Chitosan-titanium dioxide-glucantime nanoassemblies effects on promastigote and amastigote of Leishmania major.

The purpose of the present study was to design nanoassemblies of chitosan-titanium dioxide (TiO ₂ ) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with glucantime for using their synergistic effects and enhancing the toxic effects of glucantime on Leishmania parasites. The nanoassemblies were prepared by electrostatic interactions and optimized by a response surface central composite design. The effects of glucantime, chitosan and TiO ₂ NPs amounts were studied on the particle size, zeta potential, loading efficiency, and release efficiency of drug from nanoassemblies. The conjugation of TiO ₂ /chitosan-glucantime was verified by UV spectroscopy and changes in surface charge of NPs. The anti-promastigots effect of glucantime loaded in TiO ₂ /chitosan nanoassemblies was studied by tripan blue dye test and their anti-amastigotes effect by counting the average number of parasites per infected J774 macrophages in 100 cells. The optimized formulation obtained by using 12.5mg glucantime, 25mg chitosan and 6mg TiO ₂ NPs. Although TiO ₂ NPs alone were effective more than negative control in reduction of promastigots and amastigotes but they didn't show significant difference compared with free glucantime (p>0.05). However, at the concentration of 50μg/mL and after 72h exposure nanoassemblies decreased the proliferation of L. major promastigotes and amastigotes 13 and 4-fold, respectively compared with glucantime alone.
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