Optimization of Particle Size Distribution with Gaussian Analysis of Albumin Microcarriers Cross-linked by Natural Phenolic Compounds

Abstract

The biodegradation of albumin into natural products and nontoxicity besides its antigenicity has many advantages in controlled drug delivery of therapeutic agents. A bifunctional covalent bonding agent, glutaraldehyde is extensively used for linking amine groups of albümin microparticles/microcarriers (AlbMC’s). But its cytotoxicity and the rapid calcification of the glutaraldehyde-treated tissue limit the use of glutaraldehyde. Phenolic compound showed non-covalent and covalent chemical interactions with proteins. The objective of this research is to prepare three different natural phenolic compound cross-linked/stabilized AlbMC’s and estimate the cross-linker concentration which is giving narrow size distributions since it is important to gain higher surface area. The influence of qallic acid (GA), tannic acid (TA) and quercetin concentrations on AlbMC’s size was investigated by Gaussian function analysis of microcarriers determined after optical micrograph measurements. Gallic acid (GA) stabilized AlbMC’s have 3.35  0.71 μm average mean size distribution while it was 3.56  0.71 μm for Quercetin and 3.71  0.69 μm for TA stabilized microcarrier formations. Average mean particle size distribution of AlbMC’s synthesized with synthetic cross-linker, glutaraldehyde was calculated as 5.12  0.50 μm. All statistical analysis were evaluated by MATLAB program. New approach for albumin microcarrier synthesis by using phenolic compounds as a cross-linker can be proposed as an alternative microcarrier preparation system with narrow size distributions.