A critical review on approaches to regulate the release rate of bioactive compounds from biopolymeric matrices

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occurrences in water bodies, extraction techniques, detection methods, and standardized guidelines for PAHs in aqueous solutions

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a carcinogenic compound comprised of benzene ring(s). They occur naturally. However, the occurrence of anthropogenic PAHs (originates from human activities and man-made structures) may contribute to water pollution, risking the public health and aquatic life. This review describes occurrences of PAHs in water bodies, extraction techniques, detection methods, and standardized guidelines for PAHs in aqueous solutions. Previous research identifies PAH contamination across freshwater bodies due to proximity to pollution sources and hydrological factors. Despite analytical advancements, accurately quantifying and characterizing PAHs in complex environmental matrices remains challenging. Overall, this review supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) no. 6 (clean water and sanitation public) and no. 14 life below water.

Improved Mechanical Stability and Regulated Gentamicin-Release of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Nanofiber Membranes via Heat Treatment

For wound dressing applications, nanofiber membranes must have adequate mechanical strength when cultured in vitro for cell ingrowth and matrix production, and the ability to withstand stresses in vivo. Moreover, effective polymeric drug carriers must also regulate and prolong drug release while preserving drug stability. This study addresses these requirements by utilizing heat treatment (100°C for 2 h) to improve the mechanical stability and regulated drug-release characteristics of electrospun gentamicin-loaded polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan (PVA/CS) nanofiber membranes. Electrospinning solutions with varying gentamicin concentrations produced defect-free and uniform nanofibers. The nanofiber membranes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and tensile testing, and their in vitro biodegradation and drug-release behavior were investigated. Tensile results revealed that heat treatment improved the mechanical strength of PVA and PVA/CS nanofibers, with gentamicin-loaded samples maintaining stability post-treatment. Gentamicin in the heat-treated nanofiber membranes exhibited controlled drug-release profiles, with reduced initial burst release and sustained release for 25 h. Furthermore, drug release was found to occur through the Fickian diffusion mechanism based on the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. These findings demonstrate that heat treatment is effective for achieving mechanical stability and regulated drug release, making it a safe alternative to chemical cross-linking for the biomedical applications of drug-loaded PVA/CS nanofiber membranes.

Advancing Gel Systems with Natural Extracts: Antioxidant, Antimicrobial Applications, and Sustainable Innovations

The integration of natural extracts into gel systems has emerged as a transformative approach to enhance functional properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and therapeutic effects. This review underscores the remarkable potential of natural extract-enriched gels, which effectively combine sustainability with improved functionality. These bioactive compounds, sourced from plants and animals, encompass polyphenols, flavonoids, essential oils, chitosan, proteins, and polysaccharides. They provide an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic additives and find applications across various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food packaging. Despite their promise, challenges remain, such as the variability in natural extract composition, the stability of bioactive compounds, and scalability for industrial use. To address these issues, innovative strategies like nanoencapsulation, responsive hydrogels, and AI-driven optimization have demonstrated significant progress. Additionally, emerging technologies, such as 3D printing and adherence to circular economy principles, further enhance the versatility, efficiency, and sustainability of these systems. By integrating these advanced tools and methodologies, gel systems enriched with natural extracts are well-positioned to meet contemporary consumer and industrial demands for multifunctional and eco-friendly products. These innovations not only improve performance but also align with global sustainability goals, setting the stage for widespread adoption and continued development in various fields.

Enhancing compatibility of polylactic acid and lignin through acetylation for improving controlled release of pesticide

BACKGROUND

Improving the compatibility between polylactic acid (PLA) and lignin is crucial for developing innovative PLA-based controlled release systems for pesticides. This study addresses the challenge of enhancing the compatibility of alkali lignin (AL) with PLA by acetylated lignin (ACL). The main aim is to synthesize and evaluate pesticide-loaded microspheres for controlled release performance using fluazinam (FZ) as the model pesticide.

