From sugarcane to skin: lignin as a multifunctional ingredient for cosmetic application

Lignin has been suggested as a promising candidate for cosmetic applications due to its remarkable potential to absorb ultraviolet rays and distinctive antioxidant activity. This study aims at evaluating the performance of lignin from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as natural UV blocker, antioxidant, and pigment. Lignin was extracted from SCB, characterized and incorporated into a blemish balm (BB) cream. The biological potential, concretely, in vitro and in vivo sun protection factor (SPF) and in vitro UVA-PF, and safety were assessed. A high-purity SCB lignin (>92 %) was obtained by a mild alkaline extraction process. The results of cytotoxicity, mutagenicity, skin sensitization and in vivo acute cutaneous irritation demonstrated that SCB lignin is safe for topical applications. Lignin showed capacity to scavenge both ABTS and DPPH radicals, which were preserved after its incorporation into the cosmetic formulation. Notable results were achieved in terms of in vitro and in vivo SPF of 9.5 ± 2.9 and 9.6 ± 0.8, respectively. Furthermore, the tested lignin-based BB cream revealed a broad-spectrum UV protection (critical wavelength of 378 ± 0.5 nm). These results suggest SCB lignin as multifunctional and safe ingredient for use in cosmetic products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multiple cell signalling pathways of human proinsulin c-peptide in vasculopathy protection

A major hallmark of diabetes is a constant high blood glucose level (hyperglycaemia), resulting in endothelial dysfunction. Transient or prolonged hyperglycemia can cause diabetic vasculopathy, a secondary systemic damage. C-Peptide is a product of cleavage of proinsulin by a serine protease that occurs within the pancreatic -cells, being secreted in similar amounts as insulin. The biological activity of human C-peptide is instrumental in the prevention of diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy and other vascular complications. The main feature of type 1 diabetes mellitus is the lack of insulin and of C-peptide, but the progressive -cell loss is also observed in later stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus. C-peptide has multifaceted effects in animals and diabetic patients due to the activation of multiple cell signalling pathways, highlighting p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular signalregulated kinase ½, Akt, as well as endothelial nitric oxide production. Recent works highlight the role of C-peptide in the prevention and amelioration of diabetes and also in organ-specific complications. Benefits of C-peptide in microangiopathy and vasculopathy have been shown through conservation of vascular function, and also in the prevention of endothelial cell death, microvascular permeability, neointima formation, and in vascular inflammation. Improvement of microvascular blood flow by replacing a physiological amount of C-peptide, in several tissues of diabetic animals and humans, mainly in nerve tissue, myocardium, skeletal muscle, and kidney has been described. A review of the multiple cell signalling pathways of human proinsulin C-peptide in vasculopathy protection is proposed, where the approaches to move beyond the state of the art in the development of innovative and effective therapeutic options of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy are discussed.The authors acknowledge the financial support received from Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) under the project references M-ERA-NET/0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. The authors acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison of antiproliferative effect of epigallocatechin gallate when loaded into cationic solid lipid nanoparticles against different cell lines

Several therapeutic properties have been attributed to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a phytopharmaceutical polyphenol with antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. EGCG is however very prone to oxidation in aqueous solutions which changes its bioactive properties. Its loading in nanoparticles has been proposed to reduce its degradation while increasing its in vivo efficacy. The aim of this study was to compare the antiproliferative effect of EGCG before and after its loading in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), against five different cell lines (Caco-2, HepG2, MCF-7, SV-80 and Y-79). EGCG produced concentration- and time-dependent antiproliferative effect, with eficacy dependent on the cell line. The order of potency was: MCF-7?>?SV-80?>?HepG2?>?Y-79?>?Caco-2, for 24h exposure (MCF-7 IC50=58.60?±?3.29 µg/mL; Caco-2 IC50>500.00 µg/mL). To the best of our knowledge this is the first study reporting EGCG antiproliferative effect in SV-80 and Y-79 cells. DDAB-SLN physicochemical properties (size ?134nm; PI?0.179; ZP ?+28mV) were only slightly modified with EGCG loading (EGCG-DDAB-SLN: ?144nm; PI?0.160; ZP ?+26mV). EGCG loadingin SLN, only slightly increases the EGCG antiproliferative effect in MCF-7 and SV-80 cells. SLN exhibited intrinsic toxicity, attributed to the surfactant used in its production. From the obtained results, the biocompatibility of blank SLN must be also considered when testing the efficacy of loaded phytopharmaceutics.The financial support was received from Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) under the project UID/AGR/04033/2019 (CITAB). FCT is also acknowledge for the grants SFRH/BD/80335/2011 (JF) and SFRH/BD/60640/2009 (TA).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lignin from sugarcane bagasse as a prebiotic additive for poultry feed

