Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model

Abstract Background A significant contributing factor to liver damage is drug consumption. Phytochemicals of Aloe vera extract are effective against a variety of diseases. Consequently, this study aimed to create chitosan nanoparticles (chi NPs) that were loaded with Aloe vera extract (ALV extract)...

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Main Authors: Omar Ashraf, Alyaa Farid, Gehan Safwat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-025-00663-5
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author Omar Ashraf
Alyaa Farid
Gehan Safwat
author_facet Omar Ashraf
Alyaa Farid
Gehan Safwat
author_sort Omar Ashraf
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background A significant contributing factor to liver damage is drug consumption. Phytochemicals of Aloe vera extract are effective against a variety of diseases. Consequently, this study aimed to create chitosan nanoparticles (chi NPs) that were loaded with Aloe vera extract (ALV extract) to increase the delivery of the extract's bioactive materials. ALV extract, chi NPs, and Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ALV-chi NPs) underwent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity tests. The preventive and therapeutic effects of ALV-chi NPs against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury were assessed using a male Sprague Dawley rat model. Results Our findings demonstrated that the synthesis of ALV-chi NPs was a promising option for combining the therapeutic benefits of both ALV extract (included in its phytochemicals) and chi NPs. ALV-chi NPs have a uniformly distributed smooth shape with a size of 48.3 ± 2.97 nm, similar to the hydrodynamic size (50.9 ± 0.07 nm), and a surface charge of 38.16 mV. At a 1000 μg/mL concentration, ALV-chi NPs showed high DPPH scavenging % and a high hemolysis inhibition %. At 75 μg/mL, ALV-chi NPs showed lower PTT (63.7 s) than ALV extract (71.2 s). The phenolic components and flavonoids in the extract were released under controlled conditions throughout time, and their bioavailability was enhanced by loading the extract on chi NPs. Conclusions Among all tested formulations, ALV-chi NPs demonstrated superior efficacy, showing 95.4% DPPH scavenging (vs. 91.8% for free extract), 94.1% hemolysis inhibition (comparable to indomethacin), and optimal hepatoprotection in CCl4-induced liver injury. ALV-chi NPs ameliorated the raised levels of liver function parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and intracellular apoptotic proteins. Graphical abstract
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spelling doaj-art-9eef3bd142364093ae1d2dee0ce8410e2025-08-20T03:43:10ZengSpringerOpenBeni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences2314-85432025-07-0114112010.1186/s43088-025-00663-5Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat modelOmar Ashraf0Alyaa Farid1Gehan Safwat2Cairo UniversityCairo UniversityOctober University of Modern Sciences and ArtsAbstract Background A significant contributing factor to liver damage is drug consumption. Phytochemicals of Aloe vera extract are effective against a variety of diseases. Consequently, this study aimed to create chitosan nanoparticles (chi NPs) that were loaded with Aloe vera extract (ALV extract) to increase the delivery of the extract's bioactive materials. ALV extract, chi NPs, and Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ALV-chi NPs) underwent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity tests. The preventive and therapeutic effects of ALV-chi NPs against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury were assessed using a male Sprague Dawley rat model. Results Our findings demonstrated that the synthesis of ALV-chi NPs was a promising option for combining the therapeutic benefits of both ALV extract (included in its phytochemicals) and chi NPs. ALV-chi NPs have a uniformly distributed smooth shape with a size of 48.3 ± 2.97 nm, similar to the hydrodynamic size (50.9 ± 0.07 nm), and a surface charge of 38.16 mV. At a 1000 μg/mL concentration, ALV-chi NPs showed high DPPH scavenging % and a high hemolysis inhibition %. At 75 μg/mL, ALV-chi NPs showed lower PTT (63.7 s) than ALV extract (71.2 s). The phenolic components and flavonoids in the extract were released under controlled conditions throughout time, and their bioavailability was enhanced by loading the extract on chi NPs. Conclusions Among all tested formulations, ALV-chi NPs demonstrated superior efficacy, showing 95.4% DPPH scavenging (vs. 91.8% for free extract), 94.1% hemolysis inhibition (comparable to indomethacin), and optimal hepatoprotection in CCl4-induced liver injury. ALV-chi NPs ameliorated the raised levels of liver function parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and intracellular apoptotic proteins. Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-025-00663-5Aloe veraCarbon tetrachlorideChitosanCytokineLiver injury
spellingShingle Omar Ashraf
Alyaa Farid
Gehan Safwat
Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
Aloe vera
Carbon tetrachloride
Chitosan
Cytokine
Liver injury
title Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
title_full Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
title_fullStr Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
title_full_unstemmed Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
title_short Preparation of Aloe vera extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury rat model
title_sort preparation of aloe vera extract loaded chitosan nanoparticles for the controlled delivery of extract phytochemicals in carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury rat model
topic Aloe vera
Carbon tetrachloride
Chitosan
Cytokine
Liver injury
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43088-025-00663-5
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