RESULTS

We synthesized three distinct pesticide-loaded microspheres (FZ@PLA, FZ@AL-PLA, and FZ@ACL-PLA). The results demonstrated a significant enhancement in the spherical morphology of FZ@ACL-PLA compared to FZ@AL-PLA, attributed to the introduction of acetyl groups that transformed the surface from irregularities to a smooth, rounded, and microporous architecture. This structural modification notably boosted the pesticide loading capacity to 42.44 wt% and entrapment efficiency to 89.20%. Controlled release studies exhibited prolonged release beyond 30 days without equilibrium attainment for FZ@ACL-PLA. This was facilitated by hydrogen bonding between ACL-PLA and FZ, coupled with a spatial site-blocking effect, effectively restraining abrupt pesticide release. Kinetic analysis revealed Fickian diffusion as the primary release mechanism at moderate temperatures and anomalous transport at elevated temperatures. Additionally, FZ@ACL-PLA demonstrated commendable storage stability and photostability.

CONCLUSION

The study underscores the efficacy of ACL-modified PLA microspheres in efficiently entrapping FZ and enabling controlled release. The findings offer crucial insights for developing PLA-based pesticide-controlled release systems, highlighting the significance of ACL in enhancing pesticide loading, entrapment efficiency, and controlled release performance. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Photodynamic impact of curcumin enhanced silver functionalized graphene nanocomposites on Candida virulence

Candida species are escalating resistance to conventional antifungal treatments, intensifying their virulence, and obstructing the effectiveness of antifungal medications. Addressing this challenge is essential for effectively managing Candida infections. The overarching objective is to advance the development of more efficient and precise therapies tailored to counter Candida infections. This study focuses on developing antifungal combined drugs using curcumin-enhanced silver-functionalized graphene nanocomposites (Cur-AgrGO) to effectively target key virulence factors of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. glabrata (Candida spp.). The green reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using bioentities and active molecules makes this approach cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The nanocomposites were characterized using various techniques. Combining Cur-AgrGO with photodynamic therapy (PDT) demonstrated effective antifungal and antibiofilm activity with delayed growth and metabolism. The nanocomposites effectively suppressed hyphal transition and reduced key virulence factors, including proteinases, phospholipases, ergosterol levels, and cell membrane integrity. The findings suggest that Cur-AgrGO + PDT has potential as a treatment option for Candida infections. This innovative approach holds promise for treating Candida infections.

Citric acid crosslinked soluble soybean polysaccharide films for active food packaging applications

In this work, a nontoxic crosslinking agent, citric acid (CA), was used to crosslink glycerol-plasticized SSPS films via a heat activated reaction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the occurrence of esterification reaction between CA and SSPS. Microstructure of the CA-crosslinked SSPS films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The water resistance, mechanical, UV-barrier, water vapor barrier, antioxidant and thermal properties of SSPS films were enhanced by CA crosslinking. The SSPS film crosslinked with 5 % CA exhibited a maximum tensile strength of 6.5 MPa and a minimum water solubility of 34.3 %. The CA-crosslinked SSPS film also presented superior antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Application test results showed that the CA-crosslinked SSPS film can effectively delay the oxidative deterioration of lard during storage, suggesting that the developed CA-crosslinked SSPS film could be a promising candidate for active food packaging.

Model-Informed Drug Development: In Silico Assessment of Drug Bioperformance following Oral and Percutaneous Administration

The pharmaceutical industry has faced significant changes in recent years, primarily influenced by regulatory standards, market competition, and the need to accelerate drug development. Model-informed drug development (MIDD) leverages quantitative computational models to facilitate decision-making processes. This approach sheds light on the complex interplay between the influence of a drug's performance and the resulting clinical outcomes. This comprehensive review aims to explain the mechanisms that control the dissolution and/or release of drugs and their subsequent permeation through biological membranes. Furthermore, the importance of simulating these processes through a variety of in silico models is emphasized. Advanced compartmental absorption models provide an analytical framework to understand the kinetics of transit, dissolution, and absorption associated with orally administered drugs. In contrast, for topical and transdermal drug delivery systems, the prediction of drug permeation is predominantly based on quantitative structure-permeation relationships and molecular dynamics simulations. This review describes a variety of modeling strategies, ranging from mechanistic to empirical equations, and highlights the growing importance of state-of-the-art tools such as artificial intelligence, as well as advanced imaging and spectroscopic techniques.

