Controlled release of amoxicillin and antioxidant potential of gold nanoparticles-xanthan gum/poly (Acrylic acid) biodegradable nanocomposite

In the present study, the green microwave assisted synthesis of gold nanoparticles imbedded in XG/Poly(AA) biodegradable nanocomposite for controlled delivery of amoxicillin has been reported. The evidence of in-situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles by plant extract of Nepeta leucophylla as reducing agent inside the polymer matrix, grafting of acrylic acid (AA) onto backbone XG, surface morphology, crystallinity, thermal properties and loading of amoxicillin inside the MW-AuNPs/XG/Poly(AA) nanocomposite are investigated using various characterization techniques, such as, UV–Vis, XRD, FTIR, TGA/DSC, FE-SEM, EDX, TEM, DLS and Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms (BET studies). The biodegradation test of synthesized nanocomposite has been performed by soil burial method for 75 days. The evidence of biodegradability of MW-AuNPs/XG/Poly(AA) nanocomposite is confirmed by FTIR and FE-SEM micrographs. The release profiles of amoxicillin drug from synthesized nanocomposite has been investigated for different pH (2.4, 7.0 and 9.2) at 37 °C using Korsmeyer–Peppas model. Here, the maximum drug loading efficiency is found to be about 85% and release of drug is large in basic medium as compare to acidic and neutral. It is expected that the present work may provide a noble method for synthesis of biodegradable nanocomposite with decent antioxidant potential for controlled release of amoxicillin.