Electrochemical sensing of ecstasy with electropolymerized molecularly imprinted poly(o-phenylenediamine) polymer on the surface of disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes

This study demonstrates the ability of an electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to selectively quantify 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy, in biological samples. The device was constructed using ortho-phenylenediamine (o-PD) as the MIP’s building monomer at the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The step-by-step construction of the SPCE-MIP sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and modelling were performed not only to understand template-monomer interaction but also to comprehend which possible polymer structure - linear or ramified poly(o-PD) – indeed interacts with the analyte. The prepared sensor worked by directly measuring the MDMA oxidation signal through square-wave voltammetry (SWV) after an incubation period of 10 min. Several parameters were optimized, such as the monomer/template ratio, the number of electropolymerization scanning cycles, and the incubation period, to obtain the best sensing efficiency. Optimized sensors exhibited suitable selectivity, repeatability (2.6%), reproducibility (7.7%) and up to one month of stable response. A linear range up to 0.2 mmol L−1 was found with an r2 of 0.9990 and a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.79 and 2.6 μmol L−1 (0.15 and 0.51 μg mL−1), respectively. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to human blood serum and urine samples, showing its potential for application in medicine and in forensic sciences.This work received financial support from FCT/MCTES through national funds and was co-financed by FEDER, under Partnership Agreement PT2020-UID/QUI/50006/2013-POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265. RASC wishes to acknowledge FCT for her PhD fellowship (PD/BD/127797/2016) from the PhD Programme in Medicines and Pharmaceutical Innovation (i3DU). AACB (grants 2014/25770-6 and 2015/01491-3) and LMG (grant 2018/14425-7) thank the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for financial support. AACB (grant 309715/2017-2) also thanks the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) for financial support and fellowships. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tretinoin-based formulations - influence of concentration and vehicles on skin penetration

Tretinoin is used in the management of acne and it is part of a gold standard treatment for photoaging. It has also been reported as an agent for superficial chemical peeling in highly concentrated formulations with few considerations about skin penetration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of drug concentration and vehicles currently used on skin penetration of tretinoin. In vitro permeation tests were carried out using Franz diffusion cells fitted with porcine ear skin and 10% aqueous methanol in the receptor compartment. Formulations studied, cream or hydroalcoholic dispersion, containing 0.25%, 1% and 5% of tretinoin were placed in the donor compartment for six hours. Tretinoin concentration in skin layers was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The largest amount of tretinoin from both vehicles was detected in stratum corneum with significant differences among the three concentrations. The hydroalcoholic dispersion was the best vehicle. Significant amounts of tretinoin were found even in deep layers of epidermis. The formulation with 0.25% tretinoin showed better results when considered the amount of tretinoin on skin in terms of percentage. Finally, skin penetration of tretinoin was influenced by vehicle and concentration of this drug used in formulation

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: status quo, applications, patents, and research needs

Carotenoids are isoprenoids widely distributed in foods that have been always part of the diet of humans. Unlike the other so-called food bioactives, some carotenoids can be converted into retinoids exhibiting vitamin A activity, which is essential for humans. Furthermore, they are much more versatile as they are relevant in foods not only as sources of vitamin A, but also as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health-promoting compounds. Lately, they are also attracting interest in the context of nutricosmetics, as they have been shown to provide cosmetic benefits when ingested in appropriate amounts. In this work, resulting from the collaborative work of participants of the COST Action European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health (EUROCAROTEN, www.eurocaroten.eu, https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA15136/#tabs|Name:overview) research on carotenoids in foods and feeds is thoroughly reviewed covering aspects such as analysis, carotenoid food sources, carotenoid databases, effect of processing and storage conditions, new trends in carotenoid extraction, daily intakes, use as human, and feed additives are addressed. Furthermore, classical and recent patents regarding the obtaining and formulation of carotenoids for several purposes are pinpointed and briefly discussed. Lastly, emerging research lines as well as research needs are highlighted.This article is based upon work from COST Action (European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health, EUROCAROTEN, CA15136, www.eurocaroten.eu, https://www. cost.eu/actions/CA15136/#tabsjName:overview) supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, http://www.cost. eu/).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Latin American consumption of major food groups: Results from the ELANS study

Background The Latin American (LA) region is still facing an ongoing epidemiological transition and shows a complex public health scenario regarding non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A healthy diet and consumption of specific food groups may decrease the risk of NCDs, however there is a lack of dietary intake data in LA countries. Objective Provide updated data on the dietary intake of key science-based selected food groups related to NCDs risk in LA countries. Design ELANS (Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health) is a multicenter cross-sectional study assessing food consumption from an urban sample between15 to 65 years old from 8 LA countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela). Two 24-HR were obtained from 9, 218 individuals. The daily intake of 10 food groups related to NCDs risk (fruits; vegetables; legumes/beans; nuts and seeds; whole grains products; fish and seafood; yogurt; red meat; processed meats; sugar-sweetened beverages (ready-to-drink and homemade)) were assessed and compared to global recommendations. Results Only 7.2% of the overall sample reached WHO's recommendation for fruits and vegetables consumption (400 grams per day). Regarding the dietary patterns related to a reduced risk of NCDs, among the overall sample legumes and fruits were the food groups with closer intake to the recommendation, although much lower than expected (13.1% and 11.5%, respectively). Less than 3.5% of the sample met the optimal consumption level of vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and yogurt. Largest country-dependent differences in average daily consumption were found for legumes, nuts, fish, and yogurt. Mean consumption of SSB showed large differences between countries. Conclusion Diet intake quality is deficient for nutrient-dense food groups, suggesting a higher risk for NCDs in the urban LA region in upcoming decades. These data provide relevant and up-to-date information to take urgent public health actions to improve consumption of critically foods in order to prevent NCDs. Copyright