Electrospinning coating of nanoporous anodic alumina for controlling the drug release: Drug release study and modeling

Spinning gold: Unraveling the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of Pitanga's carotenoid microfibers

The design and development of nanoparticle- and microparticle-based delivery systems incorporating carotenoids into carrier materials offers multiple advantages, including enhancing the bio-efficacy of these compounds due to improving their bioaccessibility and bioavailability. This study introduced pitanga saponified carotenoid extract (PSCE) and pitanga non-saponified carotenoid extract (PSCE) in a 12 % zein/1 %PEO solution and electrospun for fiber production. Then, the fibers were characterized, and their bioaccessibility and bioavailability were also evaluated. The average mean diameter of carotenoid non-saponified microfiber (CNSM) and saponified (CSM) was 5.76 ± 1.7 μm and 4.92 ± 1.4 μm, respectively, indicating that the saponification process reduces the viscosity of the solution resulting in the development of finer microfibers. Carotenoid encapsulation efficiency ranged between 10.3 % and 8.43 % for saponified and non-saponified extracts, respectively. Surprisingly, no carotenoid release was detected from both microfibers after 72 h. Carotenoid bioaccessibility was higher in pitanga pulp compared to both microfibers. The xanthophylls showed higher bioavailability in pitanga pulp. The study's results suggest that the microfibers' structure significantly influenced carotenoid release and cellular absorption more than the chemical structure of carotenoids themselves.

Fabrication of Multifunctional Nanocomposite Fiber Extracted from Sambucus nigra: Anti-nociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Self-Cleaning, and UV Blocking

This article describes how to extract chemical compounds from Sambucus nigra and make multifunctional nanofabric doping/undoping nano-zinc oxide particles using an electrospinning apparatus. The created sample was examined using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), which revealed that the manufactured fibers have an approximate diameter of 35 nm. An elemental mapping study also demonstrated the excellent distribution of nano-ZnO over the surface of the nanocomposite. The anti-nociceptive effect of the samples was studied, and the results suggested that the presence of Sambucus nigra caused pain prevention, and this effect demonstrated the anti-nociceptive effect in the samples studied by tail-flick experiments. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory properties of the samples were tested and showed favorable data results. Meanwhile, the self-cleaning of the prepared nanocomposites was studied. The results show that nano-zinc oxide doping has a direct impact on improving self-cleaning properties. Furthermore, ultraviolet (UV) transmission analysis of the samples showed that the prepared nanocomposites had excellent UV-blocking properties.

Real-Time Monitoring of Doxorubicin Release from Hybrid Nanoporous Anodic Alumina Structures

This work demonstrates an advanced approach to fabricate Hybrid nanoporous anodic alumina gradient-index filters (Hy-NAA-GIFs) through a heterogeneous anodization process combining sinusoidal current-density anodization and constant potential anodization. As a result, the hybrid structure obtained reveals a single photonic stopband (PSB), which falls within the absorption region of the drug molecule and the intensity of the spectrum that are far from such absorption range. The prepared structures were loaded with the doxorubicin (DOX) drug through the drop-casting method, which allows for evaluating the maximum reflectance of the relative height of the PSB with the average reflectance of the spectrum intensity. Thereafter, this property has been applied in a flow cell setup connected to a reflectance spectrophotometer where different drug-loaded samples were placed to study the behavior and kinetics of the drug release in real-time by varying two parameters, i.e., different pore length and flow rates. As such, obtained results were analyzed with a model that includes a sum of two inverted exponential decay functions with two different characteristic time releases. Overall, this study opens up several possibilities for the Hy-NAA-GIFs to study the drug kinetics from nanoporous structures.

