Development of nanomaterials to overcome the mucosal barrier modulating their mucoadhesion and mucopenetration properties
Abstract
The aim of this work is to synthesize and develop polymeric nanoparticles (NP)
that are able to interact with mucosal tissue for potential drug delivery. It is
hypothesized that the NPs will be successfully functionalized giving effective
nanocarriers that produce different interactions with mucus depending on the
properties given by functionalization. Natural chitosan and chitosan
functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were used as starting reagents
in different ratios to modulate nanoparticles properties regarding their
solubility in aqueous medium, nanometric size, surface functionality,
mucoadhesion, and mucopenetration. The NPs were characterized by Fourier-
transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (1H-NMR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Atomic Force
Microscopy (AFM).