Targeted Delivery of Anticancer Drug Loaded Charged PLGA Polymeric Nanoparticles Using Electrostatic Field

Pure positive electrostatic charges (PPECs) show suppressive effect on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells without affecting normal tissues. PPECs are used for the delivery of drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (DLNs) capped with negatively charged poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and Poly(vinyl-alcohol) PVA into the tumor site of mouse models. The charged patch is installed on top of the skin in the mouse models' tumor region, and the controlled selective release of the drug is assayed by biochemical, radiological, and histological experiments on both tumorized models and normal rats' livers. It is found that DLNs synthesized by PLGA show great attraction to PPECs due to their stable negative charges, which would not degrade immediately in blood. The burst and drug release after less than 48h of this synthesized DLNs are 10% and 50%, respectively. These compounds can deliver the loaded-drug into the tumor site with the assistance of PPECs, and the targeted-retarded release will take place. Hence, local therapy can be achieved with much lower drug concentration (conventional chemotherapy [2 mg kg⁻¹] versus DLNs-based chemotherapy [0.75 mg kg⁻¹]) with negligible side effects in non-targeted organs. PPECs have many potential clinical applications for advanced-targeted chemotherapy with the lowest discernible side effects.     

Measurement and prediction of tie-line data for mixtures of (water + 1-propanol + diisopropyl ether): LLE diagrams as a function of temperature

Tie-line data for ternary system of (water + 1-propanol + diisopropyl ether (DIPE)) were determined at T = (298.2, 308.2 and 313.2) K under atmospheric conditions. The ternary system exhibited type-I LLE behavior, as (DIPE + water) is the only liquid pair that is partially miscible. The experimental data for this system were predicted with the UNIFAC model with a root mean square deviation of 2.64%. The reliability of the experimental tie-line data was determined through the Othmer–Tobias and Hand plots. Distribution coefficients and separation factors were measured to evaluate the extracting capability of the solvents. The influence of temperature effect on the equilibrium characteristics and separation factor was found to be significant at the temperatures studied.     

Self-association of rhodamine dyes in different host materials

The aggregation of rhodamine 6G in liquid crystalline solution (anisotropic host) was studied using polarised spectroscopy and in a guest-host system. The self-association of rhodamine B was investigated in molecular sieves of type AlPO(4)-5 (microporous host) using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Also, the molecular interaction of rhodamines in normal solvents (isotropic hosts) was studied using visible spectroscopy for comparison. Therefore, the role of the host nature in the different phases on the self-association of the guest molecules has been investigated and compared. The absorption spectrum of the rhodamine dye in liquid crystalline host is affected by a specific interaction related to the alignment by the liquid crystal property as well as solvent polarity. Due to the existence of a large amount of water molecules absorbed into channels and cavities of aluminophosphate molecular sieve, the maximum absorption wavelengths of the dye loaded AlPO(4)-5 is affected by aqueous environment of the aluminophosphate pores.     

Antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and phenolics of different solvent extracts from bark, leaves and seeds of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre

This study appraises the antioxidant and antimicrobial attributes of various solvent extracts (absolute methanol, aqueous methanol, absolute ethanol, aqueous ethanol, absolute acetone, aqueous acetone, and deionized water) from bark, leaves and seeds of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre. Maximum extraction yield of antioxidant components from bark (16.31%), leaves (11.42%) and seeds (21.51%) of P. pinnata was obtained using aqueous methanol (20:80). Of the extracts tested, the bark extract, obtained with aqueous methanol, exhibited greater levels of total phenolics [6.94 g GAE/100 g dry weight (DW)], total flavonoids (3.44 g CE/100 g DW), inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation (69.23%) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC(50) value, 3.21 μg/mL), followed by leaves and seeds extracts. Bark extract tested against a set of bacterial and fungal strains also revealed the strongest antimicrobial activity with the largest inhibition zone and lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). HPLC analysis of aqueous methanol extracts from bark, leaves and seeds indicated the presence of protocatechuic, ellagic, ferulic, gallic, gentisic, 4-hydroxybenzoic and 4-hydroxycinnamic acids in bark (1.50-6.70 mg/100 g DW); sorbic, ferulic, gallic, salicylic and p-coumaric acids in leaves (1.18-4.71 mg/100 g DW); vanillic, gallic and tannic acids in seeds (0.52-0.65 mg/100 g DW) as the main phenolic acids. The present investigation concludes that the tested parts of P. pinnata, in particular the bark, have strong potential for the isolation of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for functional food and pharmaceutical uses.     

