Successful Encapsulation of Hydrophilic Drug in Poly (Lactic Acid)/Chitosan Core/ Shell Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology may be an alternative to overcome the limitations of conventional treatments, through the creation of nanostructured devices capable of directing the antimicrobial to the affected tissue. In this paper, polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (CH) nanoparticles were synthesized for controlled release of gentamicin (hydrophilic drug) through the simple emulsification-solvent evaporation method. The results suggest the successful formation of PLA/CH coreshell nanoparticles. Zeta potential analysis showed that the particles have positive surface charges, which is attractive for cell adhesion and suggest the presence of CH in the shell. The burst release observed at the first 6 hours was due to the gentamicin bonded in the CH shell. However, after 24 hours, the system resumed releasing, confirming the interaction and release of gentamicin from the PLA core. The antimicrobial assay indicated inhibition of growth of Staphylococcus aureus, confirming the effectiveness of the encapsulation and release of gentamicin from PLA/CH nanoparticles.