HPMA-PLGA Based Nanoparticles for Effective In Vitro Delivery of Rifampicin

Tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy witnesses some major challenges such as poor water-solubility and bioavailability of drugs that frequently delay the treatment. In the present study, an attempt to enhance the aqueous solubility of rifampicin (RMP) was made via co-polymeric nanoparticles approach. HPMA (N-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylamide)-PLGA based polymeric nanoparticulate system were prepared and evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) for sustained release and bioavailability of RMP to achieve better delivery.

HPMA-PLGA nanoparticles (HP-NPs) were prepared by modified nanoprecipitation technique, RMP was loaded in the prepared NPs. Characterization for particle size, zeta potential, and drug-loading capacity was performed. Release was studied using membrane dialysis method.

The average particles size, zeta potential, polydispersity index of RMP loaded HPMA-PLGA-NPs (HPR-NPs) were 260.3 ± 2.21 nm, -6.63 ± 1.28 mV, and 0.303 ± 0.22, respectively. TEM images showed spherical shaped NPs with uniform distribution without any cluster formation. Entrapment efficiency and drug loading efficiency of HPR-NPs were found to be 76.25 ± 1.28%, and 26.19 ± 2.24%, respectively. Kinetic models of drug release including Higuchi and Korsmeyer-peppas demonstrated sustained release pattern. Interaction studies with human RBCs confirmed that RMP loaded HP-NPs are less toxic in this model than pure RMP with (p < 0.05).

The pathogen inhibition studies revealed that developed HPR-NPs were approximately four times more effective with (p < 0.05) than pure drug against sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) stain. It may be concluded that HPR-NPs holds promising potential for increasing solubility and bioavailability of RMP.