Evaluation of Different Surface Coating Agents for Selenium Nanoparticles: Enhanced Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Drug Loading Capacity

Abstract

Aml I Mekkawy,1 M Fathy,2 Hebatallah B Mohamed3 1Department of Pharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sohag University, Sohag, 82524, Egypt; 2Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, South Valley University, Qena, 83523, EgyptCorrespondence: Aml I Mekkawy, Department of Pharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sohag University, Sohag, 82524, Egypt, Email [email protected]: Inflammation is the keystone in the disease’s pathological process in response to any damaging stimuli. Therefore, any agent that inhibits the inflammatory response is under focus, either a drug or a bioactive compound. Selenium nanoparticles have drawn attention in various biomedical applications, including the anti-inflammatory activity.Purpose: In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the capacity of different surface coating materials (soybean lecithin, PEG 6000, and β-cyclodextrin) to enhance the anti-inflammatory activity of the synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). The capability of the coated SeNPs to adsorb indomethacin (IND) on their surfaces compared to the uncoated SeNPs was also evaluated.Methods: SeNPs were synthesized, coated with different materials, and characterized in vitro using X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and particle size and zeta potential measurements. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of the uncoated/coated SeNPs loaded into hydrogel was evaluated using a carrageenan-induced paw edema rat model. The effect of SeNPs surface coatings was further evaluated for IND loading capacity.Results: Our findings proved the superior anti-inflammatory activity of all coated SeNPs compared to the uncoated SeNPs, especially with β-cyclodextrin surface coating. Regarding the IND loading capacity of the prepared uncoated/coated SeNPs, the amount of drug loaded was 0.12, 1.12, 0.3, and 0.14 μg IND/μg SeNPs for the uncoated, lecithin-, PEG- and β-CD-coated SeNPs, respectively.Conclusion: Surface functionalization of SeNPs can provide a synergistic therapeutic activity. Our results are promising for further investigation of the in vivo anti-inflammatory synergistic activity of the IND-loaded surface-coated SeNPs.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: selenium nanoparticles, soybean lecithin, polyethylene glycol, β-cyclodextrin, indomethacin, synergistic activity, carrageenan

Keywords

• selenium nanoparticles
• soybean lecithin
• polyethylene glycol
• β-cyclodextrin
• indomethacin
• synergistic activity
• carrageenan.