A Novel Solid Nanocrystals Self-Stabilized Pickering Emulsion Prepared by Spray-Drying with Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as Carriers

A drug nanocrystals self-stabilized Pickering emulsion (NSSPE) with a unique composition and microstructure has been proven to significantly increase the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This study aimed to develop a new solid NSSPE of puerarin preserving the original microstructure of NSSPE by spray-drying. A series of water-soluble solid carriers were compared and then Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the parameters of spray-drying. The drug release and stability of the optimized solid NSSPE in vitro were also investigated. The results showed that hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), rather than solid carriers commonly used in solidification of traditional Pickering emulsions, was suitable for the solid NSSPE to retain the original appearance and size of emulsion droplets after reconstitution. The amount of HP-β-CD had more influences on the solid NSSPE than the feed rate and the inlet air temperature. Fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the reconstituted emulsion of the solid NSSPE prepared with HP-β-CD had the same core-shell structure with a core of oil and a shell of puerarin nanocrystals as the liquid NSSPE. The particle size of puerarin nanocrystal sand interfacial adsorption rate also did not change significantly. The cumulative amount of released puerarin from the solid NSSPE had no significant difference compared with the liquid NSSPE, which were both significantly higher than that of puerarin crude material. The solid NSSPE was stable for 3 months under the accelerated condition of 75% relative humidity and 40 °C. Thus, it is possible todevelop the solid NSSPE preserving the unique microstructure and the superior properties in vitro of the liquid NSSPE for poorly soluble drugs.     

Snake Venom Components: Tools and Cures to Target Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are considered as a major cause of death worldwide. Therefore, identifying and developing therapeutic strategies to treat and reduce the prevalence of CVDs is a major medical challenge. Several drugs used for the treatment of CVDs, such as captopril, emerged from natural products, namely snake venoms. These venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive molecules, which, among other physiological networks, target the cardiovascular system, leading to them being considered in the development and design of new drugs. In this review, we describe some snake venom molecules targeting the cardiovascular system such as phospholipase A2 (PLA2), natriuretic peptides (NPs), bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISPs), disintegrins, fibrinolytic enzymes, and three-finger toxins (3FTXs). In addition, their molecular targets, and mechanisms of action—vasorelaxation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, cardioprotective activities—are discussed. The dissection of their biological effects at the molecular scale give insights for the development of future snake venom-derived drugs.     

Oral delivery of therapeutic proteins bioencapsulated in plant cells: Preclinical and clinical advances

Oral delivery of protein drugs (PDs) made in plant cells could revolutionize current approaches to their production and delivery. Expression of PDs reduces their production cost by elimination of prohibitively expensive fermentation, purification, cold transportation/storage, and sterile injections and increases their shelf life for several years. The ability of plant cell wall to protect PDs from digestive acids/enzymes, commensal bacteria to release PDs in gut lumen after lysis of plant cell wall, and the role of gut-associated lymphoid tissue in inducing tolerance facilitate prevention or treatment of allergic, autoimmune diseases or antidrug antibody responses. The delivery of functional proteins facilitates treatment of inherited or metabolic disorders. Recent advances in making PDs free of antibiotic resistance genes in edible plant cells, long-term storage at ambient temperature maintaining their efficacy, production in Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facilities, Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies for clinical advancement, and Food and Drug Administration approval of orally delivered PDs augur well for advancing this novel drug delivery platform technology.     

Fungal keratitis infected eye treatment with antibiotic-loaded zinc ions tagged polyvinyl acetate phthalate-g-polypyrrole drug carrier

Currently, the treatment of fungal keratitis (FK) infection remains a major clinical challenge, and current investigations, development in the field have widened approaches. The present work was aimed to synthesis a dual role novel carrier system consisting of Ofloxacin (OFL) and Nepafenac (NF) hydrophobic drugs incorporated in Zinc ions (Zn²⁺) tagged Polyvinyl acetate phthalate (PVAP) grafted Polypyrrole (PPy) carrier (OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy) to treat FK infection. The FT-IR, SEM, and dynamic light scattering revealed the carrier chemical structure, spherical shape, and the average particle size of 691.3 ± 1 nm. The carrier’s entrapment of OFL and NF drugs has been observed at 78.23% and 60.03%. The carrier exhibited significant antifungal activity at the concentration of 58 mg mL⁻¹ against Candida albicans which was lower than that of the free ofloxacin. The cell viability results suggested up to 70 μg/mL concentration of OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy did not induce any cytotoxicity on cultured ADSC cells at 48 h treatment time. It confirms the fact that the OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy carrier showed good biocompatibility and good anti-fungal activity. Thus the carriers provide a significant potential to improve the bioavailability of topically applied drugs to treat fungal eye infection.     

A Multi-Objective Approach for Drug Repurposing in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that occurs during pregnancy. It is a complex disease with unknown pathogenesis and the leading cause of fetal and maternal mortality during pregnancy. Using all drugs currently under clinical trial for preeclampsia, we extracted all their possible targets from the DrugBank and ChEMBL databases and labeled them as “targets”. The proteins labeled as “off-targets” were extracted in the same way but while taking all antihypertensive drugs which are inhibitors of ACE and/or angiotensin receptor antagonist as query molecules. Classification models were obtained for each of the 55 total proteins (45 targets and 10 off-targets) using the TPOT pipeline optimization tool. The average accuracy of the models in predicting the external dataset for targets and off-targets was 0.830 and 0.850, respectively. The combinations of models maximizing their virtual screening performance were explored by combining the desirability function and genetic algorithms. The virtual screening performance metrics for the best model were: the Boltzmann-Enhanced Discrimination of ROC (BEDROC)_α=160.9 = 0.258, the Enrichment Factor (EF)_1% = 31.55 and the Area Under the Accumulation Curve (AUAC) = 0.831. The most relevant targets for preeclampsia were: AR, VDR, SLC6A2, NOS3 and CHRM4, while ABCG2, ERBB2, CES1 and REN led to the most relevant off-targets. A virtual screening of the DrugBank database identified estradiol, estriol, vitamins E and D, lynestrenol, mifrepristone, simvastatin, ambroxol, and some antibiotics and antiparasitics as drugs with potential application in the treatment of preeclampsia.     

