Synthesis and In Vitro/Ex Vivo Characterizations of Ceftriaxone-Loaded Sodium Alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) Clay Reinforced Nanocomposites: Possible Applications in Wound Healing

Shabana Bibi; Sadullah Mir; Wajid Rehman; Farid Menaa; Alia Gul; Fatima Saad Salem Alaryani; Ali M Alqahtani; Sirajul Haq; Magda H Abdellatif

doi:10.3390/ma15113885

Synthesis and In Vitro/Ex Vivo Characterizations of Ceftriaxone-Loaded Sodium Alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) Clay Reinforced Nanocomposites: Possible Applications in Wound Healing

Materials (Basel). 2022 May 30;15(11):3885. doi: 10.3390/ma15113885.

Authors

Shabana Bibi¹, Sadullah Mir², Wajid Rehman¹, Farid Menaa³, Alia Gul⁴, Fatima Saad Salem Alaryani⁵, Ali M Alqahtani⁶, Sirajul Haq⁷, Magda H Abdellatif⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra 21220, Pakistan.
² Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Islamabad 22060, Pakistan.
³ Departments of Internal Medicine and Nanomedicine, California Innovations Corporation, San Diego, CA 92037, USA.
⁴ Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra 21220, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21959, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100, Pakistan.
⁸ Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

(1) Background: Nanocomposite films are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry (e.g., nanodrug delivery systems-NDDS). Indeed, these nanomaterials can be produced at a large industrial scale and display valuable properties (e.g., antibacterial, renewability, biodegradability, bioavailability, safety, tissue-specific targeting, and biocompatibility), which can enhance the activity of conventional marketed drugs. (2) Aim: To fabricate and investigate the in vitro properties of the antibiotic ceftriaxone sodium (CTX) once encapsulated into sodium alginate (SA)/poly(vinyl alcohol)PVA-clay reinforced nanocomposite films. (3) Methods: Different ratios of the polymers (i.e., SA, PVA) and CTX drug were used for the synthesis of nanocomposite films by solvent casting technique. Montmorillonite (MMT), modified organically, was added as a nanofiller to increase their thermal and mechanical strength. The prepared samples were physically characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The physicochemical behavior (i.e., swelling, erosion, dissolution/drug release behavior and rat skin permeation) was also assessed. Comparisons were made with the currently marketed free CTX dosage form. (4) Results: TGA of the nanoformulation showed increased thermostability. XRD revealed its semi-crystalline nature. SEM depicted a homogeneous drug-loaded SA/PVA nanocomposite with an average size ranging between 300 and 500 nm. EDX confirmed the elemental composition and uniform distribution of mixing components. The water entrapment efficiency study showed that the highest swelling and erosion ratio is encountered with the nanoformulations S100(3) and S100D15(3). Ex vivo permeation revealed a bi-step discharge mode with an early burst liberation chased by continued drug discharge of devised nanoparticles (NPs). The dissolution studies of the drug-loaded polymer nanocomposites elicited sustained pH-dependent drug release. The cumulative drug release was the highest (90.93%) with S100D15(3). (5) Conclusion: S100D15(3) was the finest formulation. To the best of our knowledge, we also pioneered the use of solvent casting for the preparation of such nanoformulations. Polymers and reinforcing agent, concentrations and pH were rate-deterring features for the preparation of the optimized formulation. Thus, CTX-loaded SA/PVA-MMT reinforced nanocomposite appeared as a promising nanodrug delivery system (NDDS) based on its in vitro physicochemical properties.

Keywords: PVA; ceftriaxone; drug delivery; nanoclay; nanomaterials; sodium alginate.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, through the large Research Group Project, under the grant number # RGP2/3/43, and by Taif University, Saudi Arabia, under the grant number # TURSP 2020/91.