Characterization and trypanocidal activity of a β-lapachone-containing drug carrier

Cyclodextrin Complexes for the Treatment of Chagas Disease: A Literature Review

Cyclodextrins are ring-shaped sugars used as additives in medications to improve solubility, stability, and sensory characteristics. Despite being widespread, Chagas disease is neglected because of the limitations of available medications. This study aims to review the compounds used in the formation of inclusion complexes for the treatment of Chagas disease, analyzing the incorporated compounds and advancements in related studies. The databases consulted include Scielo, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, LILACS, and Embase. The keywords used were "cyclodextrin AND Chagas AND disease" and "cyclodextrin complex against Trypanosoma cruzi". Additionally, a statistical analysis of studies on Chagas disease over the last five years was conducted, highlighting the importance of research in this area. This review focused on articles that emphasize how cyclodextrins can improve the bioavailability, therapeutic action, toxicity, and solubility of medications. Initially, 380 articles were identified with the keyword "cyclodextrin AND Chagas disease"; 356 were excluded for not being directly related to the topic, using the keyword "cyclodextrin complex against Trypanosoma cruzi". Over the last five years, a total of 13,075 studies on Chagas disease treatment were found in our literature analysis. The studies also showed interest in molecules derived from natural products and vegetable oils. Research on cyclodextrins, particularly in the context of Chagas disease treatment, has advanced significantly, with studies highlighting the efficacy of molecules in cyclodextrin complexes and indicating promising advances in disease treatment.

Synthetic Naphthoquinone Inhibits Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Replication Targeting Na+, K+ ATPase

Since 1970 acyclovir (ACV) has been the reference drug in treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. However, resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strains have emerged, narrowing the treatment efficacy. The antiviral activity of classical Na+, K+ ATPase enzyme (NKA) inhibitors linked the viral replication to the NKA's activity. Herein, we evaluated the anti-HSV-1 activity of synthetic naphthoquinones, correlating their antiviral activity with NKA inhibition. We tested seven synthetic naphthoquinones initially at 50 μM on HSV-1-infected African green monkey kidney cells (VERO cells). Only one compound, 2-hydroxy-3-(2-thienyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (AN-06), exhibited higher antiviral activity with a low cytotoxicity. AN-06 reduced the viral titer of 9 (log10) to 1.32 (log10) and decreased the steps of attachment and penetration. The addition of AN-06 up to 20 h postinfection (hpi) interfered with the viral cycle. The viral infection alone increases NKA activity 3 h postinfection (hpi), scaling up to 6 hpi. The addition of AN-06 in a culture infected with HSV-1 decreased NKA activity, suggesting that its antiviral action is linked to NKA inhibition. Also, docking results showed that this compound binds at the same site of NKA in which adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binds. AN-06 exhibited promising pharmacokinetic and toxicology properties. Thus, we postulate that AN-06 may be a good candidate for antiviral compounds with a mechanism of action targeting NKA activity.

Inclusion complex of O-allyl-lawsone with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin: Preparation, physical characterization, antiparasitic and antifungal activity

The subclass naphthoquinone represents a substance group containing several compounds with important activities against various pathogenic microorganisms. Accordingly, we evaluated O-allyl-lawsone (OAL) antiparasitic and antifungal activity free and encapsulated in 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (OAL MKN) against Trypanosoma cruzi and Sporothrix spp. OAL and OAL MKN were synthesized and characterized by physicochemical methods. The IC₅₀ values of OAL against T. cruzi were 2.4 µM and 96.8 µM, considering epimastigotes and trypomastigotes, respectively. At the same time, OAL MKN exhibited a lower IC₅₀ value (0.5 µM) for both trypanosome forms and low toxicity for mammalian cells. Additionally, the encapsulation showed a selectivity index approximately 240 times higher than that of benznidazole. Regarding antifungal activity, OAL and OAL MKN inhibited Sporothrix brasiliensis growth at 16 µM, while Sporothrix schenckii was inhibited at 32 µM. OAL MKN also exhibited higher selectivity toward fungus than mammalian cells. In conclusion, we described the encapsulation of O-allyl-lawsone in 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, increasing the antiparasitic activity compared with the free form and reducing the cytotoxicity and increasing the selectivity towardSporothrix yeasts and the T. cruzi trypomastigote form. This study highlights the potential development of this inclusion complex as an antiparasitic and antifungal agent to treat neglected diseases.

Preparation and Synergistic Anti-Tumor Effect of Iridium Oxide Nanocomposites under Microscope

In order to solve the great difficulties in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, a preparation method of iridium oxide nanocomposites under the microscope was proposed in this paper. Through a retrospective analysis of an experiment, IrOx nanoparticles were prepared by direct hydrothermal hydrolysis and loaded with chemotherapy drug adriamycin to construct nanodrug-loaded complex IrOx@DOX. At the same time, IrOx, as a sound-sensitive agent, can produce ROS under US irradiation, amplify intracellular oxidative stress, accelerate tumor cell death, and finally achieve the effect of SDT chemotherapy synergistic therapy. The experimental results show that IrOx@DOX has the dual response of pH and US, and the inhibition rates are 27%, 57%, and 76%, respectively. At the same time, ultrasound not only can enhance the uptake of nanoparticles by cells but also can promote the release of DOX in cells, which provides a basis for subsequent SDT chemotherapy synergistic therapy. Conclusion. Iridium oxide nanocomposite DOX combined with SDT can obtain a good therapeutic effect, which has positive feedback on the efficacy of chemotherapy and the therapeutic effect of cancer surgery.