稀世之宝—铂*

铂是一种化学性质极其稳定的贵金属,铂、铂合金以及铂配合物在催化剂、医药、传感器等领域具有重要应用。简要介绍铂的发现史、自然分布与资源现状、铂的应用等3个方面,其中铂的应用,重点从铂基催化剂、铂合金纳米材料、发光铂配合物、铂类抗癌药物等4个方面展开介绍。     

毒品与化学*

毒品与化学的种种纠葛在2018年中国毒品形势报告中得到了淋漓尽致的体现,因此为做好禁毒工作,必须厘清化学与毒品的关系。从为什么毒品是化学品(毒品的本质),毒品检验和识别,毒品成瘾的本质,由传统毒品到新型毒品的转变等4个方面系统阐述毒品与化学的关系。     

色谱在药物-机体复杂巨系统研究中的应用进展

色谱是一门以分离分析为主,旨在追求复杂事物纯而净的分析化学的重要分支学科。其经过百余年的发展,理论与技术日臻完善,集科学、技术与艺术于一体。近年来,色谱及其与质谱、核磁共振波谱、原子发射光谱等联用技术极大推动了环境、食品、石油化工、生物医药等领域中所涉及复杂体系的研究进展。作为我国传统文化的核心代表,中医药为中国乃至世界人民的健康服务逾千年,从古至今历经上千年临床考验,疗效经久不衰。近年来,中国政府强调继承与创新,加大推进中医药的现代化与国际化。然而中药自身的多成分协同起效复杂性及其与机体时刻新陈代谢变化的复杂性往往相互作用,由此形成了药物-机体复杂巨系统。该复杂巨系统的分析研究是中医药现代化进程的关键瓶颈。色谱的优势在于复杂成分的分离与分析,此恰能为上述复杂巨系统提供技术支撑,色谱及其联用技术已成为推动中医药分子化、数字化、信息化乃至现代化的主流技术。该文综述了色谱及其联用技术在中药复杂体系、复杂生命过程及药物-机体复杂巨系统中的应用进展,介绍了笔者研究团队对中医药现代化的认识、研究思路和研究工作,最后笔者结合对于百年色谱与千年中医药文化之现代化交织的感悟,对色谱技术在此领域的前景做出了展望。     

The Potent Oxidant Anticancer Activity of Organoiridium Catalysts

Platinum complexes are the most widely used anticancer drugs; however, new generations of agents are needed. The organoiridium(III) complex [(η⁵‐Cp^xbiph)Ir(phpy)(Cl)] ( 1‐Cl ), which contains π‐bonded biphenyltetramethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp^xbiph) and C^N‐chelated phenylpyridine (phpy) ligands, undergoes rapid hydrolysis of the chlorido ligand. In contrast, the pyridine complex [(η⁵‐Cp^xbiph)Ir(phpy)(py)]⁺ ( 1‐py ) aquates slowly, and is more potent (in nanomolar amounts) than both 1‐Cl and cisplatin towards a wide range of cancer cells. The pyridine ligand protects 1‐py from rapid reaction with intracellular glutathione. The high potency of 1‐py correlates with its ability to increase substantially the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells. The unprecedented ability of these iridium complexes to generate H₂O₂ by catalytic hydride transfer from the coenzyme NADH to oxygen is demonstrated. Such organoiridium complexes are promising as a new generation of anticancer drugs for effective oxidant therapy.     

Aromatic Nitrogen Mustard‐Based Prodrugs: Activity,Selectivity, and the Mechanism of DNA Cross‐Linking

Three novel H₂O₂‐activated aromatic nitrogen mustard prodrugs ( 6 – 8 ) are reported. These compounds contain a DNA alkylating agent connected to a H₂O₂‐responsive trigger by different electron‐withdrawing linkers so that they are inactive towards DNA but can be triggered by H₂O₂ to release active species. The activity and selectivity of these compounds towards DNA were investigated by measuring DNA interstrand cross‐link (ICL) formation in the presence or absence of H₂O₂. An electron‐withdrawing linker unit, such as a quaternary ammonia salt ( 6 ), a carboxyamide ( 7 ), and a carbonate group ( 8 ), is sufficient to deactivate the aromatic nitrogen mustard resulting in less than 1.5 % cross‐linking formation. However, H₂O₂ can restore the activity of the effectors by converting a withdrawing group to a donating group, therefore increasing the cross‐linking efficiency (>20 %). The stability and reaction sites of the ICL products were determined, which revealed that alkylation induced by 7 and 8 not only occurred at the purine sites but also at the pyrimidine site. For the first time, we isolated and characterized the monomer adducts formed between the canonical nucleosides and the aromatic nitrogen mustard ( 15 ) which supported that nitrogen mustards reacted with dG, dA, and dC. The activation mechanism was studied by NMR spectroscopic analysis. An in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that compound 7 with a carboxyamide linker dramatically inhibited the growth of various cancer cells with a GI₅₀ of less than 1 μM , whereas compound 6 with a charged linker did not show any obvious toxicity in all cell lines tested. These data indicated that a neutral carboxyamide linker is preferable for developing nitrogen mustard prodrugs. Our results showed that 7 is a potent anticancer prodrug that can serve as a model compound for further development. We believe these novel aromatic nitrogen mustards will inspire further and effective applications.