Crosslinked Chitosan Nanoparticles with Muco-Adhesive Potential for Intranasal Delivery Applications

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Intranasal drug delivery offers convenience and high bioavailability.
• Chitosan nanoparticles are suitable for mucoadhesive applications but often lack cytocompatibility and stability.
• Developing stable and cytocompatible nanocarriers is crucial for effective intranasal drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop stable and cytocompatible crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles for intranasal drug delivery.
• To compare nanoparticles crosslinked with 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid against those crosslinked via ionotropic gelation with sodium tripolyphosphate.
• To evaluate the physicochemical properties and stability of the developed nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized using 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as a crosslinker.
• Particle size, surface charge, and stability were assessed under various storage conditions (4 °C, 32 °C, 37 °C).
• In vitro cytocompatibility was evaluated using SHSY5Y human neuroblastoma and RPMI 2650 human nasal epithelial cells.

Main Results:

• Crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles exhibited a size of approximately 150 nm and a surface charge of 10.3 mV ± 0.9 mV, suitable for intranasal administration.
• Nanoparticles demonstrated excellent stability, with no significant variations in size or surface charge over time at different temperatures.
• In vitro studies confirmed the cytocompatibility of the nanoparticles with both neuronal and nasal epithelial cell lines.

Conclusions:

• The developed crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles are stable and cytocompatible.
• The 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid crosslinking method yields promising nanocarriers for intranasal drug delivery.
• This synthetic system holds significant potential for advancing intranasal therapeutic applications.