Discovering novel biomaterials for drug delivery using exopolysaccarides

• Main Author: Low, Rayland Jun Yan
• Other Authors: Loo Say Chye Joachim
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials::Biomaterials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/139105
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) from probiotics such as those derived from water/milk kefir are highly sought after due these biomaterials being generally recognised as safe (GRAS). These biomaterials also show potential to be used for encapsulation for drug carriers due to good stability and solubility properties. This study aims to investigate the potential of EPS derived from water and milk kefir as drug carriers for oral delivery. Culturing conditions for EPS productions were optimised for the three bacteria strains isolated from water kefir. The EPS extracted from these 3 bacteria strains were characterised. Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) was done to identify functional groups present in the EPSs. Through Thermogravimetric Analyser (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), this three EPSs were found to have great thermal stability and is suited for pharmaceutical applications where the temperature will usually reach to 150°C for processes like extrusion with no occurrence of decomposition. Other than the EPSs produced from the three bacteria strains from water kefir such as Kefiran derived from milk kefir and commercially available polysaccharides such as Sodium Alginate and Starch were also used to make cryo-particles. These particles were then submerged in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Phosphate buffer solution (PBS) to determine their stability in gastric and intestinal conditions.