Chitosan Nanoparticles as a Percutaneous Drug Delivery System for Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone (HC) has formed the mainstay for the management of atopic dermatitis. Hence, HC-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by ionic crosslinking of high, low molecular weight chitosan (HMwt, LMwt CS) and N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC) with tripolyphosphate. HC loading into CS nanoparticles was confirmed by FT-IR. The particle size of HC-loaded HMwt, LMwt, and TMC nanoparticles was increased from 243 +/- 12, 147 +/- 11, and 124 +/- 9 nm to 337 +/- 13, 222 +/- 14, and 195 +/- 7 nm, respectively, by increasing the pH of CS solution. Their respective zeta potential and entrapment efficiency (EE) were significantly decreased by increasing the pH of CS solution. The swelling ratios of HC loaded HMwt, LMwt, and TMC NPs were increased when the pH of incubating media (PBS) was increased. The same increasing trend was observed in particle size and EE of HC loaded as the CS concentration was increased. The HC loaded CS NPs were generally nonspherical. In-vitro permeation studies showed that HC was efficiently released from the CS NPs in QV cream while in aqueous cream CS NPs provided a sustained release for HC. Thus, it is anticipated that CS NPs are the promising delivery system for anti-inflammatory drugs.