Dielectric data of binary mixtures of 1,2-butanediol with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 1,4-dioxane at T = (298.2, 308.2, and 318.2) K

Relative permittivity measurements were made on binary mixtures of (1,2-butanediol + 2-ethyl-1-hexanol) and (1,2-butanediol + 1,4-dioxane) for various concentrations at T = (298.2, 308.2, and 318.2) K. The molecular dipole moments were determined using Guggenheim–Debye method in the temperature range of (298.2 to 318.2) K. The variations of effective dipole moment and correlation factor, g, with the mole fraction in these materials were investigated using Kirkwood–Frohlich equation. The pure compounds showed a negative and small temperature coefficient of effective dipole moment. In order to obtain valuable information about heterogeneous interaction (interactions between the unlike molecules), the Kirkwood correlation factor, the Bruggeman dielectric factor and the excess permittivity were calculated. In addition, in order to predict the permittivity data of polar-apolar binary mixtures, five mixing rules were applied.     

Sarcorucinine-D Inhibits Cholinesterases and Calcium Channels: Molecular Dynamics Simulation and In Vitro Mechanistic Investigations

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors and calcium channel blockers are considered effective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. AChE plays an essential role in the nervous system by catalyzing the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In this study, the inhibition of the enzyme AChE by Sarcorucinine-D, a pregnane type steroidal alkaloid, was investigated with experimental enzyme kinetics and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques. Kinetics studies showed that Sarcorucinine-D inhibits two cholinesterases—AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)—noncompetitively, with K_i values of 103.3 and 4.66 µM, respectively. In silico ligand-protein docking and MD simulation studies conducted on AChE predicted that Sarcorucinine-D interacted via hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with the residues of the active-site gorge of AChE. Sarcorucinine-D was able to relax contractility concentration-dependently in the intestinal smooth muscles of jejunum obtained from rabbits. Not only was the spontaneous spasmogenicity inhibited, but it also suppressed K⁺-mediated spasmogenicity, indicating an effect via the inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Sarcorucinine-D could be considered a potential lead molecule based on its properties as a noncompetitive AChE inhibitor and a Ca²⁺ channel blocker.     

On the photo-physical behavior and electro-optical effect of oxazine dyes in anisotropic host

The optical characterization and polarized spectroscopy of oxazine 720, oxazine 750, and Nile blue were obtained in a nematic matrix. The interaction of these ionic dyes with the anisotropic surrounding and with that of the isotropic organic solvents was investigated and compared. The influence of the host nature on the molecular interaction of the guest molecules was also investigated. Dichroic ratios R and degree of anisotropy S of these ionic dyes in the liquid crystalline host were investigated by measuring the intensity of the absorption bands in the visible region of parallel aligned samples. The electro-optical effects of the guest-host systems were also investigated in an electro-optical system using polarized spectroscopic method based on homogeneous-homeotropic alignment.     

Photochromic behavior of several new synthesized dyes via Zincke salts

Synthesis of several ‘dyes’, analogs of retinal imine visual pigment via nucleophilic attack of some secondary amines to pyridinium salts following precyclic ring‐opening reaction, is discussed. The photochromic properties of these dyes have been studied by UV‐Vis spectroscopy under irradiation of UV light. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.