Artesunate-loaded chitosan/lecithin nanoparticles: preparation, characterization, and in vivo studies

Artesunate (AST), the most widely used artemisnin derivative, has poor aqueous solubility and suffers from low oral bioavailability (~40%). Under these conditions, nanoparticles with controlled and sustained released properties can be a suitable solution for improving its biopharmaceuticals properties. This work reports the preparation and characterization of auto-assembled chitosan/lecithin nanoparticles loaded with AST and AST complexed with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to boost its antimalarial activity. The nanoparticles prepared by direct injection of lecithin alcoholic solution into chitosan/water solution have shown the particle size distribution below 300 nm. Drug entrapment efficiency was found to be maximum (90%) for nanoparticles containing 100 mg of AST. Transmission electron microscopy images show spherical shape with contrasted corona (chitosan) surrounded by a lipidic core (lecithin + isopropyl myristate). Differential scanning calorimeter thermograms demonstrated the presence of drug in drug-loaded nanoparticles along with the disappearance of decomposition exotherm suggesting the increased physical stability of drug in prepared formulations. Negligible changes in the characteristic peaks of drug in Fourier-transform infrared spectra indicated the absence of any interaction among the various components entrapped in the nanoparticle formulation. In vitro drug release behavior was found to be influenced by pH value. Increased in vivo antimalarial activity in terms of less mean percent parasitemia was observed in infected Plasmodium berghei mice after the oral administration of all the prepared nanoparticle formulations.