Berberine loaded chitosan nanoparticles encapsulated in polysaccharide-based hydrogel for the repair of spinal cord

Abstract

The potential of berberine loaded in chitosan nanoparticles (BerNChs) within a hybrid of alginate (Alg) and chitosan (Ch) hydrogel was investigated for the substrate which is known as an inhibit activator proteins. The physicochemical properties of the developed Alg-Ch hydrogel were investigated by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The swelling ability and degradation rate of hydrogels were also analyzed in a phosphate-buffered saline solution at physiological pH. The seeded scaffolds with endometrial stem cells as well as scaffolds alone were then transplanted into hemisected SCI rats. The SEM images displayed the favorable seeding and survival of the cells on the Alg-Ch/BerNChs hydrogel scaffold. The obtained data from immunostining of neuroflilament (NF), as a neuronal growth marker, in the various groups showed that the lowest and highest immunoractivity was belonged to the control and Alg-Ch/BerNCh seeded with ESCs groups, respectively. Finally, the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) test confirmed the recovery of sensory and motor functions, clinically. The results suggested that combination therapy using the endometrial stem cells seeded on Alg-Ch/BerNChs hydrogel scaffold has the potential to regenerate the injured spinal cord and to limit the secondary damage.

Keywords: Berberine; Chitosan nanoparticle; Controlled drug release; Polysaccharide based hydrogel; Spinal cord injury.