Marine-derived polysaccharides and their therapeutic potential in wound healing application - A review

The combined treatment of gold nanoparticles associated with photobiomodulation accelerate the healing of dermonecrotic lesion

Introduction: The search for fast and efficient treatment for dermonecrotic lesions caused by the venom of the spider from the Loxosceles simillis, is a demand in health. Prednisolone is one of the most used drugs, however it has side effects. In this context, addictionally gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. The use of photobiomodulation has show to be efficient in the process of tissue repair. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of photobiomodulation and GNPs associated or not with a low concentration of prednisolone in animal models of dermonecrotic lesion.Methodology: For this, rabbits with venon-induced dermonecrotic lesion were subjected to topical treatment with prednisolone + laser or GNPs + laser or Pred-GNPs + laser. The area of edema, necrosis and erythema were measured. On the last day of treatment, the animals were euthanized to remove the organs for histopathological and biochemical analysis.Results: All treatments combinations were effective in promoting the reduction of necrotic tissue and erythema.Conclusion: With this results, we suggest that the use of laser and nanoparticles, associated or not with prednisolone, should be considered for the treatment of dermonecrotic injury.

Artificial intelligence for skin permeability prediction: deep learning

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Researchers have put in significant laboratory time and effort in measuring the permeability coefficient (Kp) of xenobiotics. To develop alternative approaches to this labour-intensive procedure, predictive models have been employed by scientists to describe the transport of xenobiotics across the skin. Most quantitative structure-permeability relationship (QSPR) models are derived statistically from experimental data. Recently, artificial intelligence-based computational drug delivery has attracted tremendous interest. Deep learning is an umbrella term for machine-learning algorithms consisting of deep neural networks (DNNs). Distinct network architectures, like convolutional neural networks (CNNs), feedforward neural networks (FNNs), and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), can be employed for prediction.

METHODS

In this project, we used a convolutional neural network, feedforward neural network, and recurrent neural network to predict skin permeability coefficients from a publicly available database reported by Cheruvu et al. The dataset contains 476 records of 145 chemicals, xenobiotics, and pharmaceuticals, administered on the human epidermis in vitro from aqueous solutions of constant concentration either saturated in infinite dose quantities or diluted. All the computations were conducted with Python under Anaconda and Jupyterlab environment after importing the required Python, Keras, and Tensorflow modules.

RESULTS

We used a convolutional neural network, feedforward neural network, and recurrent neural network to predict log kp.

CONCLUSION

This research work shows that deep learning networks can be successfully used to digitally screen and predict the skin permeability of xenobiotics.

Machine learning for skin permeability prediction: random forest and XG boost regression

Background: Machine learning algorithms that can quickly and easily estimate skin permeability (Kp) are increasingly being used in drug delivery research. The linear free energy relationship (LFER) developed by Abraham is a practical technique for predicting Kp. The permeability coefficients and Abraham solute descriptor values for 175 organic compounds have been documented in the scientific literature.Purpose: The purpose of this project was to use a publicly available dataset to make skin permeability predictions using the random forest and XBoost regression techniques.Methods: We employed Pandas-based methods in JupyterLab to predict permeability coefficient (Kp) from solute descriptors (excess molar refraction [E], combined dipolarity/polarizability [S], overall solute hydrogen bond acidity and basicity [A and B], and the McGowan's characteristic molecular volume [V]).Results: The random forest and XG Boost regression models established statistically significant association between the descriptors and the skin permeability coefficient.

Emerging trends and challenges in polysaccharide derived materials for wound care applications: A review

Polysaccharides are favourable and promising biopolymers for wound care applications due to their abundant natural availability, low cost and excellent biocompatibility. They possess different functional groups, such as carboxylic, hydroxyl and amino, and can easily be modified to obtain the desirable properties and various forms. This review systematically analyses the recent progress in polysaccharides derived materials for wound care applications, emphasizing the most commonly used cellulose, chitosan, alginate, starch, dextran and hyaluronic acid derived materials. The distinctive attributes of each polysaccharide derived wound care material are discussed in detail, along with their different forms, i.e., films, membranes, sponges, nanoemulsions, nanofibers, scaffolds, nanocomposites and hydrogels. The processing methods to develop polysaccharides derived wound care materials are also summarized. In the end, challenges related to polysaccharides derived materials in wound care management are listed, and suggestions are given to expand their utilization in the future to compete with conventional wound healing materials.

