Development of high efficacy peptide coated iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated amphotericin B drug delivery system against visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis, a protozoan disease transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies which affect mostly in Indian sub-continent. The treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani are limited and unsatisfactory. Currently available drug against such as miltefosine and polymer based drugs amBisome has high efficacy against VL but found serious side effects and poor absorbance. To overcome this, we developed peptide (glycine) coated iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (GINPs) encapsulated amphoterecin B (AmB) drug against visceral leishmaniasis. Synthesis of GINPs was carried out and different characterization technique used to confirm the synthesis and size of GINPs GINPs-AmB showed that particle size in the range of 10-15nm and closed to spherical in shaped. GINPs-AmB showed release rate of AmB is higher at lower pH. Significantly two fold higher efficacies of GINP encapsulated AmB during in vitro study. There was a substantial reduction in the total parasite burden in spleen in treated groups (GINPs encapsulate AmB), compare to AmB alone. The results obtained from this study revealed that AmB loaded GINPs is twofold effective than AmB and therefore, it opens a new avenue for use of AmB loaded GINPs against VL.