Preparation, characterization, and in vitro-in silico biological activities of Jatropha pelargoniifolia extract loaded chitosan nanoparticles

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide that has attracted significant scientific interest during the last two decades. It is a potentially biologically compatible material that is chemically versatile (-NH2 groups and various M(w)). These two basic properties have been used by drug delivery and tissue engineering scientists to create a plethora of formulations and scaffolds that show promise in healthcare. Despite the high number of published studies, chitosan is not approved by the FDA for any product in drug delivery, and as a consequence very few biotech companies are using this material. This review will aim to provide information on these biological properties that affect chitosan's safe use in drug delivery. The term "Chitosan" represents a large group of structurally different chemical entities that may show different biodistribution, biodegradation and toxicological profiles. Here we aim to review research in this area and critically discuss chitosan's potential to be used as a generally regarded as safe (GRAS) material. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chitosan nanoparticles, such as those prepared in this study, may exhibit potential antibacterial activity as their unique character. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles and copper-loaded nanoparticles against various microorganisms. Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared based on the ionic gelation of chitosan with tripolyphosphate anions. Copper ions were adsorbed onto the chitosan nanoparticles mainly by ion-exchange resins and surface chelation to form copper-loaded nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by size and zeta potential analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM), FTIR analysis, and XRD pattern. The antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles and copper-loaded nanoparticles against E. coli, S. choleraesuis, S. typhimurium, and S. aureus was evaluated by calculation of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Results show that chitosan nanoparticles and copper-loaded nanoparticles could inhibit the growth of various bacteria tested. Their MIC values were less than 0.25 microg/mL, and the MBC values of nanoparticles reached 1 microg/mL. AFM revealed that the exposure of S. choleraesuis to the chitosan nanoparticles led to the disruption of cell membranes and the leakage of cytoplasm.