ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED NANO-ENCAPSULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF 14-DEOXY-11,12- DIDEHYDROANDROGRAPHOLIDE FROM ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA USING CHITOSAN MATRIX FOR TARGETED ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUG DELIVERY: A SONOGRAPHIC AND SPECTROSCOPIC APPROACH

This study presents the ultrasound-assisted nano-encapsulation of 14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, a labdanediterpenoid from Andrographis paniculata, using a chitosan matrix for targeted anti-inflammatory drug delivery. Theencapsulation process employed ethanol extraction, column chromatography, and thin-layer chromatography forcompound isolation, followed by chitosan-based nanoparticle formation and stabilization using sodium sulfate.Characterization was conducted via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM),Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and UV-Visible spectroscopy. TEM revealed spherical nanoparticleswith sizes ranging from 6.9 to 22.1 nm, supporting mesoporosity favorable for drug delivery. SEM confirmed porousmorphology and consistent particle dispersion, while EDX confirmed elemental composition indicative of structuralstability. The in vitro time-release study demonstrated a sustained release profile of encapsulated isolates, andencapsulation efficiency was notably high (82.5%). Sonographic analysis using B-mode and Doppler imaging oninflamed Wistar rats showed enhanced tissue retention, reduced edema, and increased echogenicity in the encapsulatedgroup compared to controls. These findings validate chitosan-based nano-encapsulation as an effective delivery vehiclefor 14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, improving its bioavailability, targeted delivery, and anti-inflammatoryperformance.