Innovative fish peptide-loaded chitosomes: Advancing bioactive delivery through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo assessments

Abstract

Considerable advancements have been achieved in controlled delivery systems, yet ensuring optimal stability, bioavailability, and precise targeting of bioactive compounds continues to present challenges. Addressing this gap, the present study explores chitosomes—lipid vesicles stabilized by chitosan—as a promising approach to enhance the delivery efficiency of bioactive molecules. This study investigate fish peptide-loaded chitosomes, leveraging chitosan's biocompatibility, biodegradability, and encapsulation capabilities. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted under both in vitro and in vivo conditions to assess their potential applications. In vitro studies using L929 cell lines demonstrated high biocompatibility, efficient cellular uptake, and sustained cell viability, with a dose-dependent cytotoxicity profile, leading to early and late apoptosis. The tolerance, favourable metabolic stability, and biomarker responses were validated by in vivo evaluations in Albino Wistar rats, demonstrating systemic efficacy and safety. Moreover, the peptide-chitosome formulation demonstrated a lipid-lowering impact, as evidenced by increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and unsaturated fatty acids and decreases in triglycerides, saturated fatty acid content, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). These findings highlight the potential of fish peptide-loaded chitosomes as an advanced bioactive delivery system, addressing existing limitations and expanding their applicability in nutraceutical and therapeutic formulations.