الفهرس 
Abstract
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Abstract
Albumin is used as a plasma expander in critically ill patients and for several other clinical applications mainly via intravenous infusion. Oral administration of albumin can improve patient compliance although limited oral bioavailability of proteins is still a major challenge. Although nanomaterials have been extensively utilized for improving oral delivery of proteins, albumin has been utilized only as either a model drug or as a carrier for drug deliveryIn the current study chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed and extensively optimized to improve oral bioavailability of albumin as a therapeutic protein. Several characterizations have been performed for the albumin-loaded NPs (e.g. drug encapsulation efficiency, DSC, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, particle size, zeta potential, morphology, release kinetics and enzymatic stability Nanosized spherical particles were prepared and demonstrated high stability over three months either in a powdered form or as dispersions. Sustained release of albumin over time and high enzymatic stability as compared to the free albumin were observed In vivo, higher serum concentrations of albumin in normal rabbits and cirrhotic rats were attained following oral and intraperitoneal administrations of the albumin-loaded NPs as compared to the free albumin. The NPs developed in the current study might provide efficient nanovehicles for oral administration of therapeutic albumin.