Production of Chitosan-PVA Coated Vitamin E and Ephedrine Nanoparticles Using Electrospraying for the Treatment of Narcolepsy


Creative Commons License

Yakut A. B., Bingol A. B., Oktay B., Ciftci F., ÜSTÜNDAĞ C. B., Kızılkurtlu A. A.

Molecules, cilt.31, sa.8, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 31 Sayı: 8
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/molecules31081330
  • Dergi Adı: Molecules
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: chitosan, electrospraying, ephedrine, narcolepsy, vitamin E
  • Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
  • Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study focuses on the production and characterization of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-chitosan (CS)-based nanoparticles loaded with vitamin E (VitE) and ephedrine (Ep) via electrospraying for intranasal drug delivery in narcolepsy treatment. The nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using optimized parameters (15.5 kV voltage, 0.3 mL/h flow rate, 25 G needle size, and 14 cm distance). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the formation of spherical particles with an average size of 350–500 nm, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping revealed a homogeneous elemental distribution with oxygen (51.74%), silicon (24.48%), carbon (6.47%), zinc (6.08%), and aluminum (3.82%). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra demonstrated the successful encapsulation of VitE and Ep through characteristic peaks at 3285 cm−1 (OH stretching), 1731 cm−1 (C=O stretching), and 1086 cm−1 (C-O-C stretching). In vitro drug release analysis indicated a controlled and sustained release profile, with cumulative VitE and Ep release reaching 78.6% and 84.3%, respectively, over 48 h in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Antioxidant activity assessment using the DPPH assay confirmed an R2 value of 18.84 µg/mL, demonstrating significant free radical scavenging potential. The antibacterial activity, tested via the disk diffusion method, exhibited inhibition zones of 18.31 ± 5.8 mm (E. coli) and 21.51 ± 1.57 mm (S. aureus), confirming strong antimicrobial properties. These findings suggest that the developed electrosprayed PVA/CS nanoparticles loaded with VitE and Ep offer a promising intranasal delivery system with enhanced bioavailability, controlled release, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial properties, making them a viable candidate for narcolepsy treatment.