Comparison of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride-loaded protein, lipid, and chitosan nanoparticles for drug delivery

The aim of the present study was to develop single dose delivery systems based on nanotechnology for prolonged antibiotic release in a controlled manner. Five different drug-carrier ratios of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride-loaded nanoparticles of albumin, gelatin, chitosan (CS), and lipid [solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)] were prepared and characterized. Average particle size was found to be in the range of 73 +/- 2 to 98 +/- 44 nm for SLNs, 140 +/- 7 to 175 +/- 24 nm for albumin nanoparticles, 143 +/- 18 to 184 +/- 27 nm for gelatin nanoparticles, and 247 +/- 48 to 322 +/- 52 nm for CS nanoparticles. A drug-to-carrier ratio of 0.5:1 was preferred for CS nanoparticles having zeta potential of >20 mV and drug encapsulation of 35.01% +/- 2.66%. Similarly, 0.6:1 ratio was preferred for albumin nanoparticles with zeta potential >16 mV and drug encapsulation 48.20% +/- 3.01%. Zeta potentials of gelatin nanoparticles loaded with ciprofloxacin suggested that they were unstable and prone to flocculation. SLN with 0.25:1 drug carrier ratio showed 38.71% +/- 2.38% drug entrapment and -28 +/- 1 mV surface charge. All the nanoparticles showed sustained drug release avoiding burst effect of the free drugs for up to 120 h for albumin nanoparticles, 96 h for CS and gelatin nanoparticles, and 80 h for SLNs. The drug release profiles followed Higuchi model. Results suggest that CS nanoparticles and SLNs can act as promising carriers for sustained ciprofloxacin release in infective conditions. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.