Development of mucoadhesive chitosan-based drug delivery system

Chitosan is a highly versatile biopolymer characterised by low toxicity, biocompatibility, and slow but complete biodegradation in the human body, possessing multiple reactive groups. One of the most well-known properties of positively charged chitosan derivatives is their ability to bind mucous membranes. The aim of this work was the analysis of mucoadhesion of unmodified 20 kDa chitosan and its hydrophobic (HC) and hydrophobic quaternised (QHC) derivatives in vitro and ex vivo. Unmodified chitosan formed large aggregates in vitro in keratinocyte and colon cell cultures and ex vivo in murine small intestine and muscle explants. At the same time, HC and especially QHC bound cells in vitro and ex vivo in a fine dotted manner, as evidenced by confocal microscopy. Such a pattern of hydrophobic derivatives distribution provides the possibility to develop mucoadhesive drug delivery systems with increased local drug release and improved chitosan biodegradation.