages

Disadvantages

Emulsion evaporation

Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs can be encapsulated by single and double or multiple emulsion methods respectively.

High production rate at a industrial scale.

Difficult to remove residue of stabilizer and solvents.

Heating is required for evaporation.

W/o/w emulsions are unstable.

Microfluidics

Fewer amounts of drug and solution were used.

Suitable for heat-labile products.

The size and shape of the particles are well controlled. Reproducibility.

Microchannels might get clogged.

Small production scale.

Salting out

Suitable for RNA, DNA, proteins, and amino acids.

No requirement for heating.

Restricted up-scaling.

The purification step is time consuming.

Homogenization at a high scale is required.

Nanoprecipitation

Low energy requirement.

Single step process.

Reproducibility.

Uneven particle size distribution during mixing.