49 research outputs found

    Water dispersible microbicidal cellulose acetate phthalate film

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    BACKGROUND: Cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) has been used for several decades in the pharmaceutical industry for enteric film coating of oral tablets and capsules. Micronized CAP, available commercially as "Aquateric" and containing additional ingredients required for micronization, used for tablet coating from water dispersions, was shown to adsorb and inactivate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), herpesviruses (HSV) and other sexually transmitted disease (STD) pathogens. Earlier studies indicate that a gel formulation of micronized CAP has a potential as a topical microbicide for prevention of STDs including the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The objective of endeavors described here was to develop a water dispersible CAP film amenable to inexpensive industrial mass production. METHODS: CAP and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) were dissolved in different organic solvent mixtures, poured into dishes, and the solvents evaporated. Graded quantities of a resulting selected film were mixed for 5 min at 37°C with HIV-1, HSV and other STD pathogens, respectively. Residual infectivity of the treated viruses and bacteria was determined. RESULTS: The prerequisites for producing CAP films which are soft, flexible and dispersible in water, resulting in smooth gels, are combining CAP with HPC (other cellulose derivatives are unsuitable), and casting from organic solvent mixtures containing ≈50 to ≈65% ethanol (EtOH). The films are ≈100 ” thick and have a textured surface with alternating protrusions and depressions revealed by scanning electron microscopy. The films, before complete conversion into a gel, rapidly inactivated HIV-1 and HSV and reduced the infectivity of non-viral STD pathogens >1,000-fold. CONCLUSIONS: Soft pliable CAP-HPC composite films can be generated by casting from organic solvent mixtures containing EtOH. The films rapidly reduce the infectivity of several STD pathogens, including HIV-1. They are converted into gels and thus do not have to be removed following application and use. In addition to their potential as topical microbicides, the films have promise for mucosal delivery of pharmaceuticals other than CAP

    Potential therapeutic applications of microbial surface-activecompounds

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    Numerous investigations of microbial surface-active compounds or biosurfactants over the past two decades have led to the discovery of many interesting physicochemical and biological properties including antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and therapeutic among many other pharmaceutical and medical applications. Microbial control and inhibition strategies involving the use of antibiotics are becoming continually challenged due to the emergence of resistant strains mostly embedded within biofilm formations that are difficult to eradicate. Different aspects of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm control are becoming issues of increasing importance in clinical, hygiene, therapeutic and other applications. Biosurfactants research has resulted in increasing interest into their ability to inhibit microbial activity and disperse microbial biofilms in addition to being mostly nontoxic and stable at extremes conditions. Some biosurfactants are now in use in clinical, food and environmental fields, whilst others remain under investigation and development. The dispersal properties of biosurfactants have been shown to rival that of conventional inhibitory agents against bacterial, fungal and yeast biofilms as well as viral membrane structures. This presents them as potential candidates for future uses in new generations of antimicrobial agents or as adjuvants to other antibiotics and use as preservatives for microbial suppression and eradication strategies

    Influence of a neoglycolipid and its PEO-lipid moiety on the organization of phospholipid monolayers

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    International audienceThe surface properties of the neoglycolipid (GlcNAcE(3)G(28)) and of its PEO-lipid (E(3)G(28)) moiety mixed with phospholipids (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, DPPC; distearoylphosphatidylcholine, DSPC; diarachidoylphosphatidylcholine, DAPC; and dibehenoylphosphatidylcholine, DBPC) were studied in Langmuir monolayers at various mixture compositions and surface pressures. The pi-A isotherms of the pure compounds revealed that because of the presence of the sugar group in its molecule, GlcNAcE3G28 collapsed at a higher surface pressure and occupied a larger molecular area than the PEO-lipid moiety. It was also observed that the presence of the PEO-lipid (E3G28) in the mixtures triggered a strong alteration of both phospholipid pi-A isotherm profiles and surface diffraction spectra, an indication that the disordering of the initially structured phospholipid monolayers took place. Unlike E3G28, GlcNAcE(3)G(28) did not disorganize phospholipid monolayers but generated a partial segregation of the film-forming components. The calculated excess free energies of mixing (Delta G(exc)) for GlcNAcE(3)G(28)-phospholipid mixtures enabled us to predict the stability of such systems
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