Biodegradable Alginate Polyelectrolyte Capsules As Plausible Biocompatible Delivery Carriers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyelectrolyte capsules offer versatile systems for compound encapsulation and delivery.
• Biodegradable polymers are crucial for developing safe and effective drug delivery vehicles.
• Curcumin exhibits significant therapeutic potential due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize biocompatible and biodegradable polyelectrolyte capsules using alginate and poly-l-arginine.
• To incorporate a pH-sensitive outer layer using EUDRAGIT L 100 for controlled drug release.
• To load curcumin into the capsules and evaluate their performance as a drug delivery system.

Main Methods:

• Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly was employed to construct capsules with dimensions under 1 μm.
• Capsules were characterized for stability, loading efficiency, drug release kinetics, and degradation at varying pH.
• In vitro biocompatibility and cellular uptake studies were conducted using HeLa cells.

Main Results:

• The synthesized alginate/poly-l-arginine capsules demonstrated good reproducibility, spherical morphology, and high monodispersibility.
• High loading efficiency for curcumin was achieved, with pH-dependent drug release profiles observed.
• In vitro studies confirmed acceptable biocompatibility and significant cellular internalization of the capsules.

Conclusions:

• Alginate-based layer-by-layer capsules with a pH-sensitive outer layer are effective for curcumin encapsulation and delivery.
• These capsules exhibit favorable characteristics for drug delivery, including controlled release and good biocompatibility.
• The study suggests the potential of these alginate capsules as efficient drug carriers for therapeutic applications.