New Opportunity to Formulate Intranasal Vaccines and Drug Delivery Systems Based on Chitosan.

Roxana Popescu,Mihaela Violeta Ghica,Cristina-Elena Dinu-Pîrvu,Lăcrămioara Popa,Valentina Anuța,Dumitru Lupuliasa

doi:10.3390/ijms21145016

Abstract

In an attempt to develop drug delivery systems that bypass the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and prevent liver and intestinal degradation, it was concluded that nasal medication meets these criteria and can be used for drugs that have these drawbacks. The aim of this review is to present the influence of the properties of chitosan and its derivatives (mucoadhesion, permeability enhancement, surface tension, and zeta potential) on the development of suitable nasal drug delivery systems and on the nasal bioavailability of various active pharmaceutical ingredients. Interactions between chitosan and proteins, lipids, antigens, and other molecules lead to complexes that have their own applications or to changing characteristics of the substances involved in the bond (conformational changes, increased stability or solubility, etc.). Chitosan and its derivatives have their own actions (antibacterial, antifungal, immunostimulant, antioxidant, etc.) and can be used as such or in combination with other molecules from the same class to achieve a synergistic effect. The applicability of the properties is set out in the second part of the paper, where nasal formulations based on chitosan are described (vaccines, hydrogels, nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), powders, emulsions, etc.).

Highlights

Polysaccharides have been extensively studied in recent years because of their numerous advantages, including their biocompatibility, biodegradability, good permeability, and a low price
The results showed that chitosan decreases mucus secretion, which blocks the access of pathogens through epithelial tissue by inhibiting mucus-secreting cells and ciliated cells [55]
The results showed that the survival rate of mice transplanted with B16 melanoma cells, which were given chitosan nanoparticles loaded with cassiopein, was higher compared to those which received the drug as such

Summary

Introduction

Polysaccharides have been extensively studied in recent years because of their numerous advantages, including their biocompatibility, biodegradability, good permeability, and a low price. Chitosan is a polymeric polysaccharide [5] (Figure 1) with a linear structure [8], is unbranched [9] and flexible [5], and has a high nitrogen content [6]. It has a high adsorption capacity [10,11,12] and permeability [13], but has a low mechanical strength [14]. It presents several polymorphic forms that impact its solubility, porosity, particle size, shape, and bioavailability [9]

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Conclusion