Applications of Chitosan-Alginate-Based Nanoparticles-An Up-to-Date Review

Overview

Journal Nanomaterials (Basel)

Date 2022 Jan 21

PMID 35055206

Authors

Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu

Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chitosan and alginate are two of the most studied natural polymers that have attracted interest for multiple uses in their nano form. The biomedical field is one of the domains benefiting the most from the development of nanotechnology, as increasing research interest has been oriented to developing chitosan-alginate biocompatible delivery vehicles, antimicrobial agents, and vaccine adjuvants. Moreover, these nanomaterials of natural origin have also become appealing for environmental protection (e.g., water treatment, environmental-friendly fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides) and the food industry. In this respect, the present paper aims to discuss some of the newest applications of chitosan-alginate-based nanomaterials and serve as an inception point for further research in the field.

Citing Articles

Preparation of pH-Responsive Tanshinone IIA-Loaded Calcium Alginate Nanoparticles and Their Anticancer Mechanisms.

Ren T, Wang J, Ma Y, Huang Y, Yoon S, Mu L Pharmaceutics. 2025; 17(1).

PMID: 39861714 PMC: 11768977. DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics17010066.

Chitosan and Its Nanoparticles: A Multifaceted Approach to Antibacterial Applications.

Akdasci E, Duman H, Eker F, Bechelany M, Karav S Nanomaterials (Basel). 2025; 15(2).

PMID: 39852740 PMC: 11768082. DOI: 10.3390/nano15020126.

Nanostructures in Orthopedics: Advancing Diagnostics, Targeted Therapies, and Tissue Regeneration.

Fraczek W, Kotela A, Kotela I, Grodzik M Materials (Basel). 2025; 17(24.

PMID: 39769763 PMC: 11677186. DOI: 10.3390/ma17246162.

Optimization, physicochemical stability and in vivo study of alginate-chitosan composites as nanocarriers for low molecular weight angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide.

Auwal S, Ghanisma S, Saari N J Food Drug Anal. 2024; 32(3):358-370.

PMID: 39636769 PMC: 11464040. DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3522.

Self-assembled nanoparticles of alginate and paclitaxel-triphenylphosphonium for mitochondrial apoptosis targeting.

Esfandyari-Manesh M, Morshedi B, Joolaie P, Dinarvand R Med Oncol. 2024; 41(12):299.

PMID: 39443414 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02540-0.

References

Bilal M, Rasheed T, Iqbal H, Li C, Hu H, Zhang X . Development of silver nanoparticles loaded chitosan-alginate constructs with biomedical potentialities. Int J Biol Macromol. 2017; 105(Pt 1):393-400. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.07.047. View

Homayun B, Lin X, Choi H . Challenges and Recent Progress in Oral Drug Delivery Systems for Biopharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutics. 2019; 11(3). PMC: 6471246. DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11030129. View

Sorasitthiyanukarn F, Muangnoi C, Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket P, Rojsitthisak P, Rojsitthisak P . Chitosan/alginate nanoparticles as a promising approach for oral delivery of curcumin diglutaric acid for cancer treatment. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2018; 93:178-190. DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.07.069. View

Onuigbo E, Iseghohimhen J, Chah K, Gyang M, Attama A . Chitosan/alginate microparticles for the oral delivery of fowl typhoid vaccine: Innate and acquired immunity. Vaccine. 2018; 36(33):4973-4978. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.087. View

Ahmadi F, Ghasemi-Kasman M, Ghasemi S, Gholamitabar Tabari M, Pourbagher R, Kazemi S . Induction of apoptosis in HeLa cancer cells by an ultrasonic-mediated synthesis of curcumin-loaded chitosan-alginate-STPP nanoparticles. Int J Nanomedicine. 2017; 12:8545-8556. PMC: 5716671. DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S146516. View

Kumar S, Chauhan N, Gopal M, Kumar R, Dilbaghi N . Development and evaluation of alginate-chitosan nanocapsules for controlled release of acetamiprid. Int J Biol Macromol. 2015; 81:631-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.08.062. View

