Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide-Chitosan Nanocomposite for Targeted Drug Delivery to the Colon

The synthesized chitosan-based nanocomposite was investigated with the aim of simultaneous diagnosis of colon tumors, targeted drug delivery with minimal toxicity, and treatment monitoring. Zinc oxide-chitosan (ZnO-chitosan) nanocomposite was synthesized from chitosan raw materials, ZnO nanoparticles, and 1% acetic acid. The properties of nanocomposite obtained during different stages were investigated via TEM, FE-SEM/EDX, XRD, FT-IR, DLS, UV–Vis, and fluorescent emission spectrum techniques. Its release rate of bovine serum albumin protein (BSA) was evaluated. The antibacterial effect of the nanocomposite against five types of bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli can play a role in causing or aggravating colonic diseases like; it was examined in a quantitative and qualitative way; the effect of nanocomposite on normal and cancerous human colon cell lines, respectively, HCT-116 and SW-948, was investigated through the MTT assay. Finally, it was found that, by loading BSA on ZnO-chitosan nanocomposite, this nanocomposite has a favorable potential to be used as a drug carrier for the treatment of colon cancer with the least amount of damage to the normal cells around the tumor. It was found that ZnO-chitosan nanocomposite has the most antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, which is one of the most important pathogens of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.