5-Fluorouracil Encapsulated Chitosan Nanoparticles for pH-Stimulated Drug Delivery: Evaluation of Controlled Release Kinetics

Table 1

Average particle size of chitosan nanoparticles prepared at different concentrations.¹

Chitosan (mg/mL)	TPP (mg/mL)	Average particle size (nm)	Visual identification	Polydispersity index (PDI)
0.50	0.50	190.8±20.5	Opalescent solution	0.094
0.50	0.75	>1000	Aggregates	*
0.50	1.0	>1000	Aggregates	*
0.50	1.25	>1000	Aggregates	*
0.75	0.50	152.6±3.3	Opalescent solution	0.232
0.75	0.75	228.2±2.9	Opalescent solution	0.080
0.75	1.0	>1000	Aggregates	*
0.75	1.25	>1000	Aggregates	*
1.0	0.50	181.7±2.1	Opalescent solution	0.347
1.0	0.75	195.4±3.5	Opalescent solution	0.333
1.0	1.0	251.9±3.5	Opalescent solution	0.259
1.0	1.25	>1000	Aggregates	*
1.25	0.50	195.2±3.1	Opalescent solution	0.388
1.25	0.75	244.5±8.9	Opalescent solution	0.377
1.25	1.0	286.5±3.8	Opalescent solution	0.056
1.25	1.25	393.1±1.8	Opalescent solution	0.443
1.25	2.5	>1000	Opalescent solution	*
1.25	5.0	>1000	Opalescent solution	*
2.50	1.25	924.9±40.1	Aggregates	0.423
2.50	2.50	>1000	Aggregates	*
2.50	5.0	>1000	Aggregates	*
5.0	1.25	>1000	Aggregates	*
5.0	2.50	>1000	Aggregates	*
5.0	5.0	>1000	Aggregates	*

¹Chitosan : TPP (2.5 : 1) (v/v) Tween 80; 0.5% (v/v); measurements are performed three times.
*PDI > 1.00.