Carboxymethyl Chitosan-β-cyclodextrin Nanoparticles As A Drug Delivery System:Evaluation Against MCF-7Breast Cancer Cells

The aim of this study was to generate a new type of nanoparticles made of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and carboxymethyl β-cyclodextrin (CM β-CD) and to characterize it. This nanoparticulate system should have a potential for the association and delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs as well as undergo further conjugation to other macromolecules such as antibodies for targeted delivery especially in cancer therapy. Various CMC concentrations and a fixed concentration of CM β-CD were processed to nanoparticles via the ionic gelation technique by grafting the CM β-CD onto CMC using water-soluble1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) as the condensing agents. The resulting nanoparticles were spherical in shape as shown by atomic force microscopy with an average size range of124-298nm and showed a negative zeta potential. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), a water soluble anticancer drug, was loaded in the nanoparticles with a high encapsulation efficiency. The in vitro drug release showed that the release of DOX from the nanoparticles could be effectively sustained. The anti-tumor activity of the released DOX was assessed using a MCF-7breast cancer cell line. The cytotoxicity evaluation showed the drug loaded nanoparticles inhibition on MCF-7breast cancer cells.