SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR LOADING SPIRULINA USING CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES

Chitosan, a chitin-derived biopolymer, is garnering significant academic interest due to its distinctive properties and diverse applications. Spirulina-loaded chitosan nanoparticles demonstrate enhanced antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing capabilities, providing a natural and biocompatible delivery system for pharmaceutical applications, tissue engineering, and dermatological formulations with superior bioactivity and environmental sustainability. The ionic gelation method prepares these nanoparticles for efficient material encapsulation, ensuring optimal loading capacity and controlled release characteristics. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized using different techniques (particle size, UV, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and hemolytic activity). Chitosan with vitamin ETPGS reduced nanoparticle size to 93.2 nm and improved stability, dispersibility, zeta potential, and morphology. Spirulina-based nanoparticles were safe with no blood-related side effects. Hemolytic anemia was induced in all rats except the negative control, using intraperitoneal injections of PHZ (20 mg/kg) for two consecutive days. Forty male albino rats, aged 60 days and weighing 200 ± 15 g, were randomly assigned to four groups (n=10 per group): Control (CNG), PHZ-induced anemic group (PHZ-G), spirulina extract-treated group (SPG) 100 mg/kg of spirulina, and spirulina-loaded chitosan nanoparticle-treated group (SP-NPS) 100 mg/kg of spirulina. Treatments were administered daily for eight weeks. An in vivo study noted a clear improvement in spirulina-loaded chitosan in many parameters, such as a significant increase in serum vitamin B12 levels and serum ferritin in the group treated with spirulina-loaded chitosan nanoparticles compared to the anemic group. Additionally, phenylhydrazine-induced animals had significantly reduced haptoglobin, which normalized after treatment with spirulina and its nanoparticle form.