In vitro Cytotoxic Study of Andrographis paniculata Ethanol Extract Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles in Raw 264.7 Cells

The medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata contains andrographolide as its main bioactive compound, which exhibits various pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory effects. However, andrographolide is characterized by poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. One strategy to overcome these limitations involves the formulation of nanoparticles using natural polymers, such as chitosan. This study aimed to assess the characteristics and cytotoxicity of chitosan-based ethanol extract nanoparticles of Andrographis paniculata on Raw 264.7 cells. The chitosan-based ethanol extract nanoparticles of Andrographis paniculata were synthesized using an ionic gelation method with tripolyphosphate as the cross-linker. The nanoparticles were subsequently characterized in terms of particle size, size distribution, zeta potential, morphology, functional groups, and thermal analysis. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The chitosan-based ethanol extract nanoparticles of Andrographis paniculata exhibited a particle size of 356.3±20.2 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.318±0.037, and a zeta potential of -25.97±0.97 mV. Morphologically, the nanoparticles were asymmetrical rod-like and needle-shaped structures. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that the cell viability percentage for all treatment groups exceeded 50%, indicating that the nanoparticles are non-toxic to Raw 264.7 cells. In conclusion, the chitosan-based ethanol extract nanoparticles of Andrographis paniculata demonstrated favourable characteristics and were non-toxic to Raw 264.7 cells.