Search results for "Delivery systems"
showing 10 items of 322 documents
Not just for tumor targeting: unmet medical needs and opportunities for nanomedicine.
2015
During the last 3 decades, nanomedicines have provided novel opportunities to improve the delivery of chemotherapeutics in cancer therapy effectively. However, many principles learnt from there have the potential to be transferred to other diseases. This perspective article, on the one hand, critically reflects the limitations of nanomedicines in tumor therapy and, on the other hand, provides alternative examples of nanomedicinal applications in immunotherapy, noninvasive drug deliveries across epithelial barriers and strategies to combat intra- and extra-cellular bacterial infections. Looking ahead, access to highly complex nanoparticular delivery vehicles given nowadays may allow further…
Molecular docking and pharmacogenomics of vinca alkaloids and their monomeric precursors, vindoline and catharanthine.
2011
International audience; Vinblastine and vincristine are dimeric indole alkaloids derived from (formerly: ). Their monomeric precursor molecules are vindoline and catharanthine. While vinblastine and vincristine are well-known mitotic spindle poisons, not much is known about vindoline and catharanthine. Vindoline and catharanthine showed weak cytotoxicity, while vinblastine, vincristine, and the semisynthetic vindesine and vinorelbine revealed high cytotoxicity towards cancer cells. This may reflect a general biological principle of poisonous plants. Highly toxic compounds are not only active towards predators, but also towards plant tissues. Hence, plants need mechanisms to protect themselv…
Mesoscopic and Microscopic Investigation on Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogels in the Presence of Sodium Decylsulfate
2007
The structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels formed as a result of freeze/thaw treatments of aqueous solutions of the polymer (11 wt % PVA) in the freshly prepared state is analyzed through the combined use of small (SANS) and ultrasmall (USANS) angle neutron scattering techniques. The structure of these hydrogels may be described in terms of polymer rich regions, with dimensions of the order of 1-2 microm, dispersed in a water rich phase, forming two bicontinuous phases. The PVA chains in the polymer rich phase form a network where the cross-linking points are mainly crystalline aggregates of PVA having average dimensions of approximately 45 A. The structural organization of freeze…
Protein materials as sustainable non- and minimally invasive strategies for biomedical applications
2022
Protein-based materials have found applications in a wide range of biomedical fields because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability and great versatility. Materials of different physical forms including particles, hydrogels, films, fibers and microneedles have been fabricated e.g. as carriers for drug delivery, factors to promote wound healing and as structural support for the generation of new tissue. This review aims at providing an overview of the current scientific knowledge on protein-based materials, and selected preclinical and clinical studies will be reviewed in depth as examples of the latest progress within the field of protein-based materials, specifically focusing on non- …
Chaperonopathies and chaperonotherapy. Hsp60 as therapeutic target in cancer: potential benefits and risks.
2013
In this minireview we focus on Hsp60 as a target for anticancer therapy. We discuss the new concepts of chaperonopathies and chaperonotherapy and present information on Hsp60 localization in the cell membrane of human tumor cells. We describe novel mechanisms for Hsp60 reaching the extracellular environment that involve membrane-associated stages, as well as data on anti-Hsp60 antibodies found in human sera, both in normal subjects and patients affected by autoimmune diseases. Finally, we discuss possible therapeutic applications of anti-Hsp60 antibodies in cancer treatment, evaluating also side effects on non-tumor cells. In conclusion, the way for investigating Hsp60-targeted anti-tumor t…
Synthetic/ECM-inspired hybrid platform for hollow microcarriers with ROS-triggered nanoporation hallmarks
2017
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key pathological signals expressed in inflammatory diseases such as cancer, ischemic conditions and atherosclerosis. An ideal drug delivery system should not only be responsive to these signals but also should not elicit an unfavourable host response. This study presents an innovative platform for drug delivery where a natural/synthetic composite system composed of collagen type I and a synthesized polythioether, ensures a dual stimuli-responsive behaviour. Collagen type I is an extracellular matrix constituent protein, responsive to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) cleavage per se. Polythioethers are stable synthetic polymers characterized by the presence o…
Application of polymeric nanoparticles in immunotherapy.
2012
Purpose of review The purpose of the present review is to underline the importance of nanoparticulate carriers, such as polymeric nanoparticles, in the future development of safe and effective formulation in the field of immunotherapy against infectious diseases and cancer. Recent findings Polymeric nanoparticles can modulate the immune response, that is, by targeting antigens to dendritic cells that possess a crucial role in initiating immune responses, and might be potentially useful in immunotherapy. Summary In the last decades, significant progress in research and clinics has been made to offer possible innovative therapeutics for the management of infectious diseases and cancer. Polyme…
High pressure processing of food-grade emulsion systems: Antimicrobial activity, and effect on the physicochemical properties
2019
Abstract The use of high pressure processing (HPP) for development of stable emulsion-based delivery systems has been recently increased. Under adequate conditions, application of high pressures modifies the functionality of protein and polysaccharide molecules and significantly promotes the emulsifying activities. Application of high pressures also modulates the emulsion microstructure without any destabilization and gelation of protein molecules. The lipid oxidation in HPP-treated emulsions can be accelerated, particularly with higher pressure levels, while the HPP utilization on emulsions in acidic conditions can highly inhibit the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. In thi…
Computational Study of Nanosized Drug Delivery from Cyclodextrins, Crown Ethers and Hyaluronan in Pharmaceutical Formulations
2015
Abstract The problem in this work is the computational characterization of cyclodextrins, crown ethers and hyaluronan (HA) as hosts of inclusion complexes for nanosized drug delivery vehicles in pharmaceutical formulations. The difficulty is addressed through a computational study of some thermodynamic, geometric and topological properties of the hosts. The calculated properties of oligosaccharides of D-glucopyranoses allow these to act as co-solvents of polyanions in water. In crown ethers, the central channel is computed. Mucoadhesive polymer HA in formulations releases drugs in mucosas. Geometric, topological and fractal analyses are carried out with code TOPO. Reference calculations are…