Chitosan-Grafted-Poly(N‑vinylcaprolactam)-Decorated Fe3O4@SiO2 Core–Shell Nanoformulation as an Efficient Drug Delivery System for Poorly Soluble Drugs

• Published in: ACS applied bio materials Vol. 6; no. 12; pp. 5809 - 5827
• Main Authors: Asgari, Sarah, Farasati Far, Bahareh, Charmi, Gholamreza, Maghsoudi, Parisa Haji, Keihankhadiv, Shadi, Seyedhamzeh, Mohammad, Kaushik, Ajeet Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 18.12.2023
• Subjects: smart drug delivery; poly(N-vinylcaprolactam); chitosan; magnetic nanoparticle; hydrocortisone
• ISSN: 2576-6422; 2576-6422
• DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00924

Hydrocortisone, a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, has limited aqueous solubility and several side effects. To address this challenge, as a proof-of-concept, this article demonstrates the development of a controlled-release drug delivery system (DDS) for hydrocortisone using chitosan-grafted poly­(N-vinylcaprolactam) (CS-g-PNVCL)-coated core–shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoformulations (NFs). Reported magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and modified with silica, PNVCL, and CS precursors to enhance the biocompatibility of DDS and drug-loading efficiency. The release rate of hydrocortisone from Fe3O4@SiO2@CS-g-PNVCL NFs was observed to be higher at lower pH values, and the smart polymer coating demonstrated temperature responsiveness, facilitating drug release at higher temperatures. Fe3O4@SiO2@CS-g-PNVCL NFs exhibited a cell viability of around 97.2 to 87.3% (5–100 μg/mL) after 24–48 h, while the hydrocortisone-NFs had a cell viability of around 93.2 to 82.3%. Our findings suggest that CS-g-PNVCL-coated Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs effectively enhance the solubility, loading capacity, and targeted delivery of poorly soluble drugs, thereby improving their therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability.