50 research outputs found
Radical Crosslinked Albumin Microspheres as Potential Drug Delivery Systems: Preparation and In Vitro Studies
The aim of this research is the preparation of acryloylated bovine serum albumin microspheres and the evaluation of their employment in drug delivery. The influence of preparation parameters on albumin microspheres and the chemicophysical properties of loaded drugs were investigated. In particular, we focused our attention on acylation albumin degree, amount of acryloylated albumin against comonomer in the polymerization step, and finally the release profile. We considered on the interaction drug-matrix, the fuctionalization degree of albumin, and the water affinity of matrix
Radical Crosslinked Albumin Microspheres as Potential Drug Delivery Systems: Preparation and In Vitro Studies
The aim of this research is the preparation of acryloylated bovine serum albumin microspheres and the evaluation of their employment in drug delivery. The influence of preparation parameters on albumin microspheres and the chemicophysical properties of loaded drugs were investigated. In particular, we focused our attention on acylation albumin degree, amount of acryloylated albumin against comonomer in the polymerization step, and finally the release profile. We considered on the interaction drug-matrix, the fuctionalization degree of albumin, and the water affinity of matrix
Albumin nanoparticles for glutathione-responsive release of cisplatin: new opportunities for medulloblastoma treatment
Redox-responsive nanoparticles were synthesized by desolvation of bovine serum albumin followed
by disulfide-bond crosslinking with N, NÊč-Bis (acryloyl) cystamine. Dynamic light scattering and
transmission electron microscopy studies revealed spherical nanoparticles (mean diameter: 83 nm,
polydispersity index: 0.3) that were glutathione-responsive. Confocal microscopy revealed rapid,
efficient internalization of the nanoparticles by Daoy medulloblastoma cells and healthy controls
(HaCaT keratinocytes). Cisplatin-loaded nanoparticles with drug:carrier ratios of 5%, 10%, and
20% were tested in both cell lines. The formulation with the highest drug:carrier ratio reduced Daoy
and HaCaT cell viability with IC50 values of 6.19 and 11.17 ÎŒg mL-1, respectively. The differential
cytotoxicity reflects the cancer cellsâ higher glutathione content, which triggers more extensive
disruption of the disulfide bond-mediated intra-particle cross-links, decreasing particle stability and
increasing their cisplatin release. These findings support continuing efforts to improve the safety
and efficacy of antineoplastic drug therapy for pediatric brain tumors using selective nanoparticlebased
drug delivery systems
Silica-based mesoporous materials as drug delivery system for methotrexate release.
Antineoplastic methotrexate has been loaded through different soaking procedures on silica-based mesoporous materials and, successively, released mimicking an oral administration. The materials were prepared using a self-assembly mechanism in the presence of cationic surfactants with alkyl chain of 16, 12, and 10 carbon atoms in the synthesis mixture to obtain different pore diameter in the porous structure. Mesoporous materials were prepared as pure silica sample and in the presence of Al(OH)(3) in the synthesis mixture. Only alumina-silica samples were able to load methotrexate. The amounts of drug loaded and the in vitro release kinetics are a function of the pore size of the materials
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Polyphenols delivery by polymeric materials: challenges in cancer treatment
Nanotechnology can offer different solutions for enhancing the therapeutic efficiency of polyphenols, a class of natural products widely explored for a potential applicability for the treatment of different diseases including cancer. While possessing interesting anticancer properties, polyphenols suffer from low stability and unfavorable pharmacokinetics, and thus suitable carriers are required when planning a therapeutic protocol. In the present review, an overview of the different strategies based on polymeric materials is presented, with the aim to highlight the strengths and the weaknesses of each approach and offer a platform of ideas for researchers working in the field
Carbon Nanotubes Hybrid Hydrogels for Environmental Remediation: Evaluation of Adsorption Efficiency under Electric Field
The performance of Carbon Nanotubes hybrid hydrogels for environmental remediation was investigated using Methylene Blue (MB), Rhodamine B (RD), and Bengal Rose (BR) as model contaminating dyes. An acrylate hydrogel network with incorporated CNT was synthesized by photo-polymerization without any preliminary derivatization of CNT surface. Thermodynamics, isothermal and kinetic studies showed favorable sorption processes with the application of an external 12 V electric field found to be able to influence the amount of adsorbed dyes: stronger interactions with cationic MB molecules (qexp and q12exp of 19.72 and 33.45 mg gâ1, respectively) and reduced affinity for anionic RD (qexp and q12exp of 28.93 and 13.06 mg gâ1, respectively) and neutral BR (qexp and q12exp of 36.75 and 15.85 mg gâ1, respectively) molecules were recorded. The influence of pH variation on dyes adsorption was finally highlighted by reusability studies, with the negligible variation of adsorption capacity after five repeated sorption cycles claiming for the suitability of the proposed systems as effective sorbent for wastewater treatment
Recent advances in the synthesis and biomedical applications of nanocomposite hydrogels
Hydrogels sensitive to electric current are usually made of polyelectrolytes and undergo erosion, swelling, de-swelling or bending in the presence of an applied electric field. The electrical conductivity of many polymeric materials used for the fabrication of biomedical devices is not high enough to achieve an effective modulation of the functional properties, and thus, the incorporation of conducting materials (e.g., carbon nanotubes and nanographene oxide) was proposed as a valuable approach to overcome this limitation. By coupling the biological and chemical features of both natural and synthetic polymers with the favourable properties of carbon nanostructures (e.g., cellular uptake, electromagnetic and magnetic behaviour), it is possible to produce highly versatile and effective nanocomposite materials. In the present review, the recent advances in the synthesis and biomedical applications of electro-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels are discussed
Antioxidant Activity of a Mediterranean Food Product: âFig Syrupâ
In this work, the efficacy of fig syrup, a Mediterranean fig derivative, as a nutraceutical supplement, was demonstrated. Fig syrup is a fruit concentrate used as a common ingredient in the preparation of typical foods, and particularly in cakes. In vitro assays were performed to determine the amount of nutraceutical ingredients, such as phenolic compounds (3.92 mg equivalent of gallic acid per g) and flavonoids (0.35 mg equivalent of catechin per g), while HPLC analyses provided specific information about the composition of antioxidants in the syrup. Furthermore, total antioxidant activity, scavenging properties against DPPH and peroxyl radicals, and the anticholinesterase activity, clearly showed the efficacy of the syrup in preventing damage induced by free radicals and, thus, the applicability of this food derivative as a nutraceutical supplement