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Chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) are currently under investigation for a wide range of applications in nanomedicine. We investigated the structural, morphological, and molecular properties of CS-NPs synthesized via ionic gelation and designed specifically for drug delivery. The CS-NPs were prepared at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 1.0% w/v. The 1.0% w/v CS-NPs were also functionalized with polyethylene oxide (PEO) alone and with a diblock copolymer of PEO and polypropylene glycol (PPG). The average nanoparticle size determined from TEM imaging is in the 11.3 to 14.8 nm range. The XRD and TEM analyses reveal a semi-crystalline structure with a degree of crystallinity dependent upon the nature of CS-NP functionalization. Functionalizing with PEO had no effect, whereas functionalizing with PEO-PPG resulted in a significant increase in the crystallinity of the 1.0% w/v CS-NPs. Additionally, the CS/TPP concentration (CS:TPP fixed at a 1:1 ratio) did not impact the degree of crystallinity of the CS-NPs. FTIR analysis confirmed the incorporation of TPP with CS and an increase in hydrogen bonding in more crystalline CS-NPs. Full article

Chitosan is a fibrous compound derived from chitin, which is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide and is produced by crustaceans, including crabs, shrimps, and lobsters. Chitosan has all of the important medicinal properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and hydrophilicity, and it is relatively nontoxic and cationic in nature. Chitosan nanoparticles are particularly useful due to their small size, providing a large surface-to-volume ratio, and physicochemical properties that may differ from that of their bulk counterparts; thus, chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) are widely used in biomedical applications and, particularly, as contrast agents for medical imaging and as vehicles for drug and gene delivery into tumors. Because CNPs are formed from a natural biopolymer, they can readily be functionalized with drugs, RNA, DNA, and other molecules to target a desired result in vivo. Furthermore, chitosan is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as being Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). This paper reviews the structural characteristics and various synthesis methods used to produce chitosan nanoparticles and nanostructures, such as ionic gelation, microemulsion, polyelectrolyte complexing, emulsification solvent diffusion, and the reverse micellar method. Various characterization techniques and analyses are also discussed. In addition, we review drug delivery applications of chitosan nanoparticles, including for ocular, oral, pulmonary, nasal, and vaginal methodologies, and applications in cancer therapy and tissue engineering. Full article