RESUMO
Diarrhea is a globally major problem especially Escherichia coli induced diarrhea becoming fatal nowadays in developing countries. Colon-targeted chitosan microspheres (Ms) comprising of lipasezinc and lipasecopper complexes were prepared, loaded with Attapulgite (Cts-Li-Zn-ATG/Ms and Cts-Li-Cu-ATG/Ms) for the treatment of bacterial diarrhea. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies were used for confirmation of proposed lipase-metal complexes. Ms showed particle size range 18⯱â¯0.24 to 23⯱â¯0.83⯵m, zeta potential -13.7⯱â¯0.71 to -29.3⯱â¯1.34â¯mV, PDI 0.5⯱â¯0.04 to 1.0⯱â¯0.07 and hemolytic activity was found to be <5⯱â¯1.25â¯%. After coating with Eudragit S-100 for colon targeting, in-vitro % drug release of ATG at pHâ¯7.4 was 80⯱â¯0.21â¯% for Eud-Cts-Li-Zn-ATG/Ms while it was increased to 83⯱â¯0.54â¯% for Eud-Cts-Li-Cu-ATG/Ms within 7â¯h, respectively. In-vivo anti-diarrheal activity of Eud-Cts-Li-Zn-ATG/Ms and Eud-Cts-Li-Cu-ATG/Ms was performed by oral challenge on albino mice having infectious diarrhea colonized with E. coli. Results revealed significant anti-diarrheal effect of proposed Eud-Cts-Li-Cu-ATG/Ms in terms of weight gain from 24⯱â¯0.12â¯g to 26.05⯱â¯0.31â¯g, which was 2-fold increase as compared to Eud-Cts-Li-Zn-ATG/Ms. Conclusively, Eud-Cts-Li-Cu-ATG/Ms provides an innovative alternate for the treatment of bacterial diarrhea with additional support of chitosan and lipase for nutritional support and immunity which was compromised in diarrheal patients.