Improve Solubility and Bioavailability of Silver Sulfadiazine via Formation of Inclusion Complex by Cyclodextrin

Pyrogallol-rich supramolecular hydrogels with enzyme-sensitive microdomains for controlled topical delivery of hydrophobic drugs

Skin wound treatments require efficient and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to promote fast tissue regeneration and prevent infections. Hydrogels are one of the most popular products in the wound care market, although their use as medicated wound dressings remains a massive challenge when hydrophobic drugs are needed due to the hydrophilic nature of these soft materials. In this study, we developed innovative, dynamic hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), pyrogallol as a hydrogen bond crosslinker, and casein micelles as hydrophobic reservoirs of silver sulfadiazine (SSD) for enzyme-activated smart delivery at wound sites. The hydrogel formulation was optimized for mechanical strength, viscoelastic behavior, water absorption capacity, and drug-loading efficiency. In vitro drug delivery studies revealed a sustainable release profile of SSD for over 24 h from the micelles within the hydrogel network. Furthermore, biocompatibility evaluation using mouse fibroblast L929 cells demonstrated that the hydrogel did not inhibit cell viability, while in vivo experiments on Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) proved its safety in complex organisms. This versatile hydrogel also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects stemming from the therapeutic polyphenol, which could benefit the healing process. The combination of PVA, pyrogallol, and casein-based nanocarriers could offer an approach to wound healing, providing a new platform for hosting hydrophobic therapeutic substances. Overall, this hydrogel system shows great promise in wound care and could broaden the applications of this family of soft materials for treating various skin injuries.

Preparation, characterization, and anticancer effects of an inclusion complex of coixol with β-cyclodextrin polymers

CONTEXT

Coix [Coix lacryma-jobi L. var. mayuen (Roman.) Stapf (Poaceae)], a crop of medicinal and edible significance, contains coixol, which has demonstrated anticancer properties. However, the limited solubility of coixol restricts its potential therapeutic applications.

OBJECTIVE

This study prepared a water-soluble coixol-β-cyclodextrin polymer (CDP) inclusion compound and evaluated its anticancer effect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The coixol-CDP compound was synthesized through a solvent-stirring and freeze-drying technique. Its coixol content was quantified using HPLC, and its stability was tested under various conditions. The anticancer effects of the coixol-CDP compound (4.129, 8.259, 16.518, and 33.035 mg/L for 24, 48, and 72 h) on the proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells were evaluated using an MTT assay; cell morphology was examined by Hoechst nuclear staining; apoptosis and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry; and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was assessed by Western blots.

RESULTS

The water-soluble coixol-CDP inclusion compound was successfully prepared with an inclusion ratio of 86.6% and an inclusion yield rate of 84.1%. The coixol content of the compound was 5.63% and the compound remained stable under various conditions. Compared to coixol alone, all 24, 48, and 72 h administrations with the coixol-CDP compound exhibited lower IC50 values (33.93 ± 2.28, 16.80 ± 1.46, and 6.93 ± 0.83 mg/L) in A549 cells; the compound also showed stronger regulatory effects on apoptosis-related proteins.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

These findings offer a new perspective for the potential clinical application of Coix in NSCLC therapy and its future research.

Solubility and biological activity enhancement of docetaxel via formation of inclusion complexes with three alkylenediamine-modified β-cyclodextrins

Docetaxel (DTX) is an effective and commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for cancer. However, its efficacy is greatly compromised because of its toxicity and poor water solubility. In order to overcome these disadvantages, three inclusion complexes between DTX and alkylenediamine-modified β-cyclodextrins (H1-3) with ethylene, propylene and butylene segments were prepared and characterized. The phase solubility studies demonstrated that the stoichiometry of the inclusion complexes between H1-3 and DTX were 1 : 1. The binding abilities of host H1-3 towards DTX decrease in the following order: H3 > H2 > H1, which had good consistency with the decreasing alkylene lengths of these hosts. The water solubility of DTX is remarkably increased 216, 242 and 253 times after forming inclusion complexes with H1-3, respectively. In vitro release studies of DTX from H1-3/DTX into NaAc-HAc buffer solution (pH 5.0) or PBS (pH 7.4) exhibited a preliminary stage burst effect and followed by a slow drug release. The cytotoxicity studies revealed that the H1-3/DTX inclusion complexes exhibited better cytotoxicity profiles against MCF-7, SW480 and A-549 cells than that of DTX. Furthermore, compared with the treatment of DTX, the H1/DTX inclusion complex significantly increased the cell apoptosis percentage from 17.2% to 30.2% (5 μg mL-1), 19.0% to 31.0% (10 μg mL-1), and 19.3% to 32.2% (15 μg mL-1), respectively. These results will provide useful information for H1-3/DTX inclusion complexes as safe and efficient anticancer drug formulations.

Preparation and Characterisation of Polyphenol-HP-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex that Protects Lamb Tripe Protein against Oxidation

Grape seed extract (GSE) displays strong antioxidant activity, but its instability creates barriers to its applications. Herein, three HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes with host-guest ratios of 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:2 were successfully prepared by co-precipitation method to improve stability. Successful embedding of GSE in the HP-β-CD cavity was confirmed by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The Autodock Tools 1.5.6 was used to simulate the three-dimensional supramolecular structure of the inclusion complex of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and grape seed extract (HP-β-CD/GSE) by molecular docking. The MALDI-TOF-MS technology and chemical database Pubchem, and structural database PDB were combined to reconstitute the three-dimensional structure of target protein. The binding mode of the HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complex to target protein was studied at the molecular level, and the antioxidant ability of the resulting HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes was investigated by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging. The effects of HP-β-CD/GSE on myofibrillar protein from lamb tripe were also investigated under oxidative conditions. The positions and interactions of the binding sites of HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes and target protein receptors were simulated by molecular docking. The results showed that HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes were successfully prepared, optimally at a molar ratio of 1:2. At low (5 μmol/g) to medium (105 μmol/g) concentrations, HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes decreased the carbonyl content, hydrophobicity, and protein aggregation of myofibrillar protein from lamb tripe, and increased the sulphydryl content. Furthermore, high concentration (155 μmol/g) of HP-β-CD/GSE inclusion complexes promoted protein oxidation.