Chitosan-based nanocarriers

Many of the poorly soluble drugs included in amphiphilic chitosan-based nanocarriers are anticancer drugs, e.g., paclitaxel, doxorubicine, camptothecin, and Mytomycin C. Besides increasing their solubility, the polymeric micelles... 

Chitosan based self assembled/amphiphilic NPs plays a vital role in delivery of number of drugs, nucleic acids and metals. Recently, the effects of hydrophobic and hydrophilic modifications on gene delivery of amphiphilic chitosan based nanocarriers investigated and it has been observed that this type of modification allowed the improved gene delivery via amphiphilic nanoparticles [128]. It was reported that the chitosan-based self-assembled nanoparticles can be readily obtained by chemically attaching the hydrophobic moiety to the backbone of chitosan and its derivatives, as shown in Fig. 3.5. These self-assembled nanoparticles can circulate in the... 

Wang Z, Zeng R, Tu M, Zhao J. A novel biomimetic chitosan-based nanocarrier with suppression of the protein-nanocarrier interactions. Mater Lett. 2012 77 38-40. 

Wang B, He C, Tang C, Yin C. Effects of hydrophobic and hydroplulic modifications on gene delivery of amphiphilic chitosan based nanocarriers. Biomaterials. 2011 32(20) 4630-8. 

Environmentally Responsive Chitosan-based Nanocarriers (CBNs) 107... 

DNA molecules (polyplexes). Although there are a lot of reports on chitosan-based DNA nanocarriers varying in sizes (20-250 nm and higher), studies regarding effects and the chitosan-specific transfection mechanisms remain insufficient. It is shown that the level of transfection depends upon several factors, for instance chitosan molecular weight (from 22 kDa [65] to 400 kDa [66]), the ratio of chitosan nitrogen to DNA phosphate (N/P ratio), as well as serum concentration and pH of transfection medium, and finally on cell line [67],... 

Figure 10.10 (a) In vivo near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence images of nude mice after intravenous injection of pluronic-based nanocarriers, (b) Ex vivo NIR fluorescence image of major organs B, brain S, spleen L, Aver H, heart Lm, lung K, kidney), (c) Quantification of the nanocarriers accumulated in the sacrificed brain, (d) Quantification of the nanocarriers distributed in the brain and major organs excised from the mice at 48 h post injection. ( = 3, p<0.01 Bare-NC, Chito-NC, RVG-Bare-NC vs. RVG-Chito-NC). Chito, chitosan RVG, rabies virus glycoprotein NC, nanocarrier. 

The ionic gelation method has received tremendous attention in recent years for the preparation of nanocarriers for low molecular dmgs [148]. As far as chitosan-based nanoparticles are concerned, sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) is usually used as ionic crosslinking agent. Chitosan-based nanoparticles can also be prepared using self-assembly methods. In this case, polyanionic compounds are selected and then allowed to react separately with chitosan and modified chitosan. Electrostatic... 

M. Garcia-Puentes, and M.J. Alonso, Chitosan-based drug nanocarriers Where do we standi. Journal of Controlled Release, 161 (2), 496-504,2012. 

Garcia-Fuentes, M., Alonso, M.J., 2012. Chitosan-based drug nanocarriers where do we stand J. Control. Release 161 (2), 496-504. 

The current chitosan-based nanoparticles can be further modified to have better properties for an ideal carrier of imaging agents or drugs. Therefore, we expect that these chitosan nanoparticles will continue to provide attractive and advanced tools as nanocarriers, especially for cancer research and treatment. 

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