Search results for "Pharmaceutical Science"
showing 10 items of 2702 documents
Recycling of almond by-products for intestinal inflammation: improvement of physical-chemical, technological and biological characteristics of a drie…
2020
Background: Almond skins are rich in bioactive compounds that undergo oxidation/degradation phenomena and are poorly soluble in water, reducing in vivo absorption and bioavailability, factors that influence the pharmacological activity of an active product. We developed a dried acetonic almond skins extract/cyclodextrin complex to improve extract solubility, dissolution rate and biological activity. Methods: A lyophilized acetonic almond skin extract was produced. To optimize complex formulation, phase solubility studies and complex characterization (absorption studies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), morphology, solubility studies) were performed. To evaluate a possible use in hea…
Physicochemical Properties of A New PEGylated Polybenzofulvene Brush for Drug Encapsulation
2019
A new polymer brush was synthesized by spontaneous polymerization of benzofulvene macromonomer 6-MOEG-9-T-BF3k bearing a nona(ethylene glycol) side chain linked to the 3-phenylindene scaffold by means of a triazole heterocycle. The polymer structure was studied by SEC-MALS, NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF MS techniques, and the results supported the role of oligomeric initiatory species in the spontaneous polymerization of polybenzofulvene derivatives. The aggregation features of high molecular weight poly-6-MOEG-9-T-BF3k-FE were investigated by pyrene fluorescence analysis, dynamic light scattering studies, and transmission electron microscopy, which suggested a tendency towards the format…
New Insight on Archaeological Metal Finds, Nails and Lead Sheathings of the Punic Ship from Battle of the Egadi Islands
2023
The wreck of the Punic ship exhibited at the Archaeological Park of Lilybaeum (Marsala, Italy) is a unique example in the world. In this paper, the investigation of some metal finds (30 nails and 3 fragments of sheathings) belonging to the wreck of the Punic ship is reported. Portable X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy allowed us to identify the elements and compounds constituting them and make some deductions about their composition. X-ray diffractometry, polarised optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the collected micro-samples allowed us to explain the degradation that occurred in the underwater environment.
Amantadine in the Treatment of Sexual Inactivity in Schizophrenia Patients Taking Atypical Antipsychotics—The Pilot Case Series Study
2021
Sexual dysfunctions in people with schizophrenia are more severe than in the general population and are an important element in the treatment of schizophrenia. The mechanism of sexual dysfunction in patients treated for schizophrenia may be related to the side effects of antipsychotic drugs (hyperprolactinemia, suppression of the reward system), but it may also be related to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia itself. The aim of the study was to present the possibility of using amantadine in the treatment of sexual dysfunction in schizophrenia without the concomitant hyperprolactinemia. In an open and naturalistic case series study, five men treated for schizophrenia in a stable mental state …
Curcumin and Andrographolide Co-Administration Safely Prevent Steatosis Induction and ROS Production in HepG2 Cell Line
2023
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging chronic liver disease worldwide. Curcumin and andrographolide are famous for improving hepatic functions, being able to reverse oxidative stress and release pro-inflammatory cytokines, and they are implicated in hepatic stellate cell activation and in liver fibrosis development. Thus, we tested curcumin and andrographolide separately and in combination to determine their effect on triglyceride accumulation and ROS production, identifying the differential expression of genes involved in fatty liver and oxidative stress development. In vitro steatosis was induced in HepG2 cells and the protective effect of curcumin, andrographolide, and…
Novel Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical-Based Approaches for Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention Targeting Atherogenic Small Dense LDL
2022
Compelling evidence supports the causative link between increased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. For that reason, the principal aim of primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention is to reach and sustain recommended LDL-C goals. Although there is a considerable body of evidence that shows that lowering LDL-C levels is directly associated with CVD risk reduction, recent data shows that the majority of patients across Europe cannot achieve their LDL-C targets. In attempting to address this matter, a new overarching concept of a lipid-lowering approach, comprising of even more intensive, much earlier and lo…
Lipid Delivery Systems for Nucleic-Acid-Based-Drugs: From Production to Clinical Applications
2019
In the last years the rapid development of Nucleic Acid Based Drugs (NABDs) to be used in gene therapy has had a great impact in the medical field, holding enormous promise, becoming “the latest generation medicine” with the first ever siRNA-lipid based formulation approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human use, and currently on the market under the trade name Onpattro™. The growth of such powerful biologic therapeutics has gone hand in hand with the progress in delivery systems technology, which is absolutely required to improve their safety and effectiveness. Lipid carrier systems, particularly liposomes, have been proven to be the most su…
Glycerosomes:investigation of role of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidycholine (DMPC) on the assembling and skin delivery performances
2017
Glycerosomes were formulated using 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidycholine (DMPC), diclofenac sodium salt and 10, 20 or 30% glycerol in the water phase, while corresponding liposomes were prepared with the same amount of DMPC and diclofenac, without glycerol. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the used phospholipid on vesicle features and ability to favour diclofenac skin deposition by comparing these results with those found in previous works performed using hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (P90H) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Liposomes and glycerosomes were multilamellar, liposomes being smaller (72±6nm). Interactions among glycerol, phospho…
Multicompartmental Lipopolyplex as Vehicle for Antigens and Genes Delivery in Vaccine Formulations
2021
Vector design and its characterization is an area of great interest in current vaccine research. In this article, we have formulated and characterized a multicompartmental lipopolyplex, which associates multiple liposomes and polyplexes in the same complex. These particles allow the simultaneous delivery of lipid or water-soluble antigens associated with genes to the same cell, in much higher amounts than conventional lipopolyplexes. The vector characterization and optimization were carried out using liposomes with entrapped carboxyfluorescein and adapted electrophoretic assays. Two types of lipopolyplexes (containing hydrophilic or lipophilic antigens) were employed to evaluate their inter…
Magnolol and Honokiol: Two Natural Compounds with Similar Chemical Structure but Different Physicochemical and Stability Properties
2021
Magnolia spp. extracts are known for their use in traditional Korean, Chinese, and Japanese medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, anxiety, and allergies. Among their main components with pharmacological activity, the most relevant are magnolol and honokiol, which also show antitumoral activity. The objectives of this work were to study some physicochemical properties of both substances and their stability under different conditions of temperature, pH, and oxidation. Additionally, liposomes of honokiol (the least stable compound) were formulated and characterized. Both compounds showed pH-dependent solubility, with different solubility–pH profiles. Magnolol showed a lower …