Development of aminophylline loaded mucoadhesive PCL-chitosan nanocapsules via double emulsion method

Abstract

Aminophylline (Am) is a drug used for pulmonary diseases due its bronchodi-lation and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its efficacy and clinical use are compromised by its side effects, reducing the patient compliance. To over-come this issue, polymeric nanocapsules (Nc) have emerged to enhance the bi-opharmaceutical properties of drugs. This study aimed to develop and charac-terize aminophylline nanocapsules (AmNc), as well as chitosan-coated amino-phylline nanocapsules (AmNc-Chi) with potential mucoadhesive properties. Using the double emulsion method, both Nc and AmNc were produced. The aminophylline was quantified using a UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Physico-chemical stability of AmNc was assessed, and an assay to determine the ideal chitosan concentration for producing AmNc-Chi via adsorption method. AmNc exhibited a particle size of 231.4 ± 13.6 nm, PdI of 0.278 ± 0.062, and zeta poten-tial of -22.1 ± 1.4 mV, while AmNc-Chi showed a particle size of 289.8 ± 36 nm, PdI of 0.230 ± 0.06, and zeta potential of +29.5 ± 5.6 mV. Both formulations maintained stability over 30 days, with high encapsulation efficiency (>96%). These results indicates that the nanosystem was successfully produced and could be a potential alternative to use the aminophylline in pulmonary diseases.