Effects of chitosan coating on physical properties and pharmacokinetic behavior of mitoxantrone liposomes

The objective of this work was to evaluate the physical properties and in vivo circulation of chitosan (CH)-coated liposomes of mitoxantrone (MTO). Changes in particle size and zeta potential confirmed the existence of a coating layer on the surface of liposomes. The in vitro release of adsorbed CH from the liposomes was significantly slower than CH solution, indicating the stable interaction between CH and liposomes. The physical stability of the CH-coated liposomes was evaluated by measuring the change in particle size before and after freeze-drying and rehydration. The smallest change was observed when saturated adsorption of CH occurred (0.3%). The sustained release in vitro of MTO from CH-coated liposomes confirmed the increased stability of liposomes. Systemic circulation of CH-coated MTO liposomes was examined. The 0.3% CH-coated liposomes showed the longest circulation time. It could be concluded that the prolonged retention time of the liposomes was closely related with CH coating and its stability effect.