Diet is a crucial factor on health and well-being of livestock animals. Nutritional strengthening with diet formulations is essential to the livestock industry and animal perfor-mance. Searching for valuable feed additives among by-products may promote not only circular economy, but also functional diets. Lignin from sugarcane bagasse was proposed as a potential prebiotic additive for chickens and incorporated at 1 % (w/w) in commercial chicken feed, tested in two feed forms, namely, mash and pellets. Physico-chemical characterization of both feed types with and without lignin was performed. Also, the prebiotic potential for feeds with lignin was assessed by an in vitro gastrointestinal model and evaluated the impact on chicken cecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. As for the pellet's physical quality, there was a higher cohesion of the pellets with lignin, indicating a higher resistance to breakout and lignin decreases the tendency of the pellets for microbial contamination. Regarding the prebiotic potential, mash feed with lignin showed higher promotion of Bifidobacterium in comparison with mash feed without lignin and to pellet feed with lignin. Lignin from sugarcane bagasse has prebiotic potential as additive to chicken feed when supplemented in mash feed diets, presenting itself as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to chicken feed additives supplementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sugarcane light-colored lignin: a renewable resource for sustainable beauty

Lignin has emerged as a promising eco-friendly multifunctional ingredient for cosmetic applications, due to its ability to protect against ultraviolet radiation and its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, its typical dark color and low water solubility limit its application in cosmetics. This study presents a simple process for obtaining light-colored lignin (LCLig) from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) alkaline black liquor, involving an oxidation treatment with hydrogen peroxide, followed by precipitation with sulfuric acid. The physico-chemical characterization, antioxidant and emulsifying potential of LCLig, and determination of its safety and stability in an oil-in-water emulsion were performed. A high-purity lignin (81.6%) with improved water solubility was obtained, as a result of the balance between the total aromatic phenolic units and the carboxylic acids. In addition, the antioxidant and emulsifying capacities of the obtained LCLig were demonstrated. The color reduction treatment did not compromise the safety of lignin for topical cosmetic applications. The emulsion was stable in terms of organoleptic properties (color, pH, and viscosity) and antioxidant activity over 3 months at 4, 25, and 40 °C.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Current State-of-Art and New Trends on Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN and NLC) for Oral Drug Delivery

Lipids and lipid nanoparticles are extensively employed as oral-delivery systems for drugs and other active ingredients. These have been exploited for many features in the field of pharmaceutical technology. Lipids usually enhance drug absorption in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and when formulated as nanoparticles, these molecules improve mucosal adhesion due to small particle size and increasing their GIT residence time. In addition, lipid nanoparticles may also protect the loaded drugs from chemical and enzymatic degradation and gradually release drug molecules from the lipid matrix into blood, resulting in improved therapeutic profiles compared to free drug. Therefore, due to their physiological and biodegradable properties, lipid molecules may decrease adverse side effects and chronic toxicity of the drug-delivery systems when compared to other of polymeric nature. This paper highlights the importance of lipid nanoparticles to modify the release profile and the pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs when administrated through oral route

Soft cationic nanoparticles for drug delivery: production and cytotoxicity of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)

