Synthesis and characterization of amine functionalized cellulose nanogel for transdermal drug delivery

Abstract

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of an amine-functionalized cellulose nanogel (AFCNG) for potential biomedical applications. AFCNG was synthesized using a combination of acid hydrolysis, TEMPO oxidation, and EDC/NHS-mediated coupling via amide linkage. Biodegradable AFCNG was formulated with a mean size of 74 nm through a regeneration process. Characterization of AFCNG was performed using various techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, Zeta potential, DLS, HRSEM and TGA. The results revealed that AFCNG was amorphous, highly stable in colloidal form, and had higher degradation temperature and water absorption capacity. Biodegradation of AFCNG was also assessed by incubating it with lysozyme for five weeks, which resulted in a degradation level of 83%. Furthermore, hemo-compatibility and cytotoxicity properties of AFCNG were evaluated, and the results showed that it was hemo-compatible and non-toxic to 3T3 cells by cellular morphology assessment with DAPI staining. Curcumin-loaded AFCNG exhibited high cytotoxicity to B16-F10 cells, suggesting its potential as a transdermal drug delivery system for skin cancer treatment. The study concluded that AFCNG possesses the necessary characteristics to serve as a carrier for transdermal drug delivery applications.