pH and redox triggered doxorubicin release from covalently linked carbon dots conjugates

Tumor microenvironment responsive drug delivery systems are potential approaches to reduce the acute toxicity caused by high-dose cancer chemotherapy. Notwithstanding the conventional nano-drug delivery systems, the redox and pH stimuli drug delivery systems are currently gaining attention. Therefore, the current study was designed to compare three different covalent carbon dots (C-dots) systems based on doxorubicin (dox) release profiles and cancer cell viability efficacy under acidic and physiological conditions. The C-dots nanosystems that were examined in this study are directly conjugated (C-dots-dox), pH triggered (C-dots-HBA-dox), and the redox stimuli (C-dots-S-S-dox) conjugates. The drug loading content (DLC%) of the C-dots-S-S-dox, C-dots-HBA-dox, and C-dots-dox was 34.2 ± 0.4, 60.0 ± 0.3, and 70.0 ± 0.2%, respectively, that examined by UV-vis spectral analysis. The dox release paradigms were emphasized that all three conjugates were promisingly released the dox from C-dots faster in acidic pH than in physiological pH. The displayed highest dox released percentage in the acidic medium was 74.6 ± 0.8% obtained by the pH stimuli, C-dots-HBA-dox conjugate. When introducing the redox inducer, dithiothreitol (DTT), preferentially, the redox stimuli C-dot-S-S-dox conjugate demonstrated a faster dox release at acidic pH than in the pH 7.4. The SJGBM2 cell viability experiments revealed that the pH stimuli, C-dots-HBA-dox conjugate, displayed a significant cell viability drop in the artificially acidified pH 6.4 medium. However, in the physiological pH, the redox stimuli, C-dots-S-S-dox conjugate, was promising over the pH stimuli C-dots-HBA-dox, exhibiting cell viability of 60%, though its' efficacy dropped slightly in the artificially acidified pH 6.4 medium. Moreover, the current study illustrates the stimuli conjugates' remarkable efficacy on sustain drug release than direct amide linkage

ABSORÇÃO E EXTRAÇÃO DE ALGUNS NUTRIENTES PELA CULTIVAR 'GUAJARINA' DE PIMENTA-DO-REINO NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND EXTRACTION BY BLACK PEPPER CULTIVAR 'GUAJARINA'

O potencial econômico da cultura da pimenta do reino e a necessidade real de pesquisas que sustentem a sua exploração levaram a elaboração deste trabalho que teve por objetivo determinar a concentração e a distribuição dos nutrientes N, P, K, Ca e Mg, nas diversas partes da planta. O experimento foi conduzido em Belém, PA, em solo classificado como Latossolo Amarelo, textura média, com as seguintes características químicas: pH em H2O = 4,5; M.O = 17,5 g kg-1; P= 2,0 mg dm-3 e os cátions trocáveis, em mmolc.dm-3, K = 0,48; Ca2+= 4,0; Mg2+ =2,0; Al3+ = 13,0. As amostras foram constituídas de um grupo de seis plantas da cultivar Guajarina, coletadas aos 28 meses de idade, na época da produção. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os nutrientes extraídos pela pimenta-do-reino obedecem à seguinte ordem: N > Ca > K > Mg > P. As quantidades de macronutrientes exportadas pelos frutos, na colheita em kg.ha-1 foram: N=11,22; K=6,15; Ca=3,84; Mg=1,18 e P=1,07.<br>The economic importance of black pepper and the need for information of production sustainability justified this work, to determine the concentration and the distribution of nutrients N, P, K, Ca and Mg, in several parts of the plant. The experiment was carried out in Belém, Pará, in a soil classified as Yellow Latosol (Alic Haplustox), medium texture, with the following chemical characteristics: pH in H2O = 4.5; OM = 17.5 g kg-1; P = 2.0 mg .dm-3 and the exchangeable cations, in mmolc.dm-3, K = 0.48; Ca2+ = 4.0; Mg2+ =2,0; Al3+ = 13.0. The samples were composed of six plants of the cultivar 'Guajarina', collected at 28 months after planting, at the production period. The nutrients were extracted in the decreasing order: N> Ca> K> Mg> P. The amounts of macronutrients exported by the fruits, in kg.ha-1, are: N=11.22; K=6.15; Ca=3.84; Mg=1.18 and P=1.07