Biopolymer based nanoparticles and their therapeutic potential in wound healing - A review

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively investigated for their potential in nanomedicine. There is a significant level of enthusiasm about the potential of NPs to bring out a transformative impact on modern healthcare. NPs can serve as effective wound dressings or delivery vehicles due to their antibacterial and pro-wound-healing properties. Biopolymer-based NPs can be manufactured using various food-grade biopolymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and synthetic polymers, each offering distinct properties suitable for different applications which include collagen, polycaprolactone, chitosan, alginate, and polylactic acid, etc. Their biodegradable and biocompatible nature renders them ideal nanomaterials for applications in wound healing. Additionally, the nanofibers containing biopolymer-based NPs have shown excellent anti-bacterial and wound healing activity like silver NPs. These NPs represent a paradigm shift in wound healing therapies, offering targeted and personalized solutions for enhanced tissue regeneration and accelerated wound closure. The current review focuses on biopolymer NPs with their applications in wound healing.

A Comprehensive Review on Drug Therapies and Nanomaterials used in Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment typically requires an extended duration of 1-2 years to complete the treatment. Accelerating the rate of tooth movement during orthodontic treatment is essential for shortening the overall treatment duration. After the completion of orthodontic treatment, a prominent concern arises in the form of orthodontic relapse, where the teeth tend to revert to their original positions. This issue affects approximately 60% of the global population, underscoring the importance of implementing effective measures to address orthodontic relapse. An approach in this regard involves the targeted administration of herbal and synthetic drugs applied directly to the specific area of interest to facilitate tooth movement and prevent orthodontic relapse. Apart from this, researchers are investigating the feasibility of utilizing different types of nanoparticles to improve the process of orthodontic tooth movement. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies examining the effects of various drugs on orthodontics. However, the currently available literature does not provide significant evidence relating to orthodontic tooth movement. In this review, the authors provide valuable information about the drugs and nanomaterials that are capable of further enhancing the rate of orthodontic tooth movement and reducing the risk of orthodontic relapse. However, a notable hurdle remains, i.e., there is no marketed formulation available that can enhance orthodontic tooth movement and reduce treatment time. Therefore, researchers should try herbal-synthetic approaches to achieve a synergistic effect that can enhance orthodontic tooth movement. In this nutshell, there is an urgent need to develop a non-invasive, patient-compliant, and cost-effective formulation that will provide quality treatment and ultimately reduce the treatment time. Another critical issue is orthodontic relapse, which can be addressed by employing drugs that slow down osteoclastogenesis, thereby preventing tooth movement after treatment. Nevertheless, extensive research is still required to overcome this challenge in the future.

Microbubbles: Revolutionizing Biomedical Applications with Tailored Therapeutic Precision

BACKGROUND

Over the past ten years, tremendous progress has been made in microbubble-based research for a variety of biological applications. Microbubbles emerged as a compelling and dynamic tool in modern drug delivery systems. They are employed to deliver drugs or genes to targeted regions of interest, and then ultrasound is used to burst the microbubbles, causing site-specific delivery of the bioactive materials.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to review the microbubble compositions and physiochemical characteristics in relation to the development of innovative biomedical applications, with a focus on molecular imaging and targeted drug/gene delivery.

METHODS

The microbubbles are prepared by using various methods, which include cross-linking polymerization, emulsion solvent evaporation, atomization, and reconstitution. In cross-linking polymerization, a fine foam of the polymer is formed, which serves as a bubble coating agent and colloidal stabilizer, resulting from the vigorous stirring of a polymeric solution. In the case of emulsion solvent evaporation, there are two solutions utilized in the production of microbubbles. In atomization and reconstitution, porous spheres are created by atomising a surfactant solution into a hot gas. They are encapsulated in primary modifier gas. After the addition of the second gas or gas osmotic agent, the package is placed into a vial and sealed after reconstituting with sterile saline solution.

RESULTS

Microbubble-based drug delivery is an innovative approach in the field of drug delivery that utilizes microbubbles, which are tiny gas-filled bubbles, act as carriers for therapeutic agents. These microbubbles can be loaded with drugs, imaging agents, or genes and then guided to specific target sites.

CONCLUSION

The potential utility of microbubbles in biomedical applications is continually growing as novel formulations and methods. The versatility of microbubbles allows for customization, tailoring the delivery system to various medical applications, including cancer therapy, cardiovascular treatments, and gene therapy.