This study formulated and characterized metformin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) using the ionic gelation technique and evaluated their drug release kinetics. Characterization confirmed successful drug encapsulation, with FTIR indicating compatibility, XRD showing reduced crystallinity, and particle sizes ranging from 184.28 to 246.82 nm. The NPs exhibited stable zeta potentials (+42.38 to +49.06 mV) and high entrapment efficiencies (68.42% − 81.26%). In vitro drug release studies at pH 7.4 and pH 2 demonstrated an initial burst release, followed by sustained release over 24 hours. The cumulative drug release ranged from 81.92% to 97.72% at pH 7.4 and 89.4% to 98.1% at pH 2, with a faster release at pH 2. Drug release kinetics followed First-order for MN1, while MN2 and MN3 best fitted the Higuchi model, indicating diffusion-controlled release through the chitosan polymeric network. These findings highlight the potential of metformin-loaded chitosan NPs for sustained drug delivery, which may enhance patient compliance by reducing dosing frequency. Future studies should further explore their clinical applications.
Ovenseri et al. (2025) studied this question.