Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan/κ-Carrageenan Based Polymeric Nanoparticles for Gemcitabine Delivery

Abstract

Cancer is the most fatal disease of the last century after cardiovascular disease. Gemcitabine is a nucleosideanalogue used in the treatment of cancer. However, like many anticancer drugs, it has many side effects thatlimit treatment. A nano drug delivery system has been developed to provide effective treatment by reducingside effects. Chitosan and κ-carrageenan, which are regarded as safe by the FDA, were used in the preparationof the nano drug delivery system. In the synthesis, pre-ionic gelation followed by polyelectrolyte complexationmethod was used and then a second ionic gelation step was added. Chitosan: κ-carrageenan ratio and CaCl2concentration were optimized and the optimum polymer ratio was determined as 6:1 and CaCl2 concentrationwas 2.5%. Its hydrodynamic size at optimum conditions was 393 nm and its size measured size in TEM was 20nm. FTIR analyzes showed that nanoparticle synthesis was successful. Drug loading was performed byencapsulation and 58% drug loading was achieved. After drug loading, the hydrodynamic dimension wasincreased to 595 nm and its size measured size in TEM 45 nm. Drug release was monitored for 95 hours andwas determined to be higher at pH 6.0 compared to 7.4 and pH sensitive. In addition, the Higuchi model is themost suitable mathematical model for drug release kinetics. The obtained results showed that chitosan: κcarrageenan nanoparticles were suitable for gemcitabine delivery and were pH sensitive enough to respond tothe tumor microenvironment.