The surface properties of nanoparticles have decisive influence on their interaction with biological barriers (i.e., living cells), being the concentration and type of surfactant factors to have into account. As a result of different molecular structure, charge, and degree of lipophilicity, different surfactants may interact differently with the cell membrane exhibiting different degrees of cytotoxicity. In this work, the cytotoxicity of two cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), differing in the cationic lipids used as surfactants CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) or DDAB (dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide), referred as CTAB-SLNs and DDAB-SLNs, respectively, was assessed against five different human cell lines (Caco-2, HepG2, MCF-7, SV-80, and Y-79). Results showed that the cationic lipids used in SLN production highly influenced the cytotoxic profile of the particles, with CTAB-SLNs being highly cytotoxic even at low concentrations (IC50 < 10 µg/mL, expressed as CTAB amount). DDAB-SLNs produced much lower cytotoxicity, even at longer exposure time (IC50 from 284.06 ± 17.01 µg/mL (SV-80) to 869.88 ± 62.45 µg/mL (MCF-7), at 48 h). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that compares the cytotoxic profile of CTAB-SLNs and DDAB-SLNs based on the concentration and time of exposure, using different cell lines. In conclusion, the choice of the right surfactant for biological applications influences the biocompatibility of the nanoparticles. Regardless the type of drug delivery system, not only the cytotoxicity of the drug-loaded nanoparticles should be assessed, but also the blank (non-loaded) nanoparticles as their surface properties play a decisive role both in vitro and in vivo.This research was funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER, under the project references M-ERA-NET/0004/2015 (PAIRED) and UID/AGR/04033/2019 (CITAB), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Desenvolvimento, produção e caracterização de nanocristais de fármacos pouco solúveis

Poorly soluble drugs have low bioavailability, representing a major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. Processing drugs into the nanosized range changes their physical properties, and these are being used in pharmaceutics to develop innovative formulations known as Nanocrystals. Use of nanocrystals to overcome the problem of low bioavailability, and their production using different techniques such as microfluidization or high pressure homogenization, was reviewed in this paper. Examples of drugs, cosmetics and nutraceutical ingredients were also discussed. These technologies are well established in the pharmaceutical industry and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration

Diabetic retinopathy and ocular melanoma: how far we are?

Diabetic retinopathy causes vascular damage to retinal neurons, presenting characteristics of chronic inflammation. The development of new therapies capable of combating vision loss involves knowledge of inflammatory retinal changes. Studies in animal models and patients with diabetes have shown a high expression of the inflammatory molecules that are involved in the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Uveal melanoma is an eye tumour that remains highly deadly, because despite the correct treatment, it still causes metastasis in about 50% of patients. This type of tumour has the ability to produce and store melanin, which may result in resistance to therapy. Over time there has been development of new therapies for this disease, such as radiotherapy and surgical resection. In this review, we discuss diabetic retinopathy and ocular melanoma, their relationship with angiogenesis and the current anti-angiogenic therapies for their treatment.The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT/MCT) and from European Funds (PRODER/COMPETE) under the project references M-ERANET/0004/2015-PAIRED, UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund) and UID/AGR/04033/2019 (CITAB), co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. The authors also acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The influence of polysaccharide coating on the physicochemical parameters and cytotoxicity of silica nanoparticles for hydrophilic biomolecules delivery

The present work reports the effect of polysaccharides (chitosan and sodium alginate) on silica nanoparticles (SiNP) for hydrophilic molecules delivery taking insulin as model drug. The influence of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and homogenization speed on SiNP properties was assessed by a 22 factorial design achieving as optimal parameters: 0.43 mol/L of TEOS and homogenization speed of 5000 rpm. SiNP mean particle size (Z-Ave) was of 256.6 nm and polydispersity index (PI) of 0.218. SiNP coated with chitosan (SiNP-CH) or sodium alginate (SiNP-SA) increased insulin association efficacy; reaching 84.6% (SiNP-SA) and 90.8% (SiNP-CH). However, coated SiNP released 50%–60% of the peptide during the first 45 min at acidic environment, while uncoated SiNP only released 30%. Similar results were obtained at pH 6.8. The low Akaike’s (AIC) values indicated that drug release followed Peppas model for SiNP-SA and second order for uncoated SiNP and SiNP-CH (pH 2.0). At pH 6.8, the best fitting was Boltzmann for Ins-SiNP. However, SiNP-CH and SiNP-SA showed a first-order behavior. Cytotoxicity of nanoparticles, assessed in Caco-2 and HepG2 cells, showed that 100 to 500 µg/mL SiNP-CH and SiNP-SA slightly decreased cell viability, comparing with SiNP. In conclusion, coating SiNP with selected polysaccharides influenced the nanoparticles physicochemical properties, the insulin release, and the effect of these nanoparticles on cell viability.This research was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), by grating PhD scholarships SFRH/BD/60640/2009 (T. Andreani), SFRH/BD/80335/2011 (J.F. Fangueiro) and SFRH/BD/111274/2015 (P.M.V. Fernandes), and funded projects UID/AGR/04033/2019 (CITAB), and M-ERANET/0004/2015-PAIRED (Partnership Agreement PT2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio