Chitosan-coupled solid lipid nanoparticles: Tuning nanostructure and mucoadhesion.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) composed of biodegradable physiological lipids have been widely proposed as efficient drug delivery systems, also for ophthalmic administration. Recently, chitosan-associated-SLNs have been developed to further improve the residence time of these colloidal systems in the precorneal area by means of mucoadhesive interaction. In the present study, a one-step preparation protocol was used aiming both at scale-up ease and at stronger coupling between chitosan and SLNs. The resulting particles were chitosan associated-SLNs (CS-SLNs). These nanoparticles were characterized, as compared to both the chitosan-free and the usual chitosan-coated ones, by applying a multi-technique approach: light, neutron and X-ray scattering, Zeta-potential, AFM, calorimetry. It was assessed that, while keeping the features of nano-size and surface-charge required for an efficient vector, these new nanoparticles display a strong and intimate interaction between chitosan and SLNs, far more settled than the usual simple coverage. Moreover, this one-step preparation method allows to obtain a strong and intimate interaction between chitosan and SLNs, firmer than the usual simple coating. This confers to the CS-SLNs an improved mucoadhesion, opening the way for a high-performing ophthalmic formulation.