Nano-encapsulation and characterizations of glimepiride drug with chitosan nanoparticles and its in vitro drug release kinetics and antidiabetic activity

The objective of the present study was to encapsulate the glimepiride (GLM) drug with biodegradable chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) by using the emulsification-solvent evaporation method to control and provide better treatment options for those suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus. The encapsulation efficiency of encapsulated GLM–CS NPs was found to be 91.4%, indicating that the CS NPs were able to effectively encapsulate with the GLM drug. The XRD analysis showed characteristic peaks at 2θ values of 16.25°, 22.99° and 35.01°, which indicated an amorphous nature. The HR-TEM showed an average size of 22.33nm, were spherical in shape, and some were clusters in nature. The AFM showed a spherical shape with a size of 25.15nm and a height of 59.1nm. The particle size analysis showed an average size of 184.9 d.nm, and the Zeta potential form was -8.46mV. The in vitro drug release study indicated sustained release over a period of 32hours and also displayed outstanding inhibitory potential against α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities with IC50 values of 281.64 and 283.69µg/mL, respectively, and standard acarbose showed 252.50 and 252.71µg/mL, respectively. We believed that sustained release of encapsulated GLM–CS NPs could control diabetes by blocking the enzymes that break down carbohydrates into simple sugars, thus preventing them from being absorbed into the bloodstream. It could offer a controlled and prolonged release of the drug, which help to decrease the regularity of drug administration and potentially lead to improved patient compliance and better control of plasma glucose levels.