Development of a Hybrid Polyelectrolyte Nanocomposite Based on Trimethylchitosan and CarboxymethylTamarind Seed Polysaccharide as a Matrix Material for the Oral Delivery of Anticancer Drug

The work reports the development of a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) nanocomposite made up of trimethylchitosan (TMC), carboxymethyltamarind seed polysaccharide (CMTSP) and silver nanoparticles, as an effective matrix material for the sustained oral delivery of the anticancer drug 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐Fu). The experimental parameters have been optimized to achieve maximum yield of the PEC. The polymer materials made with different compositions were characterized using physicochemical characterization techniques. The swelling study of the developed matrix materials demonstrated pH‐responsive nature, with the materials exhibiting higher swelling at pH 7.4 than at pH 1.2. The in vitro release of the incorporated drug 5‐Fu from the matrix, evaluated under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions, revealed the pH‐dependent nature of the release. About 95.68 % of the entrapped drug was observed to be released from the nanocomposite at pH 7.4 over a period of 24 h, whereas only 52 % was released under pH 1.2 over a period of 4 h. The drug release process followed the first‐order kinetic model with a Fickian diffusion mechanism. The developed nanocomposite is shown to be compatible with MCF‐10A cell lines. Overall, the nanocomposite appears to be an ideal polymer matrix material for the effective sustained oral delivery of 5‐Fu in cancer therapy.