CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES FOR NASAL DELIVERY OF ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS DRUGS: A NOVEL NON-INVASIVE APPROACH
Keywords:
Chitosan nanoparticles; Nasal drug delivery; Tuberculosis; Controlled release; Mucoadhesion; Nanomedicine; Pulmonary targetingAbstract
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge, particularly in developing countries where prolonged treatment duration, drug-related adverse effects, and poor adherence continue to affect therapeutic outcomes. Conventional oral anti-tuberculosis therapy often faces limitations due to inadequate drug concentration at pulmonary infection sites and increased systemic exposure. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems provide a promising approach for improving targeted drug administration. This study focused on the development of chitosan nanoparticles for nasal delivery of anti-tuberculosis drugs as a non-invasive and controlled release strategy.
Objective: The study aimed to formulate chitosan nanoparticles loaded with anti-TB drugs and evaluate their physicochemical properties, mucoadhesive behavior, drug encapsulation efficiency, controlled release pattern, and potential suitability for respiratory targeting.
Study Type: Formulation Development
Methods: Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using the ionic gelation method with sodium tripolyphosphate as a cross-linking agent. The optimized formulation was evaluated for particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug loading efficiency, mucoadhesion capacity, and in-vitro drug release characteristics. Stability assessment was also performed under controlled storage conditions.
Results: The optimized nanoparticle formulation demonstrated suitable nanoscale characteristics with an average particle size of 142.6 ± 8.4 nm and a low polydispersity index, indicating uniform particle distribution. The positive zeta potential (+28.7 ± 2.1 mV) supported strong interaction with nasal mucosal surfaces. Drug entrapment efficiency was found to be 86.5 ± 3.2%, while the formulation showed significant mucoadhesive ability (82.4 ± 2.8%). The in-vitro release study demonstrated a sustained drug release pattern, with approximately 88.6% drug release observed over 24 hours.
Conclusion: The developed chitosan nanoparticle system exhibited promising characteristics for nasal anti-tuberculosis drug delivery. Improved mucoadhesion, controlled release behavior, and favorable nanoparticle properties suggest its potential to enhance respiratory drug targeting and therapeutic effectiveness. Further preclinical and clinical investigations are required to confirm its safety and clinical applicability.
