Fabrication and optimization of febuxostat-loaded chitosan nanocarriers for better pharmacokinetics profile

The current research was planned to enhance the bioavailability of hydrophobic drug after oral administration through the development of a nanoparticle drug delivery system (DDS). Therefore, febuxostat-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (FLC NPs) were prepared using a modified ionic gelation method and optimized the reaction conditions through the design of experiments. Design expert software was used to check the desirability of the central composite design and the interactive effects of the independent variables (chitosan concentration, ratio of chitosan to linker, and pH of the medium) on the response variables (size distribution, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency (EE)) of FLC NPs. All ingredients of the optimized formulation (formulation Q) were compatible with each other as evident from FTIR, PXRD, and TGA studies, and displayed 234.7 nm particle size, 0.158 PDI, 25.8 mV zeta potential, and 76.9 % EE. TEM, SEM, and AFM exhibited a smooth, dense, and uniform structure without any visible pores in the structure of FLC NPs. The in vitro and in vivo drug release studies described a sustained release pattern of febuxostat and increased relative bioavailability by 286.63 %. Considering these findings, this chitosan nanoparticle DDS can further be used for improving the EE and bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs.