Influence of the type of vegetable oil on the drug release profile from lipid-core nanocapsules andin vivogenotoxicity study

Disulfiram-containing polymeric nanocapsules with anticancer activity for cancer treatment

Disulfiram, a medication traditionally used to treat alcohol addiction, has gained attention as a potential cancer treatment in recent years. Disulfiram works by inhibiting the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, involved in the breakdown of acetaldehyde, a by-product of alcohol metabolism. This results in the build up of acetaldehyde in the body leading to unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting when alcohol is consumed while taking the drug. With cancer treatment, disulfiram has been found to have several mechanisms of action. It has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth and metastasis and to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Additionally, disulfiram has been found to sensitize cancer cells to other treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, by increasing their susceptibility to these treatments. Disulfiram treatment is effective against a variety of cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and glioblastoma. Overall, disulfiram holds promise as a potentially effective and inexpensive cancer treatment. Thus, researchers are exploring various delivery systems for disulfiram in cancer treatment to improve its effectiveness and reduce its side effects. Among delivery systems nanoparticles and liposomes have been used to deliver disulfiram. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of polycaprolactone-based nanocapsules for encapsulating DSF, maintaining stable size distribution (∼250 nm) and long-term stability. These nanocapsules exhibit sustained, controlled DSF release, effectively addressing the drug's instability in the bloodstream and showing promising therapeutic potential. Notably, DSF-loaded nanocapsules exhibited a twofold increase in cytotoxicity against certain tumors compared to free DSF, attributed to their extended-release profile. These findings highlight the potential of nanocapsules to improve therapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects.

Diazepam nanocapsules as an alternative for sleep induction: Development study and toxicity assessment

Diazepam (DZP) is a sedative medication prescribed to treat anxiety and as a sleep inducer, although its residual effects are unfavorable to patients. Nanotechnology represents a tool to improve the pharmacological characteristics of drugs, reducing their side effects. This study aimed to develop and characterize DZP nanocapsules and to evaluate their toxicity in alternative models and the hypnotic-sedative effect in mice. Nanocapsules were prepared by the nanoprecipitation method and properly characterized. Long-term and accelerated stability studies were performed. The in vitro release profile was determined by diffusion in Franz cells. The safety of the formulation was evaluated in the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and the oral acute toxicity in mice. Pharmacological evaluation was performed using thiopental-induced sleeping time. DZP was successfully incorporated into Poly-(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) nanocapsules, with high entrapment efficiency. The nanocapsule did not affect the development or survival of C. elegans, different from the free drug, which affected the nematode development at the higher tested dose. No signs of toxicity, nor body mass or feed consumption changes were observed during the 14 days evaluated. Finally, this innovative formulation carrying DZP can produce a hypnotic-effect at a reduced dose compared to the free drug, with no toxicity in alternative models.

Effect of vegetable oils on the experimental infection of mice with Trypanosoma congolense

Vegetable oils are frequently used as solvents for lipophilic materials; accordingly, the effects of their components should be considered in animal experiments. In this study, the effects of various vegetable oils on the course of Trypanosoma congolense infection were examined in mice. C57BL/6J mice were orally administered four kinds of oils (i.e., coconut oil, olive oil, high oleic safflower oil, and high linoleic safflower oil) with different fatty acid compositions and infected with T. congolense IL-3000. Oil-treated mice infected with T. congolense showed significantly higher survival rates and lower parasitemia than those of control mice. Notably, coconut oil, which mainly consists of saturated fatty acids, delayed the development of parasitemia at the early stage of infection. These results indicated that vegetable oil intake could affect T. congolense infection in mice. These findings have important practical implications; for example, they suggest the potential effectiveness of vegetable oils as a part of the regular animal diet for controlling tropical diseases and indicate that vegetable oils are not suitable solvents for studies of the efficacy of lipophilic agents against T. congolense.

Redispersible spray-dried lipid-core nanocapsules intended for oral delivery: the influence of the particle number on redispersibility

This study proposes a new approach to produce easily redispersible spray-dried lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC) intended for oral administration, evaluating the influence of the particle number density of the fed sample. The proposed approach to develop redispersible spray-dried LNC formulations intended for oral route is innovative, evidencing the needing of an optimization of the initial particle number density in the liquid suspension of nanocapsules. A mixture of maltodextrin and L-leucine (90:10 w/w) was used as drying adjuvant. Dynamic light scattering, turbidimetry, determination of surface area and pore size distribution, electron microscopy and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) were used to characterize the proposed system and to better understand the differences in the redispersion behavior. An easily aqueous redispersion of the spray-dried powder composed of maltodextrin and L-leucine (90:10 w/w) was obtained, depending on the particle number density. Their surface area decreased in the presence of LNC. CRM enabled the visualization of the spatial distribution of the different compounds in the powders affording to better understand the influence of the particle number density of the fed sample on their redispersion behavior. This study shows the need for optimizing initial particle number density in the liquid formulation to develop redispersible spray-dried LNC powders.

Topical antiedematogenic and anti-inflammatory effect of Scutia buxifolia Reissek gel and stability study

Scutia buxifolia Reissek (Rhamnaceae), popularly known in Brazil as "coronilha", is a plant species used in folk medicine for several disorders, including inflammation. However, no studies have been done with this species to confirm its topical anti-inflammatory action. In this study we evaluate the topical antiedematogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of the gel containing crude extract (CE) and the gel containing ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of S. buxifolia on croton oil or UVB radiation-induced ear edema in mice, and perform gel stability study. Antiedematogenic and anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated through ear edema induced by irritant agent croton oil, UVB irradiation-induced skin injury model and neutrophil infiltration. The gel stability study was performed by analyzing organoleptical aspects, pH, viscosity, and quantification of quercetin and rutin by HPLC. The topical treatment with S. buxifolia gel reduced the ear edema and myeloperoxidase activity. Antiedematogenic and anti-inflammatory effects of S. buxifolia were obtained with concentrations of 0.3, 1 and 3%, with maximal inhibition in the concentration of 1% for gel containing CE (inhibitions of 100, 73±0.05 and 97±0.08% for croton oil- or UVB irradiation-induced ear edema and myeloperoxidase activity, respectively) and EtOAc fraction (inhibitions of 79±0.05, 73±0.05 and 89±0.04% for croton oil- or UVB irradiation-induced ear edema and myeloperoxidase activity, respectively). Such effects may be attributed, at least in part, to rutin and quercetin, as well as other compounds found in this species. No important changes were detected in the stability study, in all aspects analyzed in temperature below 25°C. Our results demonstrate that topically applied S. buxifolia gel presented anti-inflammatory effects, provided that it was maintained at a temperature below 25°C.

Enhanced photostability, radical scavenging and antitumor activity of indole-3-carbinol-loaded rose hip oil nanocapsules

This study aimed to develop poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocapsules loaded with indole-3-cabinol (I3C) using rose hip oil (RHO) or medium chain triglycerides (MCT) as oil core. In vitro radical scavenging activity (DPPH method), hemolysis, and antitumor effects on breast (MCF-7) and glioma (C6) cells were conducted. Preformulation evaluations revealed that RHO is suitable to prepare the nanocapsules considering the log P determination and dissolution/swelling experiments of polymer films. The nanocapsules were prepared and presented adequate physicochemical characteristics as mean size around 250nm, polydispersity index values <0.2, zeta potential negative values and I3C encapsulation efficiency around 42%, without any influence of the oil core (RHO or MCT) on these parameters. However, the photodegradation study demonstrated that RHO nanocapsules showed less degree of I3C degradation in comparison to MCT nanocapsules. The in vitro release profile showed that both nanocapsule suspensions demonstrated an initial burst effect followed by a prolonged I3C release. In addition, the formulations were considered hemocompatibles at 10μg/mL and showed an enhanced radical scavenging activity in comparison to free I3C. Moreover, nanocapsules prepared with RHO increased about two times the antitumor effect of I3C on MCF-7 and C6 cells without significant reduction of astrocyte cell viability. In conclusion, nanocapsule formulations developed in this study might be considered promising for cancer treatment.

Nanoencapsulation of rice bran oil increases its protective effects against UVB radiation-induced skin injury in mice

Excessive UV-B radiation by sunlight produces inflammatory and oxidative damage of skin, which can lead to sunburn, photoaging, and cancer. This study evaluated whether nanoencapsulation improves the protective effects of rice bran oil against UVB radiation-induced skin damage in mice. Lipid-core nanocapsules containing rice bran oil were prepared, and had mean size around 200 nm, negative zeta potential (∼-9 mV), and low polydispersity index (<0.20). In order to allow application on the skin, a hydrogel containing the nanoencapsulated rice bran oil was prepared. This formulation was able to prevent ear edema induced by UVB irradiation by 60 ± 9%, when compared with a hydrogel containing LNC prepared with a mixture of medium chain triglycerides instead of rice bran oil. Protein carbonylation levels (biomarker of oxidative stress) and NF-κB nuclear translocation (biomarker of pro-inflammatory and carcinogenesis response) were reduced (81% and 87%, respectively) in animals treated with the hydrogel containing the nanoencapsulated rice bran oil. These in vivo results demonstrate the beneficial effects of nanoencapsulation to improve the protective properties of rice bran oil on skin damage caused by UVB exposure.