S.no Batch code CH % w/v Cross linking agent LMT % PEG (ml) Particle size (nm) Mean±SD* PDI Mean±SD* ZP (mV) Mean±SD* ZP (mV) in 0.1 mol/l KCl % Swelling Mean±SD* %EE Mean±SD* Release kinetics Higuchi R2 n-value 1. A1 0.8 10 ml TPP - - 111±16.2 0.231±0.049 38±1.2 -2.76±0.21 428±12.6 - - - 2. A2 0.8 10 ml HMP - - 136±11.4 0.116±0.039 32±1.7 -2.19±0.16 465±12.7 - - - 3. A3 0.8 10 ml TPP 1 - 478±13.1 0.172±0.032 56±1.1 -3.09±0.1 437±13.4 58±0.88 0.9924 0.49 4. A4 0.8 10 ml HMP 1 - 510±14.2 0.318±0.027 50.8±2.3 -1.80±0.07 482±14.2 64±0.60 0.9976 0.52 5. A5 0.8 15 ml TPP 1 - 249±15.1 0.223±0.014 43±1.2 -2.15±0.14 369±11.4 81±0.67 0.9984 0.59 6. A6 0.8 15 ml HMP 1 - 458±13.9 0.199±0.059 46±1.5 -1.05±0.19 375±10.4 87±0.85 0.9939 0.57 7. A7 0.8 10 ml TPP - 5 265±12.8 0.517±0.037 36±1.0 -1.86±0.09 350±13.2 - - - 8. A8 0.8 10 ml HMP - 5 388±17.6 0.263±0.022 29±1.1 -1.32±0.05 395±14.4 - - - 9. A9 0.8 10 ml TPP 1 5 717±19.3 0.121±0.036 46±0.96 -3.47±0.17 455±15.3 76±0.90 0.9899 0.50 10. A10 0.8 10 ml HMP 1 5 942±11.7 0.276±0.031 42±1.4 -2.76±0.2 478±15.2 79±0.48 0.9913 0.53 11. A11 0.8 15 ml TPP 1 5 571±17.8 0.224±0.026 37±1.7 -3.85±0.06 347±14.8 85±0.82 0.9932 0.55 12. A12 0.8 15 ml HMP 1 5 648±16.3 0.142±0.046 35±2.2 -2.94±0.07 392±13.7 96±0.51 0.9963 0.58 PEG: Polyethylene glycol 6000, TPP: Sodium tripolyphosphate, HMP: Sodium hexametaphosphate, LMT: Lomustine, CH: Chitosan, PDI: Polydispersity index; SD: Standard deviation for three determinations. *n = 3. The experiments were repeated twice.

Table 1: Formulation composition and characterization of DNPs and PEG coated DNPs.