Search results for "CARRIERS"
showing 10 items of 391 documents
Development of novel diolein–niosomes for cutaneous delivery of tretinoin: Influence of formulation and in vitro assessment
2014
Abstract This work describes innovative niosomes, composed of diolein alone or in association with the hydrophilic penetration enhancer Labrasol ® , as carriers for cutaneous drug delivery. The model drug was tretinoin and conventional, and Labrasol ® containing liposomes was used as controls to evaluate the influence of vesicle composition and the role of Labrasol ® on vesicle physico-chemical properties and performance as skin delivery system. Vesicles, prepared by the thin film hydration technique, were characterized in terms of size distribution, morphology, zeta potential, structure, incorporation efficiency, and rheological properties. The influence of carrier composition on tretinoin…
Relation between structural and release properties in a polysaccharide gel system.
2007
Abstract The potential utility of κ-carrageenan gels for preparing drug release devices is here shown. Structural properties of κ-carrageenan gels prepared with different salt composition and containing Ketoprofen sodium salt, as model drug, have been evaluated with static light scattering and rheological measurements. These properties have been correlated with release profiles in vitro at pH 5.5. Release properties from gelled matrices have been compared with those obtained by two commercial products containing the same drug. Results show that: i) in this system it is possible to easily control the gel texture by using different cationic concentration; ii) the kinetics of drug release by κ…
Brush Conformation of Polyethylene Glycol Determines the Stealth Effect of Nanocarriers in the Low Protein Adsorption Regime
2021
For nanocarriers with low protein affinity, we show that the interaction of nanocarriers with cells is mainly affected by the density, the molecular weight, and the conformation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains bound to the nanocarrier surface. We achieve a reduction of nonspecific uptake of ovalbumin nanocarriers by dendritic cells using densely packed PEG chains with a "brush" conformation instead of the collapsed "mushroom" conformation. We also control to a minor extent the dysopsonin adsorption by tailoring the conformation of attached PEG on the nanocarriers. The brush conformation of PEG leads to a stealth behavior of the nanocarriers with inhibited uptake by phagocytic cells, whi…
Exploring the co-loading of lidocaine chemical forms in surfactant/phospholipid vesicles for improved skin delivery
2015
Abstract Objectives The present study was aimed at targeting the skin to deliver lidocaine loaded in surfactant/phospholipid vesicles tailored for improved local delivery. The influence of different formulation parameters was explored to maximise drug efficacy. Methods The vesicles were prepared using a mixture of soy lipids (Phospholipon 50) and a surfactant with penetration-enhancing properties (Oramix CG110, Labrasol, Labrafac PG or Labrafac CC), and loaded with lidocaine. The formulations were analysed in detail by cryo-TEM, SAXS, Turbiscan Lab, and tested in permeation experiments through new born pig skin, as a function of the chemical form and concentration of lidocaine (i.e. free ba…
Heparin modulates the cellular uptake of nanomedicines
2021
Liposomal formulations are used to improve the safety and cellular absorption of conventional drugs by limiting their interaction with phagocytes. The uptake behaviour of these nanocarriers is affected by the blood composition, and accordingly the presence of an anticoagulant in the blood could have a critical impact on the efficiency of nanomedicines. For the negatively charged liposomes, such as AmBisome®, no significant change in the uptake could be observed when co-incubated with heparin and primary phagocytes. Yet, we observed that a peak of the uptake extent of cationic liposomes was reached at a clinically relevant concentration of heparin for phagocytes and cancer cells. Hence, we r…
Gender differences in chronic HBsAg carriers in Italy: Evidence for the independent role of male sex in severity of liver disease
2015
It has been shown that sexual hormones have an opposite effect on hepatic fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development. Sex differences among 2,762 chronic HBsAg carriers consecutively referring Italian hospitals in 2001 and in 2007 have been evaluated, particularly focusing on the role of gender on severity of liver disease. The overall sex ratio (males/females) was 2.6. Females were more likely born abroad and new diagnosis cases; but less likely HIV coinfected. No sex difference was observed regarding coinfection with other hepatitis viruses. The sex ratio linearly increased with increasing severity of liver disease, being 1.3 in normal ALT, 2.8 in chronic hepatitis, 3.6…
The antifibrotic potential of a sustained release formulation of a PDGF beta-receptor targeted rho kinase inhibitor
2019
Rho kinase activity in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is associated with activation, transformation and contraction of these cells, leading to extracellular matrix production and portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis. Inhibition of rho kinase activity can reduce these activities, but may also lead to side effects, for instance systemic hypotension. This can be circumvented by liver-specific delivery of a rho kinase inhibitor to effector cells. Therefore, we targeted the rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 to the key pathogenic cells in liver fibrosis, i.e. myofibroblasts including activated HSCs that highly express the PDGF beta-receptor, using the drug carrier pPB-MSA. This carrier consists of mou…
Nanotechnology applications for the therapy of liver fibrosis.
2013
Chronic liver diseases represent a major global health problem both for their high prevalence worldwide and, in the more advanced stages, for the limited available curative treatment options. In fact, when lesions of different etiologies chronically affect the liver, triggering the fibrogenesis mechanisms, damage has already occurred and the progression of fibrosis will have a major clinical impact entailing severe complications, expensive treatments and death in end-stage liver disease. Despite significant advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of liver fibrinogenesis, the drugs used in liver fibrosis treatment still have a limited therapeutic effect. Many drugs showing potent ant…
Cationic Nanohydrogel Particles for Therapeutic Oligonucleotide Delivery.
2017
Short pharmaceutical active oligonucleotides such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) or cytidine-phosphate-guanosine (CpG) are considered as powerful therapeutic alternatives, especially to medicate hard-to-treat diseases (e.g., liver fibrosis or cancer). Unfortunately, these molecules are equipped with poor pharmacokinetic properties that prevent them from translation. Well-defined nanosized carriers can provide opportunities to optimize their delivery and guide them to their site of action. Among several concepts, this Feature Article focuses on cationic nanohydrogel particles as a universal delivery system for small anionic molecules including siRNA and CpG. Cationic nanohydrogels are deri…
Targeted therapy of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and its complications.
2011
Department of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology, and Targeting, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Division of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany