Fabrication and Characterization of Ceftizoxime-Loaded Pectin Nanocarriers

Ceftizoxime (C(13)H(12)N(5)NaO(5)S(2)) is a parenteral, third-generationcephalosporin antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections including ear, nose, and throat infections. In this work, pectin has been used as a nanocarrier for ceftizoxime due to its high biocompatibility and non-toxicity with tunable surface properties. Ceftizoxime-loaded pectin nanocarriers (CPN) were successfully synthesized by the solvent displacement method. Optimization of nanoformulation was done by response surface methodology using Design-Expert software. The optimized formulation examined various in-vitro characterizations such as particle size, morphology, and FTIR studies. TEM results revealed irregular shape nanoparticles within the range of 29–110 nm. The in-vitro drug release using the dialysis method was performed after 24 h where nanoformulation showed sustained drug release. Drug-loaded nanoparticles revealed good antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus polymyxa, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.