Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/poly(amine)-coated nickel oxide nanoparticles for norfloxacin delivery: antibacterial and cytotoxicity efficiency.

Sustained release dosage forms enable prolonged and continuous release of a drug in the gastrointestinal tract for medication characterized by a short half lifetime. In this study, the effect of blending polyamine on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) as a carrier for norfloxacin (NF) was studied. The prepared blend was mixed with different amounts of NiO nanoparticles and characterized using FTIR analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the drug released from the nanocomposite has a slow rate in comparison with NiO, PHB, and PHB/polyamine blend. The highest ratio of NiO content to the matrix (highest NF loading), leads to a slower rate of drug release. The release from the nanocomposites showed a faster rate at pH = 2 than that at pH = 7.4. The mechanisms of NF adsorption and release were studied on PHB/polyamine-3% NiO nanocomposite. In addition, the antimicrobial efficacy of nanocomposites loaded with the drug was determined and compared with the free drug. Inclusion of NiO into PHB/polyamine showed a higher efficacy against and than the free NF. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of PHB/polyamine-3% NiO against HePG-2 cells was investigated and compared with PHB and PHB/polyamine loaded with the drug. The most efficient IC was found for NF@PHB/polyamine-3% NiO (29.67 μg mL). No effect on cell proliferation against the normal human cell line (WISH) was observed and IC was detected to be 44.95 and 70 μg mL for NiO nanoparticles and the PHB/polyamine-3% NiO nanocomposite, respectively indicating a selectivity of action towards tumor cells coupled with a lack of cytotoxicity towards normal cells.