18. Oral colon cancer targeting by chitosan nanocomposites

Table 18.9 Experimental studies of folic acid conjugated chitosan as anticolon cancer drug nanocarrier

Candidate	Experiment	Remark	Reference
5-Aminolevulinic acid	Chitosan-folic acid conjugate was transformed into nanoparticles as carrier of 5-aminolevulinic acid. The anticancer activity of nanoparticles was evaluated in vitro by cell culture technique using HT29 and Caco-2 colon cancer cell lines overexpressing with folate receptor Folate-chitosan nanoparticles, co- loaded with 5- fluorouracil and leucovorin, were prepared by ionic gelation technology. The nanoparticles were physically microencapsulated by enteric polymer eudragit S-100, using a solvent evaporation method The chitosan-folic acid conjugate nanoparticles were prepared by crosslinking the conjugates with sodium tripolyphosphate with casein loaded as fluorescent marker	The nanoparticles are taken up by HT29 and Caco-2 cell lines, most likely via receptor- mediated endocytosis The protoporphyrin IX is accumulated in cancer cells as a function of the folate receptor expression and the folic acid conjugation of chitosan	[55]
5-Fluorouracil and leucovorin		The microencapsulated particles are a promising vehicle for selectively targeting drugs to colon for colon cancer treatment	[56]
Calcein (fluorescent marker)		The nanoparticles exhibit improved uptake by HT29 cells and can become a potential targeted drug delivery system for colon cancer treatment	[57]

folate receptors on the cancer cell surfaces. Chitosan can be covalently linked with folic acid and used as matrix material of cancer therapeutics for the treatment of colon cancer [54]. Table 18.9 summarizes the outcome of folic acid conjugated chitosan as nanocarrier of anticancer therapeutics for colon cancer treatment.
422 Applications of Nanocomposite Materials in Drug Delivery

11.