THE EFFECT OF TiO2 NANOPARTICLES (DOPED OR NOT WITH Ag, ENCAPSULATED OR NOT IN LYPOSOMES), ON THE SPLEEN ULTRASTRUCTURE IN Mus musculus SPECIES, EXPOSED AT A STRESS FACTOR X-RAYS

The present experiment was performed on young females of Mus musculus, 22-24 g each, intraperitoneal injected with a suspension of titanium dioxide (five injections of 0.5 ml each, one at two days, with 0.01% TiO2 or TiO2-Ag suspension). The TiO2 nanoparticles of anatase crystallization form, 10-20 nm size, wereconjugated or not with 1% Ag, encapsulated or not in lyposome. A day after the third injection, half of theanimals received a sublethal dose of X-rays (2.58 Gy; the stress factor). A day after the last injection, the animals were sacrificed through the section of thecarotid artery. Ultrastructural investigations were performed at the spleen level. The analysis of the ultrastructural features from the spleen level enabledthe following observations: the single action of the TiO2 or TiO2-Ag nanoparticles induced an inflammatory process, but in the presence of X-rays, they manifested a slight protective effect; the TiO2-Ag nanoparticles, encapsulated in liposome, manifested a strong radioprotective effect, but the endocapsulation process is not optimal and has to be improved; the presence of a protective effect at the spleen level can suggest that the TiO2-Ag nanoparticles can be used to enhance the organism resistance in case of carcinogenic treatment (in animal or in homo)

Nanotechnology Applications to Improve Solubility of Bioactive Constituents of Foods for Health-Promoting Purposes

Foods-derived multifunctional compounds, such as carotenoids, vitamins, phytosterols, polyunsaturated lipids, curcuminoids, flavonoids and polyphenols, in addition to the basic nutritional value, own extra health benefits and are considered \u201cpharmaceutical-grade nutrients\u201d better known as \u201dnutraceuticals\u201d. Similarly, phytochemicals from plants, characterized by analogous chemical structures, can be considered \u201cpharmaceutical-grade molecules\u201d. They could provide both diseases preventive actions and remarkable therapeutic benefits but, the efforts for identifying their mode of action and for applying them into food industry with health-promoting purposes, are often unsuccessful. Solubility is essential for a good absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and to achieve the systemic concentration necessary for an effective therapeutic activity, but the majority of these compounds are water-insoluble. Consequently, when ingested, they encounter many difficulties in crossing the diverse barriers to reach the bloodstream and to distribute to cells and tissues. Their absorption at gastric or intestinal level is troubled and in addition, they suffer from early degradation or fast metabolism, so rarely they manage to reach the site of action in therapeutically effective concentration and their clinical applications result strongly limited. Toxic excipients and harmful solubilizing agents were and are extensively used for solubilizing and delivering non-soluble bioactive chemicals (BACs) despite the resulting unpleasant side effects complained of by patients. During last decades, several new techniques, often resorting to nanotechnology, aiming at enhancing BACs solubility, at solving their pharmacokinetics drawbacks, at avoiding their early inactivation or fast metabolism, have been developed. On this background, the following chapter provides an overview concerning nanotechnology contribute and its technological advancements in \u201cmanufacturing\u201d nutraceuticals and phytochemicals in more bioavailable nanoparticles. In addition, it is reviewed the involvement of nanoscience in developing and enhancing food-grade solid nanosized materials to be used as BACs \u201ccontainers\u201d and \u201cvehicles\u201d either for their safe and effective oral administration, in the frame of medical treatments, or for achieving smart food ingredients to improve the quality and shelf life of nourishments