101,875 research outputs found
A heat-generated polymeric matrix technology transferred to drug delivery and cell culture systems
No full textOur research group have developed and patented a matrix system, suitable for drug delivery and 3D cell
culture, based on the application of a technology consisting in performing a thermal treatment on compact
units including as excipients a specific type of cross-linked, water-insoluble polyacrylic polymers; the thermal
treatment, under appropriate conditions, generates a monolithic hydrophilic matrix able to swell in aqueous
medium at neutral or alkaline pH, forming a hydrogel very resistant to erosion.
This versatile matrix may be employed in systems for drug delivery. Indeed, the inclusion of a hydrophobic
component, such as ethylcellulose, in the composition makes the matrix able to control the release rate of
active substances in the intestinal medium. Moreover, when including in the composition a pH regulator, the
polymer forming the matrix manages to swell even in the stomach’s acidic environment. Tablets with this
composition manage to float immediately in the gastric fluid owing to their low density, to absorb water and
to enlarge, creating the conditions for gastroretention, associated to drug controlled release for up to several
hours.
The technology has also been employed and patented for the preparation of matrices for 3D cell cultures:
in this case, compacts including the polyacrylic polymer, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride, subjected
to thermal treatment and subsequent leaching of the water-soluble components, create a porous hydrophilic
scaffold, moist heat sterilizable, transparent and biocompatible, which has been successfully employed for 3D
culturing of different cell types, and suitable for drug testing.
Our technology can be manufactured with easily available, low-cost components, and the heating process,
fundamental for matrix formation, may be carried out using the common industrial heating systems. The
temperature to which the compacts are heated and the duration of the thermal treatment may be set to modulate
the features of the matrix, achieving either the appropriate drug release rate or the mechanical properties most
suitable for the cultured cells, depending on its application
Liposomes for the delivery of boronated agents for BNCT
No full textBoron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a technique used in cancer treatment which involves the selective accumulation of chemical agents containing the 10B isotope in cancer cells, followed by irradiation with thermal neutrons. The capture of a thermal neutron by a 10B nucleus initiates a nuclear reaction in which the decay of an excited 11B nucleus produces a high linear energy transfer α-particle and a lithium nucleus. The short trajectory (5–9 μm; approximately one cell diameter) of the emitted particles allows to limit damage only to 10B-containing cells, which makes this particular radiotherapy suitable for circumscribed lesion treatment. Moreover, if 10B agents can be selectively targeted to tumor cells, side effects typically associated with ionizing radiation can be avoided. However, for BNCT to be successful in the treatment of cancer, sufficiently high concentrations of 10B atoms have to be reached (≥20 μg 10B per gram of tumor tissue or 109 10B atoms per cell), as well as good retention of 10B in tumor tissue with rapid clearance from blood and normal tissues, and low systemic toxicity of the 10B delivery agent (1; 2).
Our current research has focused on the development of boron-loaded drug delivery systems with the aim of maximizing the amount of 10B agents addressing the tumor tissue and of increasing the tumor/normal tissue ratio.
On this purpose, pegylated liposomes were formulated, characterized, and loaded with boronophenylalanine (L-BPA), a boron agent approved for human trials. B-loaded liposomes were purified by size-exclusion chromatography and boron encapsulation efficiency was evaluated with an ICP-AES method.
The future perspectives of this research will focus on the development of a targeting moiety for the selective delivery of the boron-delivery system to cancer cells
Cell membrane-derived nanoparticles for active targeting to tumor cells
No full textNanotechnology has enabled many improvements in cancer therapy, in terms of increased efficacy in selective drug delivery and limited systemic toxicity. Within this context, cell membrane-derived nanoparticles represent an alternative to
extracellular vesicles allowing to retain the complexity and versatility of the cell membrane, and overcoming the limits of vesicles isolation and of traditional surface modification approach. The purpose of this work is to develop a safe cell-derived nanosystem for drug delivery to target parent malignant tumor cells
Resveratrol proniosomes as a convenient nanoingredient for functional food
No full textProniosomes are free-flowing powders composed of water-soluble carriers blended with surfactants, which form niosomes upon hydration. In this work, proniosomal formulations containing the natural antioxidant resveratrol (RSV) were prepared and fully characterized. A pre-formulation study on RSV-loaded niosomes was carried out to determine the most promising ratio between the two surfactants, Tween 20 and Span 60, in terms of entrapment efficiency and antioxidant activity. The optimized formulae were subsequently adapted to be prepared as proniosomes by the slurry method, including lactose or maltodextrin as carriers. The impact of surfactants and carriers properties on size, entrapment efficiency and release kinetics of proniosomes were evaluated. In vitro release of RSV in simulated gastric and intestinal media was determined, as well as the vesicular stability. Moreover, the biocompatibility of the formulations was determined on intestinal cells in vitro. Overall, the developed proniosomes provide promising nanoingredient for functional food, improving resveratrol stability and bioavailability
Formulation development of a biopolymer-based multilayer film for the local treatment and wound repair of periodontitis
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