Protective effect of guarana-loaded liposomes on hemolytic activity

Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke, popularly known as guarana, is one of the most promising plants in Brazilian flora and has attracted considerable interest from the scientific community owing to its numerous therapeutic activities and less side effects. Hence, using nanotechnology is a viable alternative to primarily improve the physicochemical characteristics and bioavailability of guarana. The objective of the present study was to develop, characterize, and evaluate the stability of liposomes containing guarana powder and to evaluate their antioxidant and hemolytic activity in vitro. Three different concentrations of guarana powder and two methods of liposome preparation were tested. Liposomes were developed and characterized, and their stability was analyzed by evaluating physicochemical parameters. Hemolytic activity of guarana liposomal formulation (G-Lip) was compared with that of guarana in its free form (FG) and of liposome without guarana (W-Lip). Red blood cells from rats were exposed to these different formulations dissolved in phosphate buffer solution (PBS; pH 7.4). The best stability was achieved for the formulation containing 1 mg.mL−1 guarana powder produced by the reverse phase evaporation method. FG showed dose-dependent antioxidant activity, which was maintained in G-Lip. W-Lip showed high hemolytic activity in PBS at pH 7.4 possibly because of the presence of polysorbate 80, and on addition of guarana to these structures, the hemolytic process was reversed. The same protective effect was observed for FG. It is believed that the complex structure of guarana, primarily the presence of polyphenols, exerts a powerful antioxidant action, helping to protect erythrocytes

Efecto insecticida y repelente del aceite de canela sobre moscas asociadas con el ganado

Objetivo. Debido a la mayor resistencia parásita, hay una necesidad de explorar insecticidas alternativos, incluidos los productos naturales, tales como aceites esenciales. En este sentido, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar, para el primer equipo, el efecto insecticida y repelente de Cinnamomum zeylanicum (formas libres y nanoemulsión) in vitro e in vivo. Materiales y métodos. Para ello, el efecto insecticida de la forma libre se ensayó a 1.0, 5.0 y 10%, mientras que la forma nanoemulsión se ensayó a 0.5, 1.0 y 5.0% frente a las moscas domésticas adultas, Musca domestica. Para la validación de la prueba, las moscas fueron rociados con el diluyente (agua y triton 10%) y con nanoemulsión en blanco (sin aceite esencial de C. zeylanicum). También, fueron realizados pruebas in vivo usando vacas naturalmente infestadas con Haemotobia irritans. Resultados. Los resultados demostraron que el aceite de canela (10%) y la nanoemulsión (5%) fueron 100% eficaz contra M. domestica después de 90 minutos de exposición. El efecto repelente se ensayó in vivo usando 5% de aceite de canela en vacas Holstein, naturalmente infestados por Haemotobia irritans. Se contaron las moscas a las 0, 1, 2, 3, 9 y 24 h después del tratamiento el aceite de canela. Se verificó disminución significativa (p<0.05) en el número de moscas vivas de vacas canela pulverizada en todo momento. Conclusiones. En base a estos resultados, C. zeylanicum mostró un efecto insecticida (in vitro) contra las moscas domésticas y efecto repelente (in vivo) contra la mosca de los cuernos

Tretinoin-loaded polymeric nanocapsules: evaluation of the potential toimprove the antiproliferative activities on Allium cepa root-tip compared to the free drug

Se prepararon nanopartículas poliméricas conteniendo tretinoína por el método de depósito interfacial de polímero preformado. Para el ensayo de actividad antiproliferativa se utilizaron: tretinoína en forma de solución y contenida en nanocápsulas poliméricas, que fueron ensayadas usando el modelo de raíz de Allium cepa. Las nanocápsulas mostraron un tamaño promedio en el rango de los nanómetros, con un bajo índice de polidispersidad, pH ácido, y una eficiencia de encapsulación mayor al 99%. Las nanocápsulas ensayadas mostraron una disminución significativa del índice mitótico (1,36%) comparado con el control-agua (8,20%), así como respecto al fármaco libre (2,76%). Esta mejora en la actividad antiproliferativa no conllevó a un aumento en la expresión de aberraciones cromosómicas. En conclusión, la encapsulación en nanocápsulas poliméricas mejora la eficacia antiproliferativa de la tretinoína en el modelo ensayado.Tretinoin-loaded nanocapsules were prepared by the interfacial deposition of preformed polymer method. For the antiproliferative activity assay a tretinoin solution and tretinoin-loaded nanocapsules were tested on Allium cepa root-tip model. Tretinoin-loaded nanocapsules presented nanometric mean size, low polydispersity index, acidic pH value and encapsulation efficiency higher than 99%. Tretinoin-loaded nanocapsules presented a significant decrease in the mitotic index (1.36%) compared to the control-water (8.20%), as well as to the free drug (2.76%). This improvement in the antiproliferative activity did not lead to an increase in the frequency of chromosome aberrations. Encapsulation in polymeric nanocapsule suspensions improves the in vivo antiproliferative efficacy of tretinoin on the tested model.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Set-up of a method using LC-UV to assay mometasone furoate in pharmaceutical dosage forms

A reliable method using LC-UV to assay mometasone furoate (MF) in creams or nasal sprays using the same chromatographic conditions was set up. Methanol:water 80:20 (v/v) (1.0 mL min-1) was used as mobile phase. MF was detected at 248 nm and analyzed in a concentration range from 1.0 to 20.0 µg mL-1. The method provided acceptable theoretical plates, peak simmetry, peak tailing factor and peak resolution a short run (5 min). The method showed specificity, good linearity (r = 0.9999) and the quantification limit was 0.379 µg mL-1. Furthermore, the method was precise (RSD < 2.0%), accurate (recovery > 97%) and robust