Enhancement of the bioavailability of phenolic compounds from fruit and vegetable waste by liposomal nanocarriers

Fruits and vegetables are one of the most consumed and processed commodities globally and comprise abundant phenolic compounds, one of the main nutraceuticals in the food industry. Comparably elevated rates of these compounds are found in waste (peel, seeds, leaf, stem, etc.) in the food processing industry. They are being investigated for their potential use in functional foods. However, phenolic compounds' low bioavailability limits their application, which can be approached by loading the phenolic compounds into an encapsulation system such as liposomal carriers. This review aims to elucidate the recent trend in extracting phenolic compounds from the waste stream and the means to load them in stable liposomes. Furthermore, the application of these liposomes with only natural extracts in food matrices is also presented. Many studies have indicated that liposomes can be a proper candidate for encapsulating and delivering phenolic compounds and as a means to increase their bioavailability.

Innovative Integration of Arrayan (Luma apiculata) Extracts in Chitosan Coating for Fresh Strawberry Preservation

Strawberries are a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, among other nutrients, but they are highly susceptible to mechanical injuries, dehydration, and microbial spoilage, and thus have a limited post-harvest shelf-life. Bioactive edible coatings have been studied to decrease or prevent these damages. In this study, ethanolic extracts of Arrayan (Luma apiculata), a traditional berry from the south of Chile, were used to enrich a chitosan-based edible film and coat fresh strawberries. A long-term storage (10 °C) study was conducted to determine the strawberries' weight loss, microbial stability, fruit firmness impact, and antioxidant activity. Later, a sensory panel was conducted to determine overall consumer acceptance. Our results show that the bioactive coating inhibited the growth of different pathogenic bacteria and spoilage yeast. In the stored strawberries, the weight loss was significantly lower when the bioactive coating was applied, and the samples' firmness did not change significantly over time. Microbial growth in the treated strawberries was also lower than in the control ones. As expected, the antioxidant activity in the coated strawberries was higher because of the Arrayan extract, which has high antioxidant activity. Regarding sensory qualities, the covered strawberries did not show significant differences from the uncoated samples, with an overall acceptance of 7.64 on a 9-point scale. To our knowledge, this is the first time an edible coating enriched with Arrayan extracts has been reported as able to prevent strawberries' decay and spoilage.

State-of-the-Art Insights and Potential Applications of Cellulose-Based Hydrogels in Food Packaging: Advances towards Sustainable Trends

Leveraging sustainable packaging resources in the circular economy framework has gained significant attention in recent years as a means of minimizing waste and mitigating the negative environmental impact of packaging materials. In line with this progression, bio-based hydrogels are being explored for their potential application in a variety of fields including food packaging. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic networks composed of a variety of polymeric materials linked by chemical (covalent bonds) or physical (non-covalent interactions) cross-linking. The unique hydrophilic nature of hydrogels provides a promising solution for food packaging systems, specifically in regulating moisture levels and serving as carriers for bioactive substances, which can greatly affect the shelf life of food products. In essence, the synthesis of cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) from cellulose and its derivatives has resulted in hydrogels with several appealing features such as flexibility, water absorption, swelling capacity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, stimuli sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the most recent trends and applications of CBHs in the food packaging sector including CBH sources, processing methods, and crosslinking methods for developing hydrogels through physical, chemical, and polymerization. Finally, the recent advancements in CBHs, which are being utilized as hydrogel films, coatings, and indicators for food packaging applications, are discussed in detail. These developments have great potential in creating sustainable packaging systems.

Prolonged Antibacterial Activity in Tannic Acid-Iron Complexed Chitosan Films for Medical Device Applications

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) represent a global burden, leading to significant mortality and generating financial costs. One important cause of HAIs is the microbiological contamination of implantable medical devices. In this context, a novel antimicrobial drug-eluting system, based on chitosan and loaded with gentamicin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, was developed. The effects of the addition of tannic acid and different FeSO₄ concentrations on the loaded antibiotic release were evaluated. The properties of the films were assessed in terms of thickness, swelling, mass loss and wettability. The films' surface composition was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The antibiotic release in phosphate buffer saline was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the antibacterial activity was evaluated. Hemolysis and cytotoxicity were also assessed. The results showed that the addition of tannic acid and iron decreased the swelling degree and degradation due to strong interactions between the different components, thus impacting gentamicin release for up to 35 days. In conclusion, this study presents a novel strategy to produce low-cost and biocompatible antimicrobial drug-eluting systems with sustained and prolonged antibacterial activity over more than a month.