Ketoconazole encapsulated in chitosan-gellan gum nanocomplexes exhibits prolonged antifungal activity

The objective of the present study was to prepare ketoconazole loaded chitosan-gellan gum (CSGG) nanoparticles and to evaluate them for antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. Ketoconazole loaded CSGG nanoparticles were prepared by electrostatic complexation technique using chitosan (CS) as cationic polymer and gellan gum (GG) as anionic polymer with ketoconazole as drug. It was observed that the effect of gellan gum on particle size was more pronounced in comparison to chitosan and increase in its concentration resulted in a significant increase in particle size but decrease in zeta potential. Whereas, increase in concentration of chitosan resulted in increase in zeta potential. The particle size and zeta potential of optimal formulation was 155.7 +/- 26.1 nm and 32.1 +/- 2.8 mV which obtained at concentration of chitosan (0.02% w/v) and gellan gum (0.01% w/v). On comparative evaluation, ketoconazole loaded CSGG nanoparticles showed significantly higher antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger than dummy CSGG nanoparticles (without drug) and drug individually. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.