Formulation of Ocular In Situ Gels with Lithuanian Royal Jelly and Their Biopharmaceutical Evaluation In Vitro

Potential of vB_Pa_ZCPS1 phage embedded in situ gelling formulations as an ocular delivery system to attenuate Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis in a rabbit model

Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis (or pink eye) is a challenging ocular infection that causes serious complications due to the deficiency of effective antibiotic treatment. Thus, in this study we isolated and characterized a specific bacteriophage, phage vB_Pa_ZCPS1, to be used to formulate an in situ- gel loaded bacteriophage for an in vivo rabbit infection treatment model. Phage vB_Pa_ZCPS1 is a double-stranded DNA bacterial virus, of 46,135 bp encoding 75 open reading frames (ORFs) with no antibiotic resistance genes detected. Moreover, it has a podoviral morphotype from the Caudoviricetes class with a 62.4 nm capsid and a short inflexible tail of around 18.8 nm, as indicated by the transmission electron microscope (TEM). Phage vB_Pa_ZCPS1 presented good stability to the UV exposure and a wide range of pH values from 3.0 to 11.0. In addition, the phage-bacteria dynamics study showed that phage vB_Pa_ZCPS1 was effective against P. aeruginosa, especially at low multiplicities of infections (MOIs), including 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1. Respectively, it was loaded to the characterized in situ gel composed of 14 % Pluronic F-127 and 1.5 % HPMC K4M polymer. The in situ-gel has a gelling time of 30 s ± 1, and a temperature of 33 °C ± 1, where the viscosity of the gel increases 10-fold. For the in vivo trial, the infected group treated with phage presented improved clinical outcomes, where the histopathological analysis revealed normal corneal thickness and intact corneal stratified squamous epithelium. Thus, the in situ-gel loaded phage vB_Pa_ZCPS1 could be a potential candidate approach to treat P. aeruginosa keratitis.

Development of lacosamide-loaded in-situ gels through experimental design for evaluation of ocular irritation in vitro and in vivo

Lacosamide (LCM) selectively increases the slow inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and is a N-methyl d-aspartate acid (NMDA) receptor glycine site antagonist. Therefore, it can be used in dryness-related hyperexcitability of corneal cold receptor nerve terminals. Ocular in-situ gels remain in liquid form until they reach the target site, where they undergo a sol-gel transformation in response to specific stimuli. They can show mucoadhesive properties related to the polymer used and increase the residence time of the drug in the mucosa. In the presented study, ocular in-situ gel formulation of LCM, which has potential for use in ocular diseases and consists of hyaluronic acid and poloxamer 407 as polymers, was developed using cold method. The effect of formulation components on target product properties (pH, gelation temperature and viscosity) was evaluated by design of experiments (DoE) design. The optimized LCM-loaded in-situ gel had a pH value of 6.90 ± 0.01, showed pseudo-plastic flow with a viscosity of 562 ± 58 cP at 25 °C, gelled at 33 ± 0.47 °C, and released drugs via the Peppas-Sahlin mechanism. Ocular safety was confirmed via in vitro tests using two different cell lines (L929 and Arpe-19), along with in vivo Draize tests, histological examinations, and Hen's Egg Chario-Allontioc-Membrane (HET-CAM) analysis. In vitro studies confirmed the optimized LCM-loaded in-situ gel's suitability for ocular use, demonstrating long-acting effects through controlled release. In addition, ocular irritation and histological studies have supported that it will not show any toxic effect on the eye tissue.

Antitumor Effects and the Potential Mechanism of 10-HDA against SU-DHL-2 Cells

10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), which is a unique bioactive fatty acid of royal jelly synthesized by nurse bees for larvae and adult queen bees, is recognized for its dual utility in medicinal and nutritional applications. Previous research has indicated that 10-HDA exerts antitumor effects on numerous tumor cell lines, including colon cancer cells, A549 human lung cancer cells, and human hepatoma cells. The present study extends this inquiry to lymphoma, specifically evaluating the impact of 10-HDA on the SU-DHL-2 cell line. Our findings revealed dose-dependent suppression of SU-DHL-2 cell survival, with an IC50 of 496.8 μg/mL at a density of 3 × 106 cells/well after 24 h. For normal liver LO2 cells and human fibroblasts (HSFs), the IC50 values were approximately 1000 μg/mL and over 1000 μg/mL, respectively. The results of label-free proteomics revealed 147 upregulated and 347 downregulated differentially expressed proteins that were significantly enriched in the complement and coagulation cascades pathway (adjusted p-value = 0.012), including the differentially expressed proteins prothrombin, plasminogen, plasminogen, carboxypeptidase B2, fibrinogen beta chain, fibrinogen gamma chain, and coagulation factor V. The top three hub proteins, ribosomal protein L5, tumor protein p53, and ribosomal protein L24, were identified via protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. This result showed that the complement and coagulation cascade pathways might play a key role in the antitumor process of 10-HDA, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue for lymphoma treatment. However, the specificity of the effect of 10-HDA on SU-DHL-2 cells warrants further investigation.

