Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.9
4.9
Journals
Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
share announcement

Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 1997

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Delia Mihaela Raţă

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Faculty of Medical Dentistry, “Apollonia” University of Iasi, Pacurari Street, No. 11, 700511 Iasi, Romania
Interests: nanomedicines; smart materials; biomaterials; functionalized chitosan nanoparticles; nanocomposites; controlled release
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chitosan is promising versatile biopolymer that had received particular attention in recent decades due to his physicochemical, biological, and antimicrobial characteristics. Due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity, enhanced mucoadhesive capacity, and good bioavailability, chitosan nanoparticles can be successfully used in medicine as drug delivery systems. We invite you to submit a full research paper or review article for publication in our Special Issue, entitled “Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery”. This Special Issue aims to focus on the synthesis and characterization of chitosan-based nanoparticles as drug delivery systems. Contributions should take into account the fundamental research of different types of chitosan based carriers, such as nanocapsules, nanospheres, solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, nanogels, and chitosan-coated liposomes, and attention should also be paid to ligand-functionalized nanocarriers and hybrid nanoparticles containing inorganic particles (metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, quantum dots, etc.). Contributions should contain extensive experimental sections and a rigorous interpretation of the experimental results.

Dr. Delia Mihaela Raţă
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanoparticles
  • drug delivery systems
  • chitosan-coated liposomes
  • solid lipid nanoparticles
  • chitosan nanofibers
  • conjugated polymers
  • nanocomposites

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 8813 KiB  
Article
Chitosan-TPP Nanogels for Ocular Delivery of Folic Acid: Release Profile, Corneal Permeation, and Mucoadhesion Assessment
by Sebastián G. Bruno, Sofía M. Martínez, Camila Costa Gobbato, Daniela A. Quinteros, Agustina Alaimo and Oscar E. Pérez
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 424; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040424 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 400
Abstract
Background: Folic acid (FA) is essential for cellular functions but has limited ocular bioavailability, restricting its therapeutic effectiveness. Objective: To develop chitosan (CS)-based nanogels (NGs) for FA transport and release, with corneal permeation evaluation. Methods: NGs’ hydrodynamic diameter (Ho) and [...] Read more.
Background: Folic acid (FA) is essential for cellular functions but has limited ocular bioavailability, restricting its therapeutic effectiveness. Objective: To develop chitosan (CS)-based nanogels (NGs) for FA transport and release, with corneal permeation evaluation. Methods: NGs’ hydrodynamic diameter (Ho) and polydispersity index (PdI) were determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS). CS-FA interaction was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was applied for the dehydrated material characterization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the NGs ultraestructure. In vitro drug release studies were performed using a modified Franz diffusion cell, and the release profile was fitted to obtain kinetics parameters. Mucoadhesion properties were evaluated through ζ-potential measurements. Ex vivo corneal permeation studies were conducted in rabbit corneas to compare the permeability of FA contained in NGs. Results: NGs presented a Ho of 312.4 ± 8.2 nm and a PdI of 0.28 ± 0.04. SEM imaging revealed spherical morphologies with minor variations in size and shape induced by FA. Lyophilized and resuspended NGs exhibited a 6.8% increase in Ho and a PdI rise to 0.42, indicating slight aggregation. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated sustained FA release, as determined by the Higuchi model. Mucoadhesion studies showed a decrease in ζ-potential from +36.9 to +18.1 mV, confirming electrostatic interactions with mucin. Ex vivo corneal permeation studies indicated that encapsulated FA permeated 2.6 times slower than free FA, suggesting sustained release. Conclusions: our findings demonstrate the potential of nanostructures in the form of NGs to enhance FA-loaded ocular delivery and bioavailability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 2029 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Stability and In Vitro Biocompatibility of Chitosan-Coated Lipid Vesicles for Indomethacin Delivery
by Angy Abu Koush, Eliza Gratiela Popa, Daniela Angelica Pricop, Loredana Nita, Cezar-Ilie Foia, Ana-Maria Raluca Pauna, Beatrice Rozalina Buca, Liliana Lacramioara Pavel and Liliana Mititelu-Tartau
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(12), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16121574 - 9 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1192
Abstract
Background: Lipid vesicles, especially those utilizing biocompatible materials like chitosan (CHIT), hold significant promise for enhancing the stability and release characteristics of drugs such as indomethacin (IND), effectively overcoming the drawbacks associated with conventional drug formulations. Objectives: This study seeks to develop and [...] Read more.
Background: Lipid vesicles, especially those utilizing biocompatible materials like chitosan (CHIT), hold significant promise for enhancing the stability and release characteristics of drugs such as indomethacin (IND), effectively overcoming the drawbacks associated with conventional drug formulations. Objectives: This study seeks to develop and characterize novel lipid vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine and CHIT that encapsulate indomethacin (IND-ves), as well as to evaluate their in vitro hemocompatibility. Methods: The systems encapsulating IND were prepared using a molecular droplet self-assembly technique, involving the dissolution of lipids, cholesterol, and indomethacin in ethanol, followed by sonication and the gradual incorporation of a CHIT solution to form stable vesicular structures. The vesicles were characterized in terms of size, morphology, Zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency and the profile release of drug was assessd. In vitro hemocompatibility was evaluated by measuring erythrocyte lysis and quantifying hemolysis rates. Results: The IND-ves exhibited an entrapment efficiency of 85%, with vesicles averaging 317.6 nm in size, and a Zeta potential of 24 mV, indicating good stability in suspension. In vitro release kinetics demonstrated an extended release profile of IND from the vesicles over 8 h, contrasting with the immediate release observed from plain drug solutions. The hemocompatibility assessment revealed that IND-ves exhibited minimal hemolysis, comparable to control groups, indicating good compatibility with erythrocytes. Conclusions: IND-ves provide a promising approach for modified indomethacin delivery, enhancing stability and hemocompatibility. These findings suggest their potential for effective NSAID delivery, with further in vivo studies required to explore clinical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop