Objectives: The aim of this study was to prepare bacterial nanocellulose/silver (BNC/Ag) nanocomposite films as ecofriendly wound dressing in order to assess their physical, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties. The in vitro molecular study was performed to evaluate expression of genes involved in healing of wounds after treatment with BNC/Ag biofilms.
Study design materials and methods: Silver nanoparticles were formed by using Citrullus colocynthis extract within new isolated bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) RM1. The nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Besides, swelling property and Ag release profile of the nanocomposites were studied. The ability of nanocomposites to promote wound healing of human dermal fibroblast cells in vitro was studied. Bioinformatics databases were used to identify genes with important healing effect. Key genes which interfered with healing were studied by quantitative real time PCR.
Results: Spherical silver nanoparticles with particle size ranging from 20 to 50 nm were synthesized and impregnated within the structure of BNC. The resulting nanocomposites showed significant antibacterial activities with inhibition zones ranging from 7±0.25 to 16.24±0.09 mm against skin pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, it was compatible with human fibroblast cells (HDF) and could promote in vitro wound healing after 48h. Based on bioinformatics databases, the genes of TGF-β1, MMP2, MMP9, CTNNB1, Wnt4, hsa-miR-29b-3p and hsa-miR-29c-3p played important role in wound healing. The nanocomposites had an effect in expression of the genes in healing. Thus, the BNC/Ag nanocomposite can be used to heal wound in a short period and simple manner.
Conclusion: This eco-friendly nanocomposite with excellent antibacterial activities and healing property confirming its utility as potential wound dressings.
Method: In this investigation, a hybrid nanoparticle that consisted of a DOX-loaded reduced graphene oxide that is stabilized with chitosan (rGOD-HNP) was developed.
Result: The newly developed rGOD-HNP demonstrated high biocompatibility and efficiency in entrapping DOX (~65%) and releasing it in a controlled manner (~50% release in 48 h). Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that rGOD-HNP can intracellularly deliver DOX and more specifically in PC-3 prostate cancer cells.
Conclusion: This delivery tool offers a feasible and viable method to deliver DOX photo-thermally in the treatment of prostate cancer.
METHODS: In the present study, graphene oxide-polyethylene glycol (GOPEG) nanocarrier is designed and loaded with two anticancer drugs; Protocatechuic acid (PCA) and Chlorogenic acid (CA). The designed anticancer nanocomposite was further coated with folic acid to target the cancer cells, as their surface membranes are overexpressed with folate receptors.
RESULTS: The particle size distribution of the designed nanocomposite was found to be narrow, 9-40 nm. The release profiles of the loaded drugs; PCA and CA was conducted in human body simulated PBS solutions of pH 7.4 (blood pH) and pH 4.8 (intracellular lysosomal pH). Anticancer properties were evaluated against cancerous cells i.e. liver cancer, HEPG2 and human colon cancer, HT-29 cells. The cytocompatbility was assessed on normal 3T3 fibroblasts cells.
CONCLUSION: The size of the final designed anticancer nanocomposite formulation, GOPEG-PCACA-FA was found to be distributed at 9-40 nm with a median of 8 nm. The in vitro release of the drugs PCA and CA was found to be of sustained manner which took more than 100 h for the release. Furthermore, the designed formulation was biocompatible with normal 3T3 cells and showed strong anticancer activity against liver and colon cancer cells.
SIGNIFICANCE: A strong need exists for the development of transdermal patch having improved bioavailability at the site of action with fewer side effects at off-target organs.
METHODS: The patches were physically characterized by texture analysis (color, flexibility, smoothness, transparency, and homogeneity), in vitro dissolution test and FTIR analysis. Furthermore, functional properties essential for TDDS, in vitro percentage of moisture content, percentage of water uptake, in vitro permeation by following different kinetic models, in vivo drug content estimation and skin irritation were determined using rabbit skin.
RESULTS: The optimized patches were soft, of uniform texture and thickness as well as pliable in nature. Novel transdermal patch showed ideal characteristics in terms of moisture content and water uptake. FTIR analysis confirmed no interaction between TZH and cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP). The patch showed sustained release of the drug which increased the availability of short acting TZH at the site of action. The patch also showed its biocompatibility to the in vivo model of rabbit skin.
CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that topically applied transdermal patch will be a potential medicated sustain release patch for muscle pain which will improve patient compliance.
Methods: Six different polymers were used to prepare FLU nanopolymeric particles: hydroxyl propyl methylcellulose (HPMC), poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), ethyl cellulose (EC), Eudragit (EUD), and Pluronics®. A low-energy method, nanoprecipitation, was used to prepare the polymeric nanoparticles.