Effects of royal jelly on the antisenescence, mitochondrial viability and osteogenic differentiation capacity of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have the ability to self-renew and regulate paracrine signalling and immune system processes. MSCs have extensive clinical applications in regeneration, functional reconstruction and cellular therapies. However, studies are needed to discover ways to improve the properties of MSCs, such as differentiation, and prevent senescence in culture, which are both very important for cell therapies. Royal jelly (RJ) is a nutritional substance produced by worker bees that contains a substantial amounts of proteins that are beneficial for cell growth and proliferation. RJ is widely used in traditional medicine today, and due to the specific components in its content, it has been reported to have antioxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-ageing properties. In our study, human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) derived from umbilical cord matrix were grown in culture medium supplemented with RJ. The control group comprised minimum essential medium (MEM) and 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS); RJ groups were formed using MEM, 10% FBS and 0.075 mg/ml or 0.150 mg/ml RJ. In our study, we evaluated the effect of RJ on WJ-MSC growth by MTT assay, proliferating cell nuclear antigen ELISA, β-galactosidase activity assay, MitoTracker Green staining and differentiation tests in adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic cell lines. It was observed that the number of mitochondria increased, senescence decreased and osteogenic differentiation increased after differentiation induction after the addition of RJ to MSC culture. In general, the results of this study indicate that WJ-MSCs enhance mitochondrial numbers and important cellular activities, such as antisenescence and osteogenic differentiation, and with increasing evidence from further studies, RJ supplementation may be found beneficial for the use of MSCs in bone engineering regenerative medicine or cell therapy.

Metabolic Profile of Alzheimer's Disease: Is 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic Acid a Pertinent Metabolic Adjuster?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a significant public health concern in modern society. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), which includes diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity, represents a modifiable risk factor for AD. MetS and AD are interconnected through various mechanisms, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, insulin resistance (IR), vascular impairment, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Therefore, it is necessary to seek a multi-targeted and safer approach to intervention. Thus, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a unique hydroxy fatty acid in royal jelly, has shown promising anti-neuroinflammatory, blood-brain barrier (BBB)-preserving, and neurogenesis-promoting properties. In this paper, we provide a summary of the relationship between MetS and AD, together with an introduction to 10-HDA as a potential intervention nutrient. In addition, molecular docking is performed to explore the metabolic tuning properties of 10-HDA with associated macromolecules such as GLP-1R, PPARs, GSK-3, and TREM2. In conclusion, there is a close relationship between AD and MetS, and 10-HDA shows potential as a beneficial nutritional intervention for both AD and MetS.

Drug Delivery for Ocular Allergy: Current Formulation Design Strategies and Future Perspectives

The incidences of ocular allergy have been growing with the increase in pollution. Because of challenges in new drug development, there have been efforts to maximize the efficacy of existing drugs through drug delivery approaches. The effectiveness of drugs in ophthalmic conditions is primarily determined by permeability across the barrier, corneal retention, and sustained release. Thus, there have been widespread efforts to optimize these parameters to enhance efficacy through novel formulations. This review aims to analyze the approaches to drug delivery systems to encourage further research to optimize effectiveness. With this objective, research on drug delivery aspects of anti-allergy therapeutics was included and analyzed based on formulation/drug delivery technique, Food and Drug Administration approval limits, residence time, compatibility, pre-clinical efficacy, and potential for translational application. Conventional eye drops have concerns such as poor residence time and ocular bioavailability. The novel formulations have the potential to improve residence and bioavailability. However, the use of preservatives and the lack of regulatory approval for polymers limit the translational application. The review may assist readers in identifying novel drug delivery strategies and their limitations for the development of effective ophthalmic formulations for the treatment of ocular allergy.

The role of microencapsulation in maintaining biological activity of royal jelly: comparison with biological activity and bioaccessibility of microencapsulated, fresh and lyophilized forms during storage

BACKGROUND

Royal jelly (RJ) is a unique beehive product and has been recommended for human health since ancient times because of its antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, neuroprotective, anti-lipidemic and anti-aging features. However, the biggest obstacle in the use of RJ is the need for cold storage and the instability of bioactive components over time. In the present study, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) content, as well as antioxidant [using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) methods] and antimicrobial activity (five Gram-positive, five Gram-negative and three yeasts), were comparatively evaluated for three RJ forms, two of which can be stored at 24 ± 1 °C during storage.

RESULTS

Microencapsulated royal jelly (MRJ) stored at room temperature succeeded in preserving its 10-HDA content, a major bioactive compound, during the 6 months, with respect to lyophilized royal jelly (LRJ) and fresh RJ stored at 4 °C. The initial 10-HDA contents of RJ, LRJ and MRJ were determined as 1.90%, 5.26% and 2.75%, respectively. Moreover, the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity mostly remained constant throughout the storage period (P ≥ 0.05). Gram-positive strains were generally more sensitive than Gram-negative strains. In the present study, the in vitro simulated digestion analysis showed that MRJ can tolerate the digestion process.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the encapsulation process was considered as one preservative technique for RJ. The microencapsulation of RJ as shown in the results of the present study are encouraging in terms of enabling the local beekeeping sector to achieve ease of production and increased product diversity. MRJ shows promise as a commercial product with a high export value for producers. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.