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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Author Spotlight: Process Development for the Spray-Drying of Probiotic Bacteria and Evaluation of the Product Quality
Published on: April 7, 2023
Development of ZnO-resistant starch prebiotic matrix conjugate for metronidazole delivery for enhanced probiotic
Pratikeswar Panda1, Rajaram Mohapatra1
1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Abstract:
Resistant starch (RS) offers significant prebiotic benefits; however, its application in nutraceutical formulations is limited due to poor structural integrity and functional stability. This study reports the development of a zinc oxide-resistant starch-based prebiotic system conjugated with Metronidazole (MET) to enhance probiotic viability and antimicrobial efficacy. Native starch was chemically modified with citric acid to yield resistant starch (S1), while starch nanoparticles (SNP) were separately synthesized and esterified to form S2. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), prepared via co-precipitation, were coupled with S1 and S2 to obtain SZ and SNZ composites, respectively. DLS confirmed stable nanocolloids with particle sizes of 78.45 nm (SNP) and 123.6 nm (ZnO), and zeta potentials of -14.31 mV and -32.53 mV. SNZ showed the highest RS content (94.23 ± 2.384 %), strong Zn-starch interactions (FTIR), enhanced thermal stability (DSC), and reduced hydrolysis (21.5 ± 0.9 %. at 4 h). AFM and SEM indicated superior surface morphology, while viscosity tests revealed improved shear-thinning behavior. Molecular docking confirmed Zn-starch binding (2.1-2.8 Å), correlating with enhanced probiotic viability. Drug-conjugated MSNZ displayed reduced crystallinity (DSC, FTIR), amorphous nature (XRD), and excellent drug release (97.6 ± 2.896 % at 5 h). Antibacterial assays showed higher inhibition zones for MSNZ (23.6 ± 1.3 mm).
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