Gum ghatti-chitosan polyelectrolyte nanoparticles: preparation and characterization

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Gum ghatti and chitosan are natural polymers with potential for drug delivery applications.
• Polyelectrolyte nanoparticles offer advantages in drug encapsulation and controlled release.
• Ofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic requiring effective delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the formulation of gum ghatti-chitosan polyelectrolyte nanoparticles for ofloxacin.
• To investigate the impact of polymer and drug concentrations on nanoparticle characteristics.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy and drug release kinetics of the prepared nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Central composite experimental design was employed to optimize nanoparticle formulation.
• Particle size and entrapment efficiency were key parameters analyzed.
• Antibacterial activity and in vitro drug release studies were conducted.

Main Results:

• Optimized concentrations yielded nanoparticles of 121.6 nm size with 94.49% ofloxacin entrapment.
• The prepared polyelectrolyte nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity comparable to ofloxacin solution.
• Drug release followed Higuchi's square-root kinetics, indicating diffusion-controlled release.

Conclusions:

• Gum ghatti and chitosan can be effectively combined to create stable polyelectrolyte nanoparticles for ofloxacin.
• The optimized formulation demonstrates potential for effective antibiotic delivery.
• The diffusion-controlled release mechanism suggests suitability for sustained drug delivery applications.