Quercetin-crosslinked chitosan nanoparticles: a potential treatment for allergic rhinitis

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Pharmacology
• Immunology

Background:

• Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent global health issue.
• Nasal drug delivery offers advantages over oral administration, including avoiding first-pass metabolism and enhancing efficacy.
• Developing novel therapeutic strategies for AR is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize a quercetin-chitosan (QCS) nanomedicine for nasal delivery.
• To evaluate the efficacy of QCS in an allergic rhinitis mouse model.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ion crosslinking to create quercetin-chitosan nanoparticles.
• Characterized nanoparticles for size, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, release, and stability.
• Assessed therapeutic effects in an allergic rhinitis mouse model, measuring sneezing, nasal rubbing, inflammatory markers, and nasal tissue changes.

Main Results:

• QCS nanoparticles exhibited favorable characteristics: particle size of 229.2 nm, 79.604% encapsulation efficiency, 14.068% drug loading, significant drug release, and stability over 7 days.
• QCS treatment significantly reduced sneezing and nasal rubbing in AR mice.
• QCS administration decreased levels of key inflammatory factors (IgE, IL-17, TNF-α, IL-6) and improved nasal mucosa histology.

Conclusions:

• Quercetin-chitosan nanomedicine demonstrates significant potential for suppressing allergic inflammation.
• The QCS delivery system is a promising therapeutic candidate for managing allergic rhinitis symptoms.
• Nasal administration of QCS offers an effective approach to treating allergic rhinitis.