Date of Award
2025
Degree Name
Pharmaceutical Sciences
College
School of Pharmacy
Type of Degree
M.S.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Dr. Cynthia B. Jones
Second Advisor
Dr. Hasan Koc
Third Advisor
Dr. Emine Koc
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chitosan-based nanoemulsions are increasingly recognized for their potential in enhancing drug delivery for wound healing applications. The integration of Quercus infectoria (Qi) extract, known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, with 5- fluorouracil (5-FU), a chemotherapeutic agent that regulates abnormal cell proliferation, presents a synergistic approach for treating chronic and non-healing wounds. Ensuring long-term physicochemical stability of these nanoemulsions is critical for their therapeutic viability.
OBJECTIVE: To optimize and characterize a chitosan-based nanoemulsion for the codelivery of 5-FU and Quercus infectoria extract, with emphasis on physicochemical properties including particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential. The study also aimed to assess the long-term stability of nanoemulsions formulated with low and medium molecular weight chitosan under varying temperature conditions.
METHODS: Nanoemulsions were formulated by adjusting chitosan concentration, oilto-surfactant ratios, and pH. Physicochemical characterization included measurements of particle size, PDI, zeta potential, pH and Log P. The stability of formulations was assessed over time under controlled storage conditions (~4°C, 25°C, and 35°C) using both low and medium molecular weight chitosan. Samples were analyzed at regular intervals to monitor changes in pH, conductivity, zeta potential, and physical appearance.
RESULTS: The optimized nanoemulsion displayed nanoscale particle size with a low PDI, indicating a uniform droplet distribution, and exhibited a stable, positively charged surface due to chitosan’s inherent cationic properties. Long-term stability studies revealed that nanoemulsions stored at 4°C maintained pH and conductivity over time, particularly those formulated with low molecular weight chitosan. Elevated temperatures (40°C) led to increased droplet aggregation and decreased stability, especially in formulations with low molecular weight chitosan.
CONCLUSIONS: The chitosan-based nanoemulsion effectively encapsulated both 5-FU and Quercus infectoria, exhibiting favorable physicochemical characteristics and the potential for applicable biological activity. The low molecular weight chitosan at 1% conferred superior longterm stability, especially under skin temperature conditions. These results highlight the potential of this nanoemulsion system for wound healing applications, with future studies planned to further validate in vitro and in vivo performance.
Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical chemistry.
Chitosan.
Wound healing.
Aleppo oak.
Fluorouracil.
Emulsions.
Nanoscience.
Recommended Citation
Ameha, Kalkedan, "Optimization of chitosan nanoemulsion and its application in delivering 5-Fluorouracil and Quercus infectoria for wound healing" (2025). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1941.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1941
