A Direct Comparison of Peptide Drug Delivery Systems Based on the Use of Hybrid Calcium Phosphate/Chitosan Nanoparticles versus Unmixed Calcium Phosphate or Chitosan Nanoparticles In Vitro and In Vivo
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Preparation and Characterization of SDF-1α-Chitosan-Dextran Sulfate Nanoparticles
Published on: January 22, 2015
Ekaterina Popova1,2, Victoria Tikhomirova1,2, Olga Beznos3
1Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia.
Abstract:
Nanocarriers provide a number of undeniable advantages that could improve the bioavailability of active agents for human, animal, and plant cells. In this study, we compared hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) consisting of a calcium phosphate core coated with chitosan with unmixed calcium phosphate (CaP) and chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) as carriers of a model substrate, enalaprilat. This tripeptide analog is an inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme and was chosen by its ability to lower intraocular pressure (IOP). In particular, we evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of the particles using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyzed their ability to incorporate and release enalaprilat. HNPs exhibited the highest drug loading capacity and both HNPs and CSNPs demonstrated slow drug release. The comparison of the physiological effects of enalaprilat-loaded CaP particles, HNPs, and CSNPs in terms of their impact on IOP in rabbits revealed a clear advantage of hybrid nanoparticles over both inorganic and chitosan nanoparticles. These results could have important mechanistic implications for developing nano-based delivery systems for other medical, veterinary, and agricultural applications.
Related Concept Videos
Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct microscopic...
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In vitro
The diffusion cell method uses a two-compartment cell, including a donor compartment with the drug solution, which simulates the environment where the drug is applied, and a receptor compartment with a buffer solution, which simulates the environment...
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In situ
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
In Vitro Drug Dissolution: Alternative Methods
Drug Product Performance: In Vitro–In Vivo Correlation
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Bioavailability