Results and conclusion: The combination of HPMC-PVP and EUD-PVP was found most effective to produce stable FLU nanoparticles, with particle sizes of 250 nm ±2.0 and 280 nm ±4.2 and polydispersity indices of 0.15 nm ±0.01 and 0.25 nm ±0.03, respectively. The molecular modeling studies endorsed the same results, showing highest polymer drug binding free energies for HPMC-PVP-FLU (-35.22 kcal/mol ±0.79) and EUD-PVP-FLU (-25.17 kcal/mol ±1.12). In addition, it was observed that Ethocel® favored a wrapping mechanism around the drug molecules rather than a linear conformation that was witnessed for other individual polymers. The stability studies conducted for 90 days demonstrated that HPMC-PVP-FLU nanoparticles stored at 2°C-8°C and 25°C were more stable. Crystallinity of the processed FLU nanoparticles was confirmed using differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction analysis and TEM. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies showed that there was no chemical interaction between the drug and chosen polymer system. The HPMC-PVP-FLU nanoparticles also showed enhanced dissolution rate (P<0.05) compared to the unprocessed counterpart. The in vitro antibacterial studies showed that HPMC-PVP-FLU nanoparticles displayed superior effect against gram-positive bacteria compared to the unprocessed FLU and positive control.
METHODS: Semi-crystalline nanoparticles (NPs) of 90-110 nm diameter for APSP and 65-75 nm diameter for EPN were prepared and then characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD). Thereafter, drug content solubility and dissolution studies were undertaken. Berberine and its NPs were evaluated for their antibacterial activity.
RESULTS: The results indicate that the NPs have significantly increased solubility and dissolution rate due to conversion of the crystalline structure to a semi-crystalline form.
CONCLUSION: Berberine NPs produced by both APSP and EPN methods have shown promising activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts, with NPs prepared through the EPN method showing superior results compared to those made with the APSP method and the unprocessed drug.
METHODS: Herein, we have engineered antibiotic-loaded (doxycycline or vancomycin) LPHNPs with cationic and zwitterionic lipids and examined the effects on their physicochemical characteristics (size and charge), antibiotic entrapment efficiency, and the in vitro intracellular bacterial killing efficiency against Mycobacterium smegmatis or Staphylococcus aureus infected macrophages.
RESULTS: The incorporation of cationic or zwitterionic lipids in the LPHNP formulation resulted in a size reduction in LPHNPs formulations and shifted the surface charge of bare NPs towards positive or neutral values. Also observed were influences on the drug incorporation efficiency and modulation of the drug release from the biodegradable polymeric core. The therapeutic efficacy of LPHNPs loaded with vancomycin was improved as its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (2 µg/mL) versus free vancomycin (4 µg/mL). Importantly, our results show a direct relationship between the cationic surface nature of LPHNPs and its intracellular bacterial killing efficiency as the cationic doxycycline or vancomycin loaded LPHNPs reduced 4 or 3 log CFU respectively versus the untreated controls.
CONCLUSION: In our study, modulation of surface charge in the nanomaterial formulation increased macrophage uptake and intracellular bacterial killing efficiency of LPHNPs loaded with antibiotics, suggesting alternate way for optimizing their use in biomedical applications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, cellulose fibers (CF) were isolated from rice straw (RS) waste by using an eco-friendly alkali treatment. The CF network served as an anticancer drug carrier for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The physicochemical and thermal properties of CF, pure 5-FU drug, and the 5-FU-loaded CF (CF/5-FU) samples were evaluated. The samples were assessed for in vitro cytotoxicity assays using human colorectal cancer (HCT116) and normal (CCD112) cell lines, along with human nasopharyngeal cancer (HONE-1) and normal (NP 460) cell lines after 72-hours of treatment.
RESULTS: XRD and FTIR revealed the successful alkali treatment of RS to isolate CF with high purity and crystallinity. Compared to RS, the alkali-treated CF showed an almost fourfold increase in surface area and zeta potential of up to -33.61 mV. SEM images illustrated the CF network with a rod-shaped structure and comprised of ordered aggregated cellulose. TGA results proved that the thermal stability of 5-FU increased within the drug carrier. Based on UV-spectroscopy measurements for 5-FU loading into CF, drug loading encapsulation efficiency was estimated to be 83 ±0.8%. The release media at pH 7.4 and pH 1.2 showed a maximum drug release of 79% and 46%, respectively, over 24 hours. In cytotoxicity assays, CF showed almost no damage, while pure 5-FU killed most of the both normal and cancer cells. Impressively, the drug-loaded sample of CF/5-FU at a 250 µg/mL concentration demonstrated a 58% inhibition against colorectal cancer cells, but only a 23% inhibition against normal colorectal cells. Further, a 62.50 µg/mL concentration of CF/5FU eliminated 71% and 39% of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and normal nasopharyngeal cells, respectively.
DISCUSSION: This study, therefore, showed the strong potential anticancer activity of the novel CF/5-FU formulations, warranting their further investigation.