Miltefosine and amphoterin B induce membrane rigidity in Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania-infected macrophages.

Miltefosine (MTF) and amphotericin B (AmB), drugs approved for leishmaniasis treatment, induce membrane rigidity in Leishmania amazonensis at concentrations that inhibit parasite growth, as demonstrated through spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Notably, the rigidity induced by MTF is not due to its direct interaction with the membrane, as shorter incubation periods instead increase fluidity. However, measurements taken following short-term drug exposure reflect conditions before possible oxidative stress has fully developed.

Optimized mucus adhesion and penetration of lipid-polymer nanoparticles enables effective nose-to-brain delivery of perillyl alcohol for glioblastoma therapy.

The delivery of drugs directly from the nose to the brain has been explored for the treatment of neurological diseases, such as glioblastoma, by overcoming the blood-brain barrier. Nanocarriers have demonstrated outstanding ability to enhance drug bioavailability in the brain, following intranasal administration. However, the performance of these nanosystems may be hindered by inadequate interactions with the nasal mucosa, limiting their effectiveness in reaching the olfactory region, and consequently, the translocation of particles to the brain.

Near Infrared Biomimetic Hybrid Magnetic Nanocarrier for MRI-Guided Thermal Therapy.

Cell-membrane hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are designed to improve drug delivery, thermal therapy, and immunotherapy for several diseases. Here, we report the development of distinct biomimetic magnetic nanocarriers containing magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in vesicles and IR780 near-infrared dyes incorporated in the membranes. Distinct cell membranes are investigated, red blood cell (RBC), melanoma (B16F10), and glioblastoma (GL261).

Açaí () Seed Oil and Its Nanoemulsion: Chemical Characterisation, Toxicity Evaluation, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities.

This study explores a nanoemulsion formulated with açaí seed oil, known for its rich fatty acid composition and diverse biological activities. This study aimed to characterise a nanoemulsion formulated with açaí seed oil and explore its cytotoxic effects on HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines, alongside assessing its antioxidant and toxicity properties both in vitro and in vivo. Extracted from fruits sourced in Brazil, the oil underwent thorough chemical characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dextroketamine alone or combined with midazolam in Caiman crocodilus.

Pharmacokinetics studies of anesthetic agents are important for understanding of the pharmacology and metabolism of anesthetic agents in reptilians. This study was designed to examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of intravenous dextroketamine alone or combined with midazolam in Caiman crocodilus. Eight caimans were anesthetized with dextroketamine (10 mg/kg; group D) or dextroketamine and midazolam (10 and 0.

Extracellular vesicles from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

Trichoderma harzianum is a filamentous fungus that can act as a mycoparasite, saprophyte, or a plant symbiotic. It is widely used as a biological control agent against phytopathogenic fungi and can also be used for plant growth promotion and biofortification. Interaction between T.

Hyaluronic acid-conjugated liposomes loaded with dexamethasone: A promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Dexamethasone is a well-known anti-inflammatory drug readily used to treat many lung diseases. However, its side effects and poor lower airway deposition and retention are significant limitations to its usage. In this work, we developed lipid nanoparticulate platforms loaded with dexamethasone and evaluated their behavior in inflammatory lung models in vitro and in vivo.

Immunogenic Cell Death Photothermally Mediated by Erythrocyte Membrane-Coated Magnetofluorescent Nanocarriers Improves Survival in Sarcoma Model.

Inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) during cancer therapy is a major challenge that might significantly improve patient survival. The purpose of this study was to develop a theranostic nanocarrier, capable both of conveying a cytotoxic thermal dose when mediating photothermal therapy (PTT) after its intravenous delivery, and of consequently inducing ICD, improving survival. The nanocarrier consists of red blood cell membranes (RBCm) embedding the near-infrared dye IR-780 (IR) and camouflaging Mn-ferrite nanoparticles (RBCm-IR-Mn).

Photothermal Properties of IR-780-Based Nanoparticles Depend on Nanocarrier Design: A Comparative Study on Synthetic Liposomes and Cell Membrane and Hybrid Biomimetic Vesicles.

Biomimetic nanoparticles hold great promise for photonic-mediated nanomedicine due to the association of the biological functionality of the membrane with the physical/chemical goals of organic/inorganic structures, but studies involving fluorescent biomimetic vesicles are still scarce. The purpose of this article is to determine how photothermal therapy (PTT) with theranostic IR-780-based nanoparticles depends on the dye content, cholesterol content, lipid bilayer phase and cell membrane type. The photophysical responses of synthetic liposomes, cell membrane vesicles and hybrid nanoparticles are compared.

Pre-clinical safety of topically administered sunitinib-loaded lipid and polymeric nanocarriers targeting corneal neovascularization.

Three different types of sunitinib-loaded (SUN-loaded) nanocarriers were compared, aiming at the topical treatment of corneal neovascularization (CNV): polymeric nanospheres (NS), liposomes (LIP), and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). Three out of eleven formulations prepared for an optimization study - the best SUN-loaded nanocarrier of each assessed type (NS, LIP, and SLN) - were selected, based on their size, polydispersity index (PdI), drug load (DL), and encapsulation efficiency (EE). These three optimal formulations were further characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and zeta potential.

Interplay between mucus mobility and alveolar macrophage targeting of surface-modified liposomes.

Alveolar macrophages play a crucial role in the initiation and resolution of the immune response in the lungs. Pro-inflammatory M1 alveolar macrophages are an interesting target for treating inflammatory and infectious pulmonary diseases. One commune targeting strategy is to use nanoparticles conjugated with hyaluronic acid, which interact with CD44 overexpressed on the membrane of those cells.

Topical application of melatonin accelerates the maturation of skin wounds and increases collagen deposition in a rat model of diabetes.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the cicatricial potential of melatonin when applied to wounds of diabetic rats.

Matherials And Methods: The formulation containing melatonin was developed and applied topically to cutaneous wounds of diabetic rats. 48 Wistar rats were used, divided into two groups of 24 diabetic animals each: (i) control group (CG), the animals received topical application of the no-melatonin formulation; (ii) treatment group (TG), the animals received topical application of the melatonin-containing formulation.

Plasma concentration, cardiorespiratory and analgesic effects of ketamine-fentanyl infusion in dogs submitted to mastectomy.

Background: The analgesic and cardiorespiratory effects of ketamine, fentanyl, or ketamine-fentanyl constant rate infusion (CRI) in dogs undergoing mastectomy were evaluated. Seventeen female dogs received CRI of ketamine (GK [n = 6]: bolus 0.5 mg/kg; CRI 20 µg/kg/min in intra- and postoperative periods], fentanyl (GF [n = 5]: bolus 20 µg/kg; intraoperative CRI 5 20 µg/kg/hour and postoperative CRI 2 20 µg/kg/hour), or combination of ketamine-fentanyl (GKF [n = 6]: aforementioned doses) for 8 h.

Safety and efficacy of a mucoadhesive phytomedication containing curcuminoids and Bidens pilosa L. extract in the prevention and treatment of radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: Triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial.

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is the significant complication of radio/chemotherapy treatment. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a mucoadhesive phytomedication containing curcuminoids and Bidens pilosa L. (FITOPROT) in the prevention/treatment of OM.

Biological effects of formulation containing curcuminoids and Bidens Pilosa L. in oral carcinoma cell line.

FITOPROT, which contains curcuminoids and Bidens pilosa L. extract, is an innovative mucoadhesive formulation indicated for the topical treatment of chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) in patients with advanced and visible oral squamous cell carcinoma. The formulation is used as a mouthwash directly on tumor tissue of patients with advanced neoplasms, without triggering cancer cell proliferation or tumor invasiveness.

Nasal biocompatible powder of Geraniol oil complexed with cyclodextrins for neurodegenerative diseases: physicochemical characterization and in vivo evidences of nose to brain delivery.

Recently, many studies have shown that plant metabolites, such as geraniol (GER), may exert anti-inflammatory effects in neurodegenerative diseases and, in particular, Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Unfortunately, delivering GER to the CNS via nose-to-brain is not feasible due to its irritant effects on the mucosae. Therefore, in the present study β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and its hydrophilic derivative hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) were selected as potential carriers for GER nose-to-brain delivery.

Innate and adaptive immune responses toward nanomedicines.

Since the commercialization of the first liposomes used for drug delivery, Doxil/Caelyx® and Myocet®, tremendous progress has been made in understanding interactions between nanomedicines and biological systems. Fundamental work at the interface of engineering and medicine has allowed nanomedicines to deliver therapeutic small molecules and nucleic acids more efficiently. While nanomedicines are used in oncology for immunotherapy or to deliver combinations of cytotoxics, the clinical successes of gene silencing approaches like patisiran lipid complexes (Onpattro®) have paved the way for a variety of therapies beyond cancer.

Development and validation of a rapid RP-HPLC method for simultaneous quantification of paclitaxel and cetuximab in immunoliposomes.

The development of rational therapies against complex diseases, such as cancer, has increased in the past few years due to the advances of 'omics' technologies. Concomitantly, several efforts have been made to design sophisticated drug delivery systems in order to increase specificity and drug accumulation in tumor sites. The complexity of these drug delivery systems highlights the need for suitable analytical methods to determine encapsulation/conjugation efficiency of drugs and molecules responsible for the targeted delivery.

Role of the complement cascade in the biological fate of liposomes in rodents.

Nanomedicines, including liposomes, have been used to improve the clinical efficacy and safety of drugs. In some liposomal formulations, a hydrophilic polymer coating of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is used to increase the circulation time. Understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for the clearance of PEGylated and non-PEGylated nanomedicines is necessary to develop better-performing materials.

Nose-to-brain drug delivery mediated by polymeric nanoparticles: influence of PEG surface coating.

Intranasal administration of mucus-penetrating nanoparticles is an emerging trend to increase drug delivery to the brain. In order to overcome rapid nasal mucociliary clearance, low epithelial permeation, and local enzymatic degradation, we investigated the influence of PEGylation on nose-to-brain delivery of polycaprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles (PCL-NPs) encapsulating bexarotene, a potential neuroprotective compound. PEGylation with 1, 3, 5, and 10% PCL-PEG did not affect particle diameter or morphology.

In Vivo Biodistribution of Respirable Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Surface-Decorated with a Mannose-Based Surfactant: A Promising Tool for Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment?

The active targeting to alveolar macrophages (AM) is an attractive strategy to improve the therapeutic efficacy of 'old' drugs currently used in clinical practice for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Previous studies highlighted the ability of respirable solid lipid nanoparticle assemblies (SLNas), loaded with rifampicin (RIF) and functionalized with a novel synthesized mannose-based surfactant (MS), both alone and in a blend with sodium taurocholate, to efficiently target the AM via mannose receptor-mediated mechanism. Here, we present the in vivo biodistribution of these mannosylated SLNas, in comparison with the behavior of both non-functionalized SLNas and bare RIF.

Nasal administration of nanoencapsulated geraniol/ursodeoxycholic acid conjugate: Towards a new approach for the management of Parkinson's disease.

The combined use of different therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders is a promising strategy to halt the disease progression. In this context, we aimed to combine the anti-inflammatory properties of geraniol (GER) with the mitochondrial rescue effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in a newly-synthesized prodrug, GER-UDCA, a potential candidate against Parkinson's disease (PD). GER-UDCA was successfully synthetized and characterized in vitro for its ability to release the active compounds in physiological environments.

In vivo and in vitro toxicity evaluation of liposome-encapsulated sirolimus.

Background: To evaluate the in vivo and in vitro toxicity of a new formulation of liposome-encapsulated sirolimus (LES).

Methods: In vitro experiments were done using ARPE-19 and HRP cells. An MTT assay was used to determine cell metabolic activity and a TUNEL assay for detecting DNA fragmentation.