0000000000324466
AUTHOR
Jouni Hirvonen
Prospective Cancer Therapies Using Stimuli‐Responsive DNA Nanostructures
Financial support by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation, the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation, Academy of Finland (grants no. 317042 and 331151), the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and the Vilho, Yrjö and Kalle Väisälä Foundation of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is gratefully acknowledged Nanostructures based on DNA self-assembly present an innovative way to address the increasing need for target-specific delivery of therapeutic molecules. Currently, most of the chemotherapeutics being used in clinical practice have undesired and exceedingly high off-target toxicity. This is a challenge in particular for small molecules, and hence, developing robust and ef…
Ion-exchange fibers and drugs: an equilibrium study
The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of drug binding into and drug release from cation-exchange fibers in vitro under equilibrium conditions. Ion-exchange groups of the fibers were weakly drug binding carboxylic acid groups (-COOH), strongly drug binding sulphonic acid groups (-SO(3)H), or combinations thereof. Parameters determining the drug absorption and drug release properties of the fibers were: (i) the lipophilicity of the drug (tacrine and propranolol are lipophilic compounds, nadolol is a relatively hydrophilic molecule), (ii) the ion-exchange capacity of the fibers, which was increased by activating the cation-exchange groups with NaOH, (iii) the ionic streng…
Controlled transdermal iontophoresis by ion-exchange fiber
The objective of this study was to assess the transdermal delivery of drugs using iontophoresis with cation- and anion-exchange fibers as controlled drug delivery vehicles. Complexation of charged model drugs with the ion-exchange fibers was studied as a method to achieve controlled transdermal drug delivery. Drug release from the cation-exchange fiber into a physiological saline was dependent on the lipophilicity of the drug. The release rates of lipophilic tacrine and propranolol were significantly slower than that of hydrophilic nadolol. Permeation of tacrine across the skin was directly related to the iontophoretic current density and drug concentration used. Anion-exchange fiber was te…
Ion-exchange fibers and drugs: a transient study.
The objective of this study was to theoretically model and experimentally measure the kinetics and extent of drug release from different ion-exchange materials using an in-house-designed flow-cell. Ion-exchange fibers (staple fibers and fiber cloth) were compared with commercially available ion-exchange materials (resins and gels). The functional ion-exchange groups in all the materials were weak -COOH or strong -SO3H groups. The rate and extent of drug release from the fibers (staple fiber>fiber cloth) was much higher than that from the resin or the gel. An increase in the hydrophilicity of the model drugs resulted in markedly higher rates of drug release from the fibers (nadolol>metoprolo…
High-Generation Amphiphilic Janus-Dendrimers as Stabilizing Agents for Drug Suspensions
Pharmaceutical nanosuspensions are formed when drug crystals are suspended in aqueous media in the presence of stabilizers. This technology offers a convenient way to enhance the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drug compounds. The stabilizers exert their action through electrostatic or steric interactions, however, the molecular requirements of stabilizing agents have not been studied extensively. Here, four structurally related amphiphilic Janus-dendrimers were synthesized and screened to determine the roles of different macromolecular domains on the stabilization of drug crystals. Physical interaction and nanomilling experiments have substantiated that Janus-dendrimers with fourth gen…