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Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Models and Methods to Evaluate Transport of Drug Delivery Systems Across Cellular Barriers
Published on: October 17, 2013
Brij-functionalized chitosan nanocarrier system enhances the intestinal permeability of P-glycoprotein substrate-like
Wei Xiong1, Shi Hang Xiong1, Qi Ling Chen1
1Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macao.
Abstract:
The highly expressed P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in the intestine plays a key role in preventing drugs across the intestinal epithelium, which linked by tight junctions (TJs). Thus increasing the oral bioavailability of Pgp substrate-like drugs (PSLDs) remains a great challenge. Herein, we construct a nanocarrier system derived from Brij-grafted-chitosan (BC) to enhance the oral bioavailability and therapeutic effect of berberine (BBR, a typical PLSD) against diabetic kidney disease. The developed BC nanoparticles (BC-NPs) are demonstrated to improve the intestinal permeability of BBR via transiently and reversibly modulating the intercellular TJs (paracellular pathway) and Pgp-mediated drug efflux (transcellular pathway). As compared to free BBR and chitosan nanoparticles, the BC-NPs enhanced the relative oral bioavailability of BBR in rats (4.4- and 2.7-fold, respectively), and the therapeutic potency of BBR in renal function and histopathology. In summary, such strategy may provide an effective nanocarrier system for oral delivery of BBR and PSLDs.
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