Gold/4-aminopyridine mucoadhesive chitosan nanocomposites as promising nasal drug delivery system for neuroprotection – An ex vivo investigation

4-Aminopyridine is an FDA-approved drug that is used as a neuroprotective agent for demyelinating diseases; however, its use is limited due to its adverse effects, including neurodegeneration. This paper explores a multifaceted approach to address the delivery of 4-aminopyridine employing gold nanoparticles and chitosan-based nasal drug delivery systems. The potential of the neuroprotective effect of 4-aminopyridine loaded in gold nanoparticles adhered on chitosan nanocomposite as delivery systems was evaluated through a series of characterization and ex vivo studies. Furthermore, this research delves into the use of chitosan, a biocompatible polysaccharide, as a nasal drug delivery platform as chitosan mucoadhesive properties and biocompatibility make it an ideal candidate for targeted drug delivery to the central nervous system via the nasal route. Nanocomposite was characterized through various techniques such as DLS, Zeta, FT-IT, HR TEM, mucoadhesion studies, mucin binding studies, etc. The neuroprotective activity of 4-aminopyridine, coupled with the enhanced drug delivery systems involving gold nanoparticles and chitosan, offer a promising strategy for mitigating neurodegeneration and enhancing brain permeability, which was evaluated through ex vivo brain model. Results indicate that the increased biocompatibility of these formulations holds the potential to minimize the toxicity traditionally associated with 4-aminopyridine, paving the way for safer and more effective therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative diseases.