Formulation and characterization of tobramycin-chitosan nanoparticles coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles

Nusaiba K Al-Nemrawi; Rami Q Alkhatib; Hadeel Ayyad; Nid''A Alshraiedeh

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2022.01.016

Formulation and characterization of tobramycin-chitosan nanoparticles coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles

Saudi Pharm J. 2022 Apr;30(4):454-461. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.01.016. Epub 2022 Jan 31.

Authors

Nusaiba K Al-Nemrawi¹, Rami Q Alkhatib², Hadeel Ayyad³, Nid''A Alshraiedeh¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan.
² Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Science and Art, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan.
³ Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Art, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan.

Abstract

Herein we describe the preparation, characterization and the antibacterial effect of Tobramycin-chitosan nanoparticles (TOB-CS NPs) coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Four formulations of TOB-CS NPs (A-D) were prepared to study the effect of experimental variables on the NPs behavior. Two formulations of ZnO NPs were prepared using the solvothermal and the precipitation methods (ZnO₁ and ZnO₂), and then characterized. TOB-CS NPs (Formula d) was coated with the ZnO₁. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of TOB-CS NPs, ZnO NPs and the coated nanoparticles against S. aureus and E. coli was examined. Changing the variables in preparing TOB-CS NPs resulting in variabilities in sizes (297.6-1116.3 nm), charges (+8.29-+39.00 mV), entrapment (51.95-90.60%). Further, TOB release was sustained over four days. ZnO NPs have sizes of 47.44 and 394.4 nm and charges of -62.3 and 89.4 mV when prepared by solvothermal and precipitation technique, respectively. Coated TOB-CS NPs had a size of 342 nm, a charge of +4.39 and released 100 µg/ mL of the drug after four days. The antimicrobial activity of TOB-CS NPs was lower than free TOB against S. aureus and E. coli. The coated NPs showed higher antimicrobial effect in comparison to formula D and ZnO₁. In conclusion, coating TOB-CS NPs with ZnO NPs exhibited a great antibacterial effect that may be sustained for days.

Keywords: Bacterial resistance; Ionic gelation; Nanoparticles; TPP; Tobramycin; Zinc oxide.