Abstract:
The main aim of this work was to synthesize polymeric nanoparticles from chitosan a natural polymer to encapsulate the pomegranate extract via ionic gelation method. Phytochemicals from plants such as Pomegranate (Punica granatum) has been utilized in traditional medicine throughout the world, including Persia, China, and the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Pomegranate has been found effective in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, peptic ulcer, oral diseases and several types of cancer for hundreds of years. Many phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, volatile oils and organic acids have been recognized from various parts of the PG, these compounds possess many types of activities like antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-oncogenic, antimicrobial, and in cerebrovascular disease.
The PG-NPs were prepared using chitosan shell to encapsulate PG extract in four different ratios
i.e. 1:0, 1:0.25, 1:0.75 and 1:1. A study was conducted to evaluate the encapsulation efficiency of the synthesized NPs, and in the same way in vitro drug release and degradation of the NPs was assessed. Characterization was done via UV-VIS spectrophotometry, FTIR, SEM analysis, in vitro biocompatibility test. In vitro biocompatibility was evaluated using Fibroblast cell line NH3T3 by co-culturing cells and NPs for 24 hrs. It was found that PG-NPs were formed with high encapsulation efficiency of PG extract for samples 1:0.25, 1:0.75 and 1:1 were 92%, 57% and 49% respectively. UV-Vis analysis showed the formation of nanoparticles, as well as in vitro drug release within first 5 hours of incubation at 37°C in PBS. The particles were highly biocompatible and even increased the cell proliferation within 24 h. The absorbance analysis as well as visual morphology of the cells co cultured with loaded polymeric NPs suggest that the NPs positively affect the growth of cells in vitro. These PG-NPs possess a better encapsulation efficiency for sensitive degradable drugs. In this way the drugs can be carried to the targeted regions of the body to treat certain disease and to regenerate wounded tissues.
