Fabrication and characterization of albumin‐acacia nanoparticles based on complex coacervation as potent nanocarrier

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUND: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Gum Arabic (Acacia) were used to fabricate nanoparticles (NPs) as a new nanocarrier for drug and bioactive delivery systems. Several parameters, namely pH, protein to polysaccharide ratio, ionic strength, total biopolymer concentration, temperature, agitation speed and glutaraldehyde concentration were investigated for their effect on the product preparation process. Besides fabrication, the stabilization step including heating, ultrasonicating, cross‐linking, and its effect on average size and polydispersity of NPs was examined.RESULTS: Total biopolymer concentration had no marked effect on the average size of prepared NPs although it did affect other systems produced by complex coacervation. The most effective parameters were pH, temperature and ionic strength, which affected this system (albumin‐acacia) by a complicated route. The smallest size of prepared NPs (i.e. the best product) was 108 nm, which was fabricated under the optimum condition of T = 4 °C, pH = 4.9, $Pr{:}Ps = 2$, and Is = 0.CONCLUSION: Of the stabilization methods tested, heating gave the best results. The fabricated NPs were purified with a 0.45 µm syringe filter and analyzed by PCS, SEM, FTIR and DSC. The mechanism of complex coacervation for preparing NPs, and their use as a nanodelivery system are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry