Enhancement of biocompatibility and carbohydrate absorption control potential of rosmarinic acid through crosslinking into microparticles

Rosmarinic acid nanomedicine for rheumatoid arthritis therapy: Targeted RONS scavenging and macrophage repolarization

The infiltration of inflammatory cells, especially macrophages, integrated with the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and the release of inflammatory cytokines play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Synergistic combination of RONS scavenging and macrophage repolarization from pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype towards anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, provides a promising strategy for efficient RA treatment. Herein, this study reported a unique self-assembly strategy to construct distinct rosmarinic acid nanoparticles (RNPs) for efficient RA treatment using the naturally occurring polyphenol-based compound, rosmarinic acid (RosA). The designed RNPs exhibited favorable capability in scavenging RONS and pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by macrophages. Attributing to the widened vascular endothelial-cell gap at inflammation sites, RNPs could target and accumulate at the inflammatory joints of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats for guaranteeing therapeutic effect. In vivo investigation demonstrated that RNPs alleviated the symptoms of RA, including joint swelling, synovial hyperplasia, cartilage degradation, and bone erosion in CIA rats. Additionally, the designed RNPs promoted macrophage polarization from M1 phenotype towards M2 phenotype, resulting in the suppressed progression of RA. Therefore, this research represents the representative paradigm for RA therapy using antioxidative nanomedicine deriving from the natural polyphenol-based compound.

A Review on Phyto-Therapeutic Approaches in Alzheimer's Disease

Neurodegenerative diseases occur due to progressive and sometimes irreversible loss of function and death of nerve cells. A great deal of effort is being made to understand the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is quite high, and only symptomatic therapy is available due to the absence of radical treatment. The aim of this review is to try to elucidate the general pathogenesis of AD, to provide information about the limit points of symptomatic treatment approaches, and to emphasize the potential neurologic effects of phytocompounds as new tools as therapeutic agents for disease prevention, retardation, and therapy. This survey also covers the notable properties of herbal compounds such as their effects on the inhibition of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which has significant value in the treatment of AD. It has been proven that phytopharmaceuticals have long-term effects that could protect nervous system health, eliminate inflammatory responses, improve cognitive damage, provide anti-aging effects in the natural aging process, and alleviate dementia sequelae. Herbal-based therapeutic agents can afford many advantages and can be used as potentially as new-generation therapeutics or complementary agents with high compliance, fewer adverse effects, and lower cost in comparison to the traditional pharmaceutical agents in the fight against AD.

Enhanced Bioactive Properties of Halloysite Nanotubes via Polydopamine Coating

Halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were coated five times with dopamine (DOPA) in a tris buffer medium at pH 8.5 to acquire polydopamine-coated HNTs (PDOPA@HNT), e.g., PDOPA1@HNT, PDOPA3@HNT, and PDOPA5@HNT. Upon coating HNT with PDOPA, the surface area, pore volume, and pore size were decreased depending on the number of coatings. While the surface area of HNT was 57.9 m²/g, by increasing the number of coatings from 1 to 5, it was measured as 55.9, 53.4, 53.3, 47.4, and 46.4 m²/g, respectively. The isoelectric point (IEP) for HNTs was determined as 4.68, whereas these values are estimated as 2.31 for PDOPA1@HNTs, 3.49 for PDOPA3@HNT, and 3.55 for PDOPA5@HNT. Three different antioxidant studies were conducted for HNT and PDOPA@HNT, and the total phenol (TPC) value of HNT was found to be 150.5 ± 45.9 µmol gallic acid (GA) equivalent. The TPC values for PDOPA1@HNT, PDOPA3@HNT and PDOPA5@HNT coatings were found to be 405.5 ± 25.0, 750.0 ± 69.9, and 1348.3 ± 371.7 µmol GA equivalents, respectively. The Fe(II) chelation capacity of HNT was found to be 20.5% ± 1.2%, while the PDOPA1@HNT, PDOPA3@HNT and PDOPA5@HNT values were found to be 49.9 ± 6.5, 36.6 ± 12.7 and 25.4 ± 1.2%, respectively. HNT and PDOPA@HNTs inhibited the α-glucosidase (AG) enzyme to greater extents than acetylcholinesterase (AChE). As a result, the DOPA modification of HNTs was rendered to provide additional characteristics, e.g., antioxidant properties and higher AChE and AG enzymes inhibition capabilities. Therefore, PDOPA@HNTs have great potential as biomaterials.

Therapeutic and Nutraceutical Effects of Polyphenolics from Natural Sources

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease, oxidative stress-related complications, and chronic age-related illnesses is gradually increasing worldwide. Several causes include the ineffectiveness of medicinal treatment therapies, their toxicity, their inability to provide radical solutions in some diseases, and the necessity of multiple drug therapy in certain chronic diseases. It is therefore necessary for alternative treatment methods to be sought. In this review, polyphenols were identified and classified according to their chemical structure, and the sources of these polyphenol molecules are indicated. The cardioprotective, ROS scavenging, anti-aging, anticancer properties of polyphenolic compounds have been demonstrated by the results of many studies, and these natural antioxidant molecules are potential alternative therapeutic agents.

Polysaccharides as Carriers of Polyphenols: Comparison of Freeze-Drying and Spray-Drying as Encapsulation Techniques

Polyphenols have received great attention as important phytochemicals beneficial for human health. They have a protective effect against cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer and diabetes. The utilization of polyphenols as natural antioxidants, functional ingredients and supplements is limited due to their low stability caused by environmental and processing conditions, such as heat, light, oxygen, pH, enzymes and so forth. These disadvantages are overcome by the encapsulation of polyphenols by different methods in the presence of polyphenolic carriers. Different encapsulation technologies have been established with the purpose of decreasing polyphenol sensitivity and the creation of more efficient delivery systems. Among them, spray-drying and freeze-drying are the most common methods for polyphenol encapsulation. This review will provide an overview of scientific studies in which polyphenols from different sources were encapsulated using these two drying methods, as well as the impact of different polysaccharides used as carriers for encapsulation.

Rosmarinic Acid and Ulvan from Terrestrial and Marine Sources in Anti-Microbial Bionanosystems and Biomaterials

In order to increase their sustainability, antimicrobial renewable molecules are fundamental additions to consumer goods. Rosmarinic acid is extracted from several terrestrial plants and represents an effective anti-microbial agent. Ulvan, extracted from algae, is an anti-microbial polysaccharide. The present review is dedicated to discussing the sources and the extraction methodologies for obtaining rosmarinic acid and ulvan. Moreover, the preparation of bioanosystems, integrating the two molecules with organic or inorganic substrates, are reviewed as methodologies to increase their effectiveness and stability. Finally, the possibility of preparing functional biomaterials and anti-microbial final products is discussed, considering scientific literature. The performed analysis indicated that the production of both molecules is not yet performed with mature industrial technologies. Nevertheless, both molecules could potentially be used in the packaging, biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, sanitary and personal care sectors, despite some research being required for developing functional materials with specific properties to pave the way for many more applications.

Nanogels: A novel approach in antimicrobial delivery systems and antimicrobial coatings

The implementation of nanotechnology to develop efficient antimicrobial systems has a significant impact on the prospects of the biomedical field. Nanogels are soft polymeric particles with an internally cross-linked structure, which behave as hydrogels and can be reversibly hydrated/dehydrated (swollen/shrunken) by the dispersing solvent and external stimuli. Their excellent properties, such as biocompatibility, colloidal stability, high water content, desirable mechanical properties, tunable chemical functionalities, and interior gel-like network for the incorporation of biomolecules, make them fascinating in the field of biological/biomedical applications. In this review, various approaches will be discussed and compared to the newly developed nanogel technology in terms of efficiency and applicability for determining their potential role in combating infections in the biomedical area including implant-associated infections.

Chondroitin Sulfate-Based Cryogels for Biomedical Applications

Cryogels attained from natural materials offer exceptional properties in applications such as tissue engineering. Moreover, Halloysite Nanotubes (HNT) at 1:0.5 weight ratio were embedded into CS cryogels to render additional biomedical properties. The hemolysis index of CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogels was calculated as 0.77 ± 0.41 and 0.81 ± 0.24 and defined as non-hemolytic materials. However, the blood coagulation indices of CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogels were determined as 76 ± 2% and 68 ± 3%, suggesting a mild blood clotting capability. The maximum% swelling capacity of CS cryogel was measured as 3587 ± 186%, 4014 ± 184%, and 3984 ± 113%, at pH 1.0, pH 7.4 and pH 9.0, respectively, which were reduced to 1961 ± 288%, 2816 ± 192, 2405 ± 73%, respectively, for CS:HNT cryogel. It was found that CS cryogels can hydrolytically be degraded 41 ± 1% (by wt) in 16-day incubation, whereas the CS:HNT cryogels degraded by 30 ± 1 wt %. There is no chelation for HNT and 67.5 ± 1% Cu(II) chelation for linear CS was measured. On the other hand, the CS cryogel and CS:HNT cryogel revealed Cu(II) chelating capabilities of 60.1 ± 12.5%, and 43.2 ± 17.5%, respectively, from 0.1 mg/mL Cu(II) ion stock solution. Additionally, at 0.5 mg/mL CS, CS:HNT, and HNT, the Fe(II) chelation capacity of 99.7 ± 0.6, 86.2 ± 4.7% and only 11.9 ± 4.5% were measured, respectively, while no Fe(II) was chelated by linear CS chelated Fe(II). As the adjustable and controllable swelling properties of cryogels are important parameters in biomedical applications, the swelling properties of CS cryogels, at different solution pHs, e.g., at the solution pHs of 1.0, 7.4 and 9.0, were measured as 3587 ± 186%, 4014 ± 184%, and 3984 ± 113%, respectively, and the maximum selling% values of CS:HNT cryogels were determined as 1961 ± 288%, 2816 ± 192, 2405 ± 73%, respectively, at the same conditions. Alpha glucosidase enzyme interactions were investigated and found that CS-based cryogels can stimulate this enzyme at any CS formulation.

Enhanced enzymatic activity and stability by in situ entrapment of α-Glucosidase within super porous p(HEMA) cryogels during synthesis

Here, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (p(HEMA)) cryogel were prepared in the presence 0.48, 0.96, and 1.92 mL of α-Glucosidase enzyme (0.06 Units/mL) solutions to obtain enzyme entrapped superporous p(HEMA) cryogels, donated as α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-1, α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-2, and α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-3, respectively. The enzyme entrapped p(HEMA) cryogels revealed no interruption for hemolysis and coagulation of blood rendering viable biomedical application in blood contacting applications. The α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-1 was found to preserve its' activity% 92.3 ± 1.4 % and higher activity% against free α-Glucosidase enzymes in 15-60℃ temperature, and 4-9 pH range. The Km and Vmax values of α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-1 cryogel was calculated as 3.22 mM, and 0.0048 mM/min, respectively versus 1.97 mM, and 0.0032 mM/min, for free enzymes. The α-Glucosidase@p(HEMA)-1 cryogel was found to maintained enzymatic activity more than 50 % after 10 consecutive uses, and also preserved their activity more than 50 % after 10 days of storage at 25 ℃, whereas free α-Glucosidase enzyme maintained only 1.9 ± 0.9 % activity under the same conditions.