The rapid progression in biomaterial nanotechnology apprehends the potential of non-toxic and potent polysaccharide delivery modules to overcome oral chemotherapeutic challenges. The present study is aimed to design, fabricate and characterize polysaccharide nanoparticles for methotrexate (MTX) delivery. The nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by Abelmoschus esculentus mucilage (AEM) and chitosan (CS) by the modified coacervation method, followed by ultra-sonification. The NPs showed much better pharmaceutical properties with a spherical shape and smooth surface of 213.4–254.2 nm with PDI ranging between 0.279–0.485 size with entrapment efficiency varying from 42.08 ± 1.2 to 72.23 ± 2.0. The results revealed NPs to possess positive zeta potential and a low polydispersity index (PDI). The in-vitro drug release showed a sustained release of the drug up to 32 h with pH-dependence. Blank AEM -CS NPs showed no in-vivo toxicity for a time duration of 14 days, accompanied by high cytotoxic effects of optimized MTX loaded NPs against MCF-7 and MD-MBA231 cells by MTT assay. In conclusion, the findings advocated the therapeutic potential of AEM/CS NPs as an efficacious tool, offering a new perspective for pH-responsive routing of anticancer drugs with tumor cells as a target.

Combinations of polymers can improve the functional properties of microspheres to achieve desired therapeutic goals. Hence, the present study aimed to formulate Prunus armeniaca gum (PAG) and sodium alginate microsphere for sustained drug release. Blended and coated microspheres were prepared using the ionotropic gelation technique. The effect of polymer concentration variation was studied on the structural and functional properties of formulated microspheres. FTIR, XRD, and thermal analysis were performed to characterize the microspheres. All the formulations were well-formed spherical beads having an average diameter from 579.23 ± 07.09 to 657.67 ± 08.74 μm. Microspheres entrapped drugs within the range 65.86 ± 0.26–83.74 ± 0.79%. The pH-dependent swelling index of coated formulations was higher than blended. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of characteristic peaks of entrapped Tramadol hydrochloride showing no drug-polymer interaction. In vitro drug release profile showed sustained release following the Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model with an R² value of 0.9803–0.9966. An acute toxicology study employing the oral route in Swiss albino mice showed no signs of toxicity. It can be inferred from these results that blending PAG with sodium alginate can enhance the stability of alginate microspheres and improve its drug release profile by prolonging the release time.

Influence of Extraction Scheme on the Antioxidant Potential of Caralluma tuberculata

In this study, ciprofloxacin (CIP)-loaded microspheres were formulated using alginate and cress seed mucilage as natural polymeric carriers; microspheres were prepared via ionic gelation, facilitating the effective encapsulation of CIP.

The present study focused on developing and evaluating lincomycin HCl (LCH)-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) incorporated into a nanogel system to improve wound healing. CSNPs were prepared via ionic gelation using sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) as a cross-linker. The optimized formulation showed a mean particle size of 174.3 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.267, a zeta potential of +29.4 mV, and a drug entrapment efficiency of 83.7%. FTIR, DSC, and XRD analyses confirmed successful drug encapsulation and stability with no chemical interactions. The formulation demonstrated sustained release (>75% in 24 hours) following non-Fickian kinetics. Antibacterial testing revealed improved efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with inhibition zones of 45 mm ± 2.76 and 38 mm ± 2.15, respectively. In vivo wound healing studies in rats demonstrated almost complete wound closure within 14 days in the treated group, compared to significantly slower healing in the control group. These results show that the LCH–CSNP nanogel provides controlled drug release, effective antimicrobial action, and accelerated wound healing, highlighting its potential as a topical therapeutic platform.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used cytotoxic chemotherapy drug in cancer management; its effectiveness in therapy is reduced due to a short half-life and toxic effects on healthy cells. This study aimed to overcome these limitations by preparing β-cyclodextrin/alginate/Colocasia esculenta mucilage (β-CD/Alg/CEM) nanocomposites containing 5-FU, designed for controlled release in various pH environments. Stable nanocomposites were successfully synthesized through the ionotropic gelation technique, achieving a drug content of 87.33 ± 1.75%, while the %age yield was found to be 79.06 ± 0.53%. Particle size analysis revealed a range of 80–100 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.611. The zeta potential analysis showed that the nanocomposites possessed a surface charge of −27.1 mV. The nanocomposites displayed a porous and irregular morphology with a notably rough surface. In the acidic conditions of simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), the 5-FU release was markedly less than in the neutral conditions of simulated colorectal fluid (pH 7.4), indicating effective pH-sensitive release properties. The cytotoxic assay confirmed significant tumor–suppressive activity against MCF-7 and minimal effect on normal cells.