Development, optimization, and in vitro characterization of dasatinib-loaded PEG functionalized chitosan capped gold nanoparticles using Box-Behnken experimental design

Objective: The purpose of this research study was to develop, optimize, and characterize dasatinib loaded polyethylene glycol (PEG) stabilized chitosan capped gold nanoparticles (DSB-PEG-Ch-GNPs).Methods: Gold (III) chloride hydrate was reduced with chitosan and the resulting nanoparticles were coated with thiol-terminated PEG and loaded with dasatinib (DSB). Plackett-Burman design (PBD) followed by Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD) were employed to optimize the process parameters. Polynomial equations, contour, and 3D response surface plots were generated to relate the factors and responses. The optimized DSB-PEG-Ch-GNPs were characterized by FTIR, XRD, HR-SEM, EDX, TEM, SAED, AFM, DLS, and ZP.Results: The results of the optimized DSB-PEG-Ch-GNPs showed particle size (PS) of 24.391.82nm, apparent drug content (ADC) of 72.06 +/- 0.86%, and zeta potential (ZP) of -13.91 +/- 1.21mV. The responses observed and the predicted values of the optimized process were found to be close. The shape and surface morphology studies showed that the resulting DSB-PEG-Ch-GNPs were spherical and smooth. The stability and in vitro drug release studies confirmed that the optimized formulation was stable at different conditions of storage and exhibited a sustained drug release of the drug of up to 76% in 48h and followed Korsmeyer-Peppas release kinetic model.Conclusions: A process for preparing gold nanoparticles using chitosan, anchoring PEG to the particle surface, and entrapping dasatinib in the chitosan-PEG surface corona was optimized.