Melatonin-loaded lecithin/chitosan nanoparticles: physicochemical characterisation and permeability through Caco-2...

Area of Science:

• Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology
• Biomaterials Science
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Transmucosal drug delivery offers an alternative route for systemic administration.
• Melatonin, a hormone with therapeutic potential, faces challenges in oral bioavailability and targeted delivery.
• Developing effective nanocarriers is crucial for improving transmucosal drug absorption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate lecithin/chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) for transmucosal melatonin delivery.
• To characterize NPs based on lecithin type and chitosan content.
• To evaluate melatonin loading, release kinetics, permeability, and safety.

Main Methods:

• Nanoparticle characterization (size, zeta potential, drug loading).
• In vitro release studies.
• Caco-2 cell model for permeability assessment.
• Cell viability assays (MTT, LDH leakage).

Main Results:

• NPs exhibited sizes between 121.6-347.5 nm and zeta potentials of 7.5-32.7 mV.
• Melatonin loading reached up to 7.1% with prolonged release profiles.
• Melatonin permeability was significantly enhanced by NPs (L/C ratio 20:1, Lipoid S45), with no observed cytotoxicity.

Conclusions:

• Lecithin/chitosan NPs are a promising mucoadhesive nanosystem for transmucosal melatonin delivery.
• Optimized NP formulation (Lipoid S45, L/C 20:1) significantly improved melatonin permeability.
• The developed NPs demonstrated safety for Caco-2 cells, indicating potential for transmucosal applications.