Development and characterization of albumin nanoparticles for pulmonary drug delivery

Abstract

Pulmonary drug delivery is a non-invasive, non-systemic delivery approach for both local and systemic drugs and a method to directly target disorders of lung. The albumin nanoparticles were prepared by modified desolvation method using different concentration of albumin as biodegradable polymer for lungs. The prepared albumin nanoparticles were evaluated for entrapment efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy, in-vitro drug release, stability study and in-vivo study. The entrapment efficiency of all albumin nanoparticles formulations were found to be in the range of 61.74 % - 73.45 %. The particle size of albumin nanoparticle formulations were found to be in range 81.6 nm - 148.4 nm. The  zeta potential of albumin nanoparticles found to exhibit stability due to negative charge on the surface. The transmission electron microscopy indicated the spherical surface of the albumin nanoparticles. The in vitro release was found to follow higuchi plot as compared to zero order plot, first order plot and krosmeyer peppas plot. Stability studies showed that albumin nanoparticle formulation ANps5 was stable according to ICH guidelines for 6 months. In-vivo study using rat model indicated the localization of albumin nanoparticles in the lungs of rat.