Zamboulis A, Nanaki S, Michailidou G, Koumentakou I, Lazaridou M, Ainali N . Chitosan and its Derivatives for Ocular Delivery Formulations: Recent Advances and Developments. Polymers (Basel). 2020; 12(7). PMC: 7407599. DOI: 10.3390/polym12071519. View

Mirtic J, Rijavec T, Zupancic S, Zvonar Pobirk A, Lapanje A, Kristl J . Development of probiotic-loaded microcapsules for local delivery: Physical properties, cell release and growth. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2018; 121:178-187. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2018.05.022. View

Mosafer J, Sabbaghi A, Badiee A, Dehghan S, Tafaghodi M . Preparation, characterization and evaluation of alginate-coated chitosan and trimethylchitosan nanoparticles loaded with PR8 influenza virus for nasal immunization. Asian J Pharm Sci. 2020; 14(2):216-221. PMC: 7032123. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2018.04.005. View

10.

Tao L, Jiang J, Gao Y, Wu C, Liu Y . Biodegradable Alginate-Chitosan Hollow Nanospheres for Codelivery of Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel for the Effect of Human Lung Cancer A549 Cells. Biomed Res Int. 2018; 2018:4607945. PMC: 5896339. DOI: 10.1155/2018/4607945. View

11.

Yu X, Wen T, Cao P, Shan L, Li L . Alginate-chitosan coated layered double hydroxide nanocomposites for enhanced oral vaccine delivery. J Colloid Interface Sci. 2019; 556:258-265. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.08.027. View

12.

Alonso M, Sanchez A . The potential of chitosan in ocular drug delivery. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2004; 55(11):1451-63. DOI: 10.1211/0022357022476. View

13.

Yoncheva K, Benbassat N, Zaharieva M, Dimitrova L, Kroumov A, Spassova I . Improvement of the Antimicrobial Activity of Oregano Oil by Encapsulation in Chitosan-Alginate Nanoparticles. Molecules. 2021; 26(22). PMC: 8623404. DOI: 10.3390/molecules26227017. View

14.

Damasco J, Ravi S, Perez J, Hagaman D, Melancon M . Understanding Nanoparticle Toxicity to Direct a Safe-by-Design Approach in Cancer Nanomedicine. Nanomaterials (Basel). 2020; 10(11). PMC: 7692849. DOI: 10.3390/nano10112186. View

15.

Renu S, Renukaradhya G . Chitosan Nanoparticle Based Mucosal Vaccines Delivered Against Infectious Diseases of Poultry and Pigs. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2020; 8:558349. PMC: 7691491. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.558349. View

16.

Gomez C, Muangnoi C, Sorasitthiyanukarn F, Wongpiyabovorn J, Rojsitthisak P, Rojsitthisak P . Synergistic Effects of Photo-Irradiation and Curcumin-Chitosan/Alginate Nanoparticles on Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha-Induced Psoriasis-Like Proliferation of Keratinocytes. Molecules. 2019; 24(7). PMC: 6479976. DOI: 10.3390/molecules24071388. View

17.

Kumar D, Kumar S, Kumar S, Rohatgi S, Kundu P . Synthesis of rifaximin loaded chitosan-alginate core-shell nanoparticles (Rif@CS/Alg-NPs) for antibacterial applications. Int J Biol Macromol. 2021; 183:962-971. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.05.022. View

18.

MacVane S . Antimicrobial Resistance in the Intensive Care Unit: A Focus on Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections. J Intensive Care Med. 2016; 32(1):25-37. DOI: 10.1177/0885066615619895. View

19.

Xu K, Ganapathy K, Andl T, Wang Z, Copland J, Chakrabarti R . 3D porous chitosan-alginate scaffold stiffness promotes differential responses in prostate cancer cell lines. Biomaterials. 2019; 217:119311. DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119311. View

20.

Gao Y, Ma Q, Cao J, Wang Y, Yang X, Xu Q . Recent advances in microfluidic-aided chitosan-based multifunctional materials for biomedical applications. Int J Pharm. 2021; 600:120465. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120465. View