title: Characterization of novel lactoferrin loaded capsules prepared with polyelectrolyte complexes.
abstract: Novel capsules loaded with lactoferrin (LF) were prepared using polyelectrolyte complexes that were formed by water soluble chitosan (WSC), sodium cellulose sulfate (NaCS) and sodium polyphosphate (PPS). Normal chitosan (soluble in acidic conditions) was chosen as a control to prepare similar capsules with NaCS and PPS. (1)H NMR and FTIR spectra analysis showed that WSC was in a form of chitosan hydrochloride which can be directly dissolved and protonated in acid-free water. SEM results showed that the capsules had a typical wall-capsule structure with a regular spherical shape and an average diameter of 1.97 mm. TGA studies revealed that the thermal stability of the capsules were enhanced and the moisture content of the drug-free/loaded capsules were 6.3% and 3.2%. SDS-PAGE results showed that the primary structures of the processed LF in the capsules were unchanged. Drug loading (LE%) and encapsulation efficiency (EE%) analysis showed that the capsules had a higher LE% (45.6%) and EE% (70.7%) than that of the control. In vitro release studies showed that the capsules had a regular and sustainable release profiles in simulated colonic fluid. All of these results indicated that the capsules prepared could be used as a candidate protein drug carrier for colon.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. qxwu126@163.com
authors.forename: Qing-Xi
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qi-Lei
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dong-Qiang
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shan-Jing
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D012634:Bodily Secretions / Q000737:chemistry; D002214:Capsules; D002482:Cellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D003106:Colon; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D011122:Polyphosphates; D002482:Cellulose; D048271:Chitosan; C020254:cellulose sulfate; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Capsules; Drug release; Lactoferrin; Polyelectrolyte complexes; Sodium cellulose sulfate; Water soluble chitosan