The objective of the current study was to design and optimize prednisolone acetate-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) through design experts for ophthalmic drug delivery. Chitosan NPs were prepared by ionic gelation using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The effects of variables, such as chitosan concentration, chitosan to TPP mass ratio (ch:TPP), and prednisolone concentration on particle size, zeta potential (ZP), and polydispersity index (PDI), were studied using a three-factor three-level central composite design (CCD), and optimum experimental conditions were determined using the desirability function combined response surface methodology (RSM). Quadratic and reduced quadratic polynomial models were generated to predict and evaluate the independent variables with respect to the dependent variables. The composition of the optimal formulation was determined to be a chitosan concentration of 0.26%, chitosan to TPP mass ratio of 6:1, and drug concentration with respect to chitosan mass of 8.11%. The optimized formulation showed a percentage entrapment efficiency (% EE) of 78.32%, mean particle size of 193.5, PDI of 0.219, ZP of 10.3 mV, and 86.15% cumulative drug release. The morphology of the NPs was found to be nearly spherical in shape by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed successful loading of the drug in NPs, and FTIR confirmed polymer and drug compatibility.

当前研究的目的是通过用于眼科药物递送的设计专家设计和优化醋酸泼尼松龙负载的壳聚糖纳米颗粒（NPs）。使用三聚磷酸钠（TPP）通过离子凝胶化制备壳聚糖NP。使用三因素三因素分析法研究了壳聚糖浓度，壳聚糖与TPP质量比（ch：TPP）和泼尼松龙浓度等变量对粒径，ζ电位（ZP）和多分散指数（PDI）的影响。中心复合设计（CCD）和最佳实验条件是使用合意函数组合响应面方法（RSM）确定的。生成了二次和简化二次多项式模型，以预测和评估关于因变量的自变量。确定最佳制剂的组成为：壳聚糖浓度为0.26％，壳聚糖与TPP的质量比为6：1，相对于壳聚糖质量的药物浓度为8.11％。优化的制剂显示出包封率（EE）百分比为78.​​32％，平均粒径为193.5，PDI为0.219，ZP为10.3 mV，累积药物释放为86.15％。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）发现NP的形态几乎为球形。差示扫描量热法（DSC）揭示了该药物在NP中的成功装载，并且FTIR证实了聚合物和药物的相容性。平均粒径为193.5，PDI为0.219，ZP为10.3 mV，累积药物释放为86.15％。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）发现NP的形态几乎为球形。差示扫描量热法（DSC）揭示了该药物在NP中的成功装载，并且FTIR证实了聚合物和药物的相容性。平均粒径为193.5，PDI为0.219，ZP为10.3 mV，累积药物释放为86.15％。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）发现NP的形态几乎为球形。差示扫描量热法（DSC）揭示了该药物在NP中的成功装载，并且FTIR证实了聚合物和药物的相容性。