Revisiting anodic alumina templates: from fabrication to applications

Anodic porous alumina, -AAO- (also known as nanoporous alumina, nanohole alumina arrays, -NAA- or nanoporous anodized alumina platforms, -NAAP-) has opened new opportunities in a wide range of fields, and is used as an advanced photonic structure for applications in structural coloration and advanced optical biosensing based on the ordered nanoporous structure obtained and as a template to grow nanowires or nanotubes of different materials giving rise to metamaterials with tailored properties. Therefore, understanding the structure of nanoporous anodic alumina templates and knowing how they are fabricated provide a tool for the further design of structures based on them, such as 3D nanoporous structures developed recently. In this work, we review the latest developments related to nanoporous alumina, which is currently a very active field, to provide a solid and thorough reference for all interested experts, both in academia and industry, on these nanostructured and highly useful structures. We present an overview of theories on the formation of pores and self-ordering in alumina, paying special attention to those presented in recent years, and different nanostructures that have been developed recently. Therefore, a wide variety of architectures, ranging from ordered nanoporous structures to diameter changing pores, branched pores, and 3D nanostructures will be discussed. Next, some of the most relevant results using different nanostructured morphologies as templates for the growth of different materials with novel properties and reduced dimensionality in magnetism, thermoelectricity, etc. will be summarised, showing how these structures have influenced the state of the art in a wide variety of fields. Finally, a review on how these anodic aluminium membranes are used as platforms for different applications combined with optical techniques, together with principles behind these applications will be presented, in addition to a hint on the future applications of these versatile nanomaterials. In summary, this review is focused on the most recent developments, without neglecting the basis and older studies that have led the way to these findings. Thus, it gives an updated state-of-the-art review that should be useful not only for experts in the field, but also for non-specialists, helping them to gain a broad understanding of the importance of anodic porous alumina, and most probably, endow them with new ideas for its use in fields of interest or even developing the anodization technique.

Fabrication and characterization of mucoadhesive bioplastic patch via coaxial polylactic acid (PLA) based electrospun nanofibers with antimicrobial and wound healing application

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the second-highest consumed bioplastic in the world. PVP/PLA-PEO complex nanofibers encapsulating collagen and cefazolin dressing scaffold were fabricated using a coaxial electrospinning method to target the release of the encapsulated compounds. It was observed that in collagen doses of 10 and 20%, the speed of healing showed a significant difference with the control sample, but the dose of 40% caused a decrease in wound healing rate in mice. The nanofibers' morphology and surface roughness were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The mechanical properties and adhesion strength of the scaffolds were investigated. The scaffolds' antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion method against the E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. The results indicated a positive effect on the antimicrobial activity of the samples. In this study, we were able to prolong the effect of scaffolds by changing the pattern of release of cefazolin from inside the nanofibers. Possible interactions between the polymers and the encapsulated compounds were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Finally, in-vivo and histological tests were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the scaffolds in accelerating wound healing.

Modeling the release of food bioactive ingredients from carriers/nanocarriers by the empirical, semiempirical, and mechanistic models

The encapsulation process has been utilized in the field of food technology to enhance the technofunctional properties of food products and the delivery of nutraceutical ingredients via food into the human body. The latter application is very similar to drug delivery systems. The inherent sophisticated nature of release mechanisms requires the utilization of mathematical equations and statistics to predict the release behavior during the time. The science of mathematical modeling of controlled release has gained a tremendous advancement in drug delivery in recent years. Many of these modeling methods could be transferred to food. In order to develop and design enhanced food controlled/targeted bioactive release systems, understanding of the underlying physiological and chemical processes, mechanisms, and principles of release and applying the knowledge gained in the pharmaceutical field to food products is a big challenge. Ideally, by using an appropriate mathematical model, the formulation parameters could be predicted to achieve a specific release behavior. So, designing new products could be optimized. Many papers are dealing with encapsulation approaches and evaluation of the impact of process and the utilized system on release characteristics of encapsulated food bioactives, but still, there is no deep insight into the mathematical release modeling of encapsulated food materials. In this study, information gained from the pharmaceutical field is collected and discussed to investigate the probable application in the food industry.