Electrosprayed Chitosan Nanoparticles for Drug Carriers in Cancer Treatment - A Mini Review

Nanoparticles have emerged as promising tools for cancer treatment due to their ability to selectively deliver drugs to the tumor site while avoiding significant systemic side effects. Chitosan nanoparticles, among various types of nanoparticles, have gained significant attention due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and local drug delivery capacity. The electrospray technique is an efficient method for preparing chitosan nanoparticles, offering reproducibility, scalability, and high drug encapsulation efficiency. This technique has gained popularity due to its ease of use and flexibility in meeting various demands of nanoparticle production. Recent studies have investigated the potential of chitosan nanoparticles prepared by electrospray technique to encapsulate a range of drugs. The method leverages active surface absorption, binding, or complexation with drugs. For example, chitosan-based nanoparticles loaded with DOX and QUE achieved high encapsulation efficiency of 83% and effectively inhibited the growth of HCT-116 cancer cells. Similarly, SNP-CH-DOX-CM nanoparticles showed significant anti-cancer activity against HepG2 tumors. However, it should be noted that the toxicity of nanoparticles is directly related to the concentration of the active substance. Therefore, careful optimization of drug dosing is necessary to minimize any potential toxicity.