Abstract

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF OFLOXACIN LOADED CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES

Moataz M. Farid* and Mohamed Jaffar

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Chitosan is one of the natural mucoadhesive polymer with antimicrobial activity. In the present study, chitosan (CS) nanoparticles were investigated as a vehicle for delivery of a well-known fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ofloxacin. Method: The Ionotropic gelation method was used for the preparation chitosan nanoparticles. The effects of various factors including concentration of CS, concentration of tripolyphosphate (TPP), and homogenization rate on the size of nanoparticles were studied. The effects of various mass ratios of CS to ofloxacin on the encapsulation efficiency of nanoparticles were evaluated. Results: The particles prepared under optimal condition of 0.45% CS and homogenizer rate at 10000 rpm, had 72 nm diameter. In these particles with 1:0.5 mass ratio of CS to ofloxacin, the encapsulation efficiency was 37%. The antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles and ofloxacin-loaded nanoparticles against E.coli and S.aureus was evaluated by calculation of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results showed that MIC of ofloxacin loaded chitosan nanoparticles was 50% lower than that of ofloxacin alone in both of microorganism species. Nanoparticles without drug exhibited antibacterial activity at higher concentrations and MIC of them against E.coli and S.aureus was 177 and 277 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Chitosan nanoparticles could be applied as carrier for decreasing the dose of antibacterial agents in the infections.

Keywords: Nanoparticles, Chitosan, Ofloxacin, Antibacterial activity.