Carbon nanotubes as a novel drug delivery system for anticancer therapy: a review

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were discovered in 1991 and shown to have certain unique physicochemical properties, attracting considerable interest in their application in various fields including drug delivery. The unique properties of CNTs such as ease of cellular uptake, high drug loading, thermal ablation, among others, render them useful for cancer therapy. Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases of modern times because its therapy involves distinguishing normal healthy cells from affected cells. Here, CNTs play a major role because phenomena such as EPR, allow CNTs to distinguish normal cells from affected ones, the Holy Grail in cancer therapy. Considerable work has been done on CNTs as drug delivery systems over the last two decades. However, concerns over certain issues such as biocompatibility and toxicity have been raised and warrant extensive research in this field.Os nanotubos de carbono foram descobertos em 1991 e suas propriedades físico-químicas únicas demonstradas, despertando interesse em sua aplicação em vários campos, incluindo a entrega liberação de fármacos. As propriedades únicas dos nanotubos de carbono, tais como a facilidade de captação pela célula, carga alta de fármaco, ablação térmica, entre outras, tornaram-nos úteis para terapia de câncer, uma das doenças mais difíceis dos tempos modernos, pois sua terapia envolve a distinção entre as células normais saudáveis e as afetadas pela doença. Os nanotubos de carbono têm um papel importante nessa área porque fenômenos como EPR permitem que estes possam distinguir as células normais das afetadas, que é o Santo Graal na terapia do câncer. Trabalho considerável tem sido feito ao longo das duas últimas década com nanotubos de carbono, como sistemas de liberação de fármacos. No entanto, preocupações sobre algumas questões, como biocompatibilidade e toxicidade, surgiram ao longo do tempo, demandando extensas pesquisa nesse campo

Carbon nanotubes as a novel drug delivery system for anticancer therapy: a review

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were discovered in 1991 and shown to have certain unique physicochemical properties, attracting considerable interest in their application in various fields including drug delivery. The unique properties of CNTs such as ease of cellular uptake, high drug loading, thermal ablation, among others, render them useful for cancer therapy. Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases of modern times because its therapy involves distinguishing normal healthy cells from affected cells. Here, CNTs play a major role because phenomena such as EPR, allow CNTs to distinguish normal cells from affected ones, the Holy Grail in cancer therapy. Considerable work has been done on CNTs as drug delivery systems over the last two decades. However, concerns over certain issues such as biocompatibility and toxicity have been raised and warrant extensive research in this field

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF BERGENIA LIGULATA (WALL.) LEAVES EXTRACTS

Objective: Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Antifungal potential of Phytoconstituents present in leaf extracts of Bergenia ligulata (wall.) plant. Methods: The antimicrobial effects of leaves of Bergenia ligulata (wall.) were evaluated using both ethanol and aqueous extracts against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Penicillium spp. Agar well diffusion method was employed in determining the antimicrobial activity and the broth dilution method for determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. All the isolates examined were susceptible to both the ethanol, aqueous, and the combined aqueous and ethanol extracts (synergetic effect) of the Bergenia ligulata leaves. Results: The zone of inhibition ranged from 6.93 ±0.02b mm to 12.81 ±0.03a mm with Escherichia coli being the most susceptible at 12.81 ±0.03a mm to the ethanol and 11.53 ±0.02a mm to the aqueous extracts at 250 mg/ml concentration while P. aeruginosa and Penicillin spp. were the slightest susceptible at 10.88 ±0.02a mm to the ethanol and 09.76 ±0.02a mm to the aqueous extract at 250 mg/ml concentration. The control/standard antimicrobial agent (Gentamicin and Metronidazole) exhibited higher inhibitory activity than the plant extracts. The least inhibitory value of 6.25 mg/ml was produced against P. aeruginosa by the ethanolic extract and against C. albicans by the combined (aqueous and ethanol) extracts of the plant. The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening of the leaves of Bergenia ligulata reveals the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and steroids. The most abundant percentage composition observed was flavonoids (7.72%) while tannins had the least component (4.29%). Conclusion: The findings from this study show that the leaves extracts hold considerable antimicrobial activity against commonly encountered microorganisms in the environment. This therefore, implies that it can be used as a chemotherapeutic agent which will contribute to the development of antibiotic drugs against the test organisms

Influence of Thermal and Morphological Behaviour on Biomass Waste Materials during Pyrolysis

Aim of this study to investigate the thermal and morphological behaviour of different types of biomass feedstock. For investigation of thermal behaviour we used thermo-gravimetric (TG) analysis and derivative thermo-gravimetric (DTG) analysis. The biomass feedstocks were conceded out under vigorous conditions using nitrogen gas at specific heating rates to gradient the temperature from 25°C to 1000°C. The derivative thermo-gravimetric (DTG) results show that thermal decomposition on these feedstocks. First-order reaction model were used to determine the kinetics parameters for the pyrolysis of biomass wastes. This study used Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) to observe surface morphology properties of the different biomass wastes. The FE-SEM images showed that clearly retained the fibrous structures in the biomass wastes and were rich in macro-pores