Development and characterization of simvastatin loaded Chitosan nanoparticles for sustained drug delivery

Avula Mounika¹, C. Manjula*^2
1M Pharm Student, Department of Pharmaceutics, Vasavi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kadapa- 516247
²Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics, Vasavi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kadapa- 516247

A B S T R A C T
The present study focuses on the development, optimization, and in-vitro evaluation of Simvastatin-loaded Chitosan nanoparticles for sustained release. FTIR and DSC studies confirmed the compatibility of Simvastatin and Chitosan. Nanoparticles were formulated using the nanoprecipitation method, with various concentrations of Chitosan, achieving maximum drug loading in formulation F3. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the nanoparticles were spherical with smooth surfaces, and their sizes ranged from 360 nm to 480 nm. The optimized formulation exhibited a 95.66% drug release over 12 hours, following zero-order kinetics, with diffusion and non-Fickian mechanisms governing the release. Stability studies, conducted per ICH guidelines, demonstrated the nanoparticles’ stability without significant changes in physical characteristics, drug content, or dissolution profiles. Overall, formulation F3, with a 1:3 drug-to-polymer ratio, was identified as optimal for sustained drug release.
Keywords: Simvastatin, Chitosan, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Chitosan nanoparticles