A facile approach to manufacturing non-ionic surfactant nanodipsersions using proniosome technology and high-pressure homogenization

In this study, a niosome nanodispersion was manufactured using high-pressure homogenization following the hydration of proniosomes. Using beclometasone dipropionate (BDP) as a model drug, the characteristics of the homogenized niosomes were compared with vesicles prepared via the conventional approach of probe-sonication. Particle size, zeta potential, and the drug entrapment efficiency were similar for both size reduction mechanisms. However, high-pressure homogenization was much more efficient than sonication in terms of homogenization output rate, avoidance of sample contamination, offering a greater potential for a large-scale manufacturing of noisome nanodispersions. For example, high-pressure homogenization was capable of producing small size niosomes (209 nm) using a short single-step of size reduction (6 min) as compared with the time-consuming process of sonication (237 nm in >18 min) and the BDP entrapment efficiency was 29.65% ± 4.04 and 36.4% ± 2.8. In addition, for homogenization, the output rate of the high-pressure homogenization was 10 ml/min compared with 0.83 ml/min using the sonication protocol. In conclusion, a facile, applicable, and highly efficient approach for preparing niosome nanodispersions has been established using proniosome technology and high-pressure homogenization

Increase in Endothelin-1 Expression in Umbilical Cord Arteries in Preeclampsia

Objective: Endothelin1 (ET1) is 21- amino acid vasoconstrictor peptide secreted by endotheliumwhich has an important role in the pathoohysiology of preeclampsia (PE).  The objective of this study was to evaluate the binding sites and quantitative changes in ET1 in umbilical cord vessels of PE patients. Methods: This study recruited 40 pregnant women between 20-40 years old at 3rd trimester. All cases selected for this study underwent an elective cesarean section, grouped into 2 groups; PE group of 20 pregnant women (at 3rd trimester) who proved to have pregnancy induced hypertension and proteinuria. The control group was of 20 healthy pregnant females at the same average of gestational age and with the same exclusion criteria and no PE, underwent elective caesarean section.  Umbilical cord tissues were taken from the maternal side, fixed with formalin, paraffin, embedded sections of umbilical cord were treated with Endothelin1 antibody. The immunoreactivity of ET1 was assessed using Aperio image scope software. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS program. Results: The results demonstrated a significant increase (P = 0.001) of ET1 expression in cord vessels of PE group with respect to control group (mean 28.5±1.7, 2.6±0.4 respectively). Conclusion: It is concluded that ET1 is markedly increase in PE and may be the cause behind promoted vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and blood pressure elevation in PE