Atorvastatin-loaded nanosprayed chitosan nanoparticles for peripheral nerve injury

In this study, chitosan nanoparticles containing atorvastatin calcium were prepared using the nanospray-drying method to be used in the local treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. The main focus was to investigate the effect of the molecular weight and concentration of the polymer, the concentration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the diameter of the spray nozzle (4·0, 5·5 and 7·0 μm) on the final properties of nanoparticles. Atorvastatin nanoparticles were characterized in terms of morphology, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release. In all formulations, the nanoparticles were found to be in the submicrometer range (510·5 ± 22·3–820·0 ± 98·7 nm) with a positive surface charge (11·1–26·6 mV) and a narrow particle size distribution (PDI = 0·10–0·58). Further evaluation of the synthesized nanoparticles revealed high encapsulation efficiency (23·37–53·61%) and production yield (58·30–74·10%). Critical examination of the morphology of nanoparticles in all formulations indicated that the nanoparticles were almost spherical in shape and had a wrinkled surface. The in vitro release test revealed that the nanoparticles were capable of maintaining a sustained release of atorvastatin for about 200 h. The cytotoxicity of chitosan nanoparticles was evaluated using L-929 and B35 cells, and the nanoparticles were found to show no toxic effect.