Extraction of cellulose nanofibers from pineapple crown waste: Characterisation and evaluation in topical drug delivery

Abstract

In the present study, cellulose nanofibers were extracted from pineapple crown waste by alkali treatment method and characterized by FT-IR, DSC, XRD, and SEM studies. Further, pineapple nanofibers (2% w/v) were incorporated in carbopol 934P (0.5%w/v) containing ampicillin (1%w/v) to prepare topical gel. The preferred gel formulation was evaluated for particle size (150 ±0.64nm), polydispersity index (0.303 ±0.02), and drug content (99.87 ±0.34%). The gel formulation was also evaluated for physiochemical characterizations: FT-IR, DSC, XRD and SEM studies. The in vitro drug release and ex vivo permeation of the drug from gel formulation and the aqueous solution of drug was observed to be 34% and 100% (in 10 h) with flux rate of 3.9852 ±103 ug/cm2/h and 3.6254±412ug/cm2/h respectively. The antibacterial activity against E. coli exhibited controlled release of the drug as determined by zone of inhibition 9.3 mm (gel formulation) when compared to the ampicillin drug (14.4 mm) solution. Histopathological analysis displayed no signs of toxicity when observed after application of gel formulation on goat ear skin.