Synthesis and characterization of amine functionalized cellulose nanogel for transdermal drug delivery

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of an amine-functionalized cellulose nanogel (AFCNG) for potential biomedical applications. AFCNG is synthesized using a combination of acid hydrolysis, TEMPO oxidation, and EDC/NHS-mediated coupling via amide linkage. Biodegradable AFCNG is formulated with a mean size of 74 nm through a regeneration process. The characterization of AFCNG is performed using various techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, Zeta potential, DLS, HRSEM, and TGA. The result reveals that the anionic AFCNG is amorphous, highly stable in colloidal form, and has a higher degradation temperature and water absorption capacity. Biodegradation of AFCNG is also assessed by incubating it with lysozyme for 5 weeks, which results in a degradation level of 83%. There is negligible hemolytic activity and less cytotoxicity toward 3T3 cells induced by the AFCNG. The model drug, curcumin, is effectively loaded on AFCNG, which is highly released at an acidic pH by using the Franz diffusion method. The anionic ligand-based CAFCNG is effectively conjugated with the cationic folic acid receptors on the surface of B16-F10 cell lines through receptor-mediated endocytosis. The resulting CAFCNG shows notable cytotoxicity to B16-F10 cells. The results imply that CAFCNG is a suitable candidate for the treatment of skin cancers by using an effective transdermal drug carrier.