Abstract

Oral medications are prevalent within modern-day society because of their convenience for patients and their cost-effectiveness. However, challenges such as poor solubility and gastrointestinal degradation decrease their effectiveness. Recently, advancements in nanotechnology have improved the efficiency of drug delivery, with specialized nanocarriers being developed and synthesized for different functions. This review is concentrated on Chitosan Nanoparticles (CSNPs), which are derived from chitosan, a polysaccharide that is biodegradable and offers a promising solution for overcoming certain challenges associated with drug delivery. CSNPs have been synthesized using a variety of methods such as emulsion cross-linking, ionic gelation and biosynthesis and more novel methods such as incorporation of a magnetic core. These methods have shown improvements in particle stability, CSNP solubility and targeted drug delivery, however, challenges like aggregation remain and must be addressed to optimize the performance of CSNPs. Overall, CSNPs offer a promising advancement in the usage of nanoparticles in medicine with important implications for improving oral drug delivery systems and creating innovative solutions within healthcare.

Keywords:Chitosan Nanoparticles (CSNPs); Nanotechnology; Targeted drug delivery; Synthesis methods; Biodegradable polysaccharides

Abbreviations:CSNPs: Chitosan Nanoparticles; TPP: Tripolyphosphate; CMCSNPs: Carboxymethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles; QCSNPs: Quaternized Chitosan Nanoparticles; TGA: Thioglycolic Acid; NPs: Nanoparticles