Investigation of tannic acid cross-linked onto magnetite nanoparticles for applying in drug delivery systems

Abstract

With the purpose of developing a drug delivery nanocarrier with good stability in the body and enhanced efficacy, we synthesized a novel nanoparticles (NPs) composed of tannic acid, chitosan and magnetite NPs. Magnetite NPs were synthesized by the sonication of iron salts in alkaline condition and then coated with chitosan (Ch-Fe3O4). Tannic acid coating of these NPs was carried out by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (T-Fe3O4). All results from experiments (FT-IR, DLS, zeta potential, AAS and TEM) showed that products have been successfully prepared and were in nanoscale. Investigation of NPs degradation in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution showed that these NPs have lost their morphology in acidic medium. This suggested that T-Fe3O4 NPs can be a good candidate for pH sensitive nanocarrier by decomposing in acidic environment and releasing their contents in target tissue. In order to understand the unspecific adsorption and interaction of NPs (as a nanocarrier for drug delivery) with plasma protein, the interaction between NPs and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated by spectroscopy methods. NPs coated with tannic acid showed low BSA adsorption, which candidate them as a nanocarrier for clinical applications with long circulation in the body by preventing the protein adsorption.