Karanjin-loaded soya lecithin-based ethosomal nanogel for the therapeutic intervention of psoriasis: formulation development, factorial design based-optimization,in vitroandin vivoassessment.

This study aimed to develop and optimize karanjin-loaded ethosomal nanogel formulation and evaluate its efficacy in alleviating symptoms of psoriasis in an animal model induced by imiquimod. These karanjin-loaded ethosomal nanogel, were formulated to enhance drug penetration into the skin and its epidermal retention. Karanjin was taken to formulate ethosomes due to its potential ani-psoriatic activity. Ethosomes were formulated using the cold method using 32full factorial designs to optimize the formulation components. 9 batches were prepared using two independent variablesX1: concentration of ethanol andX2: concentration of phospholipid whereas vesicle size (Y1) and percentage entrapment efficiency (Y2) were selected as dependent variables. All the dependent variables were found to be statistically significant. The optimized ethosomal suspension (B3) exhibited a vesicle size of 334 ± 2.89 nm with an entrapment efficiency of 94.88 ± 1.24% and showed good stability. The morphology of vesicles appeared spherical with smooth surfaces through transmission electron microscopy analysis. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the drug existed in an amorphous state within the ethosomal formulation. The optimized ethosome was incorporated into carbopol 934 to develop nanogel for easy application on the skin. The nanogel underwent characterization for various parameters including spreadability, viscosity, pH, extrudability, and percentage drug content. The ethosomal formulation remarkably enhanced the skin permeation of karanjin and increased epidermal retention of the drug in psoriatic skin compared to marketed preparation and pure drug. A skin retention study showed that ethosomal nanogel formulation has 48.33% epidermal retention in 6 h.In vivo,the anti-psoriatic activity of karanjin ethosomal nanogel demonstrated significant improvement in psoriasis, indicated by a gradual decrease in skin thickness and scaling as reflected in the Psoriasis Severity Index grading. Therefore, the prepared ethosomal nanogel is a potential vehicle for improved topical delivery of karanjin for better treatment of psoriasis.

Commercial Production of Highly Rehydrated Soy Protein Powder by the Treatment of Soy Lecithin Modification Combined with Alcalase Hydrolysis.

The low rehydration properties of commercial soy protein powder (SPI), a major plant-based food ingredient, have limited the development of plant-based foods. The present study proposes a treatment of soy lecithin modification combined with Alcalase hydrolysis to improve the rehydration of soy protein powder, as well as other processing properties (emulsification, viscosity). The results show that the soy protein-soy lecithin complex powder, which is hydrolyzed for 30 min (SPH-SL-30), has the smallest particle size, the smallest zeta potential, the highest surface hydrophobicity, and a uniform microstructure. In addition, the value of the ratio of the α-helical structure/ß-folded structure was the smallest in the SPH-SL-30. After measuring the rehydration properties, emulsification properties, and viscosity, it was found that the SPH-SL-30 has the shortest wetting time of 3.04 min, the shortest dispersion time of 12.29 s, the highest solubility of 93.17%, the highest emulsifying activity of 32.42 m2/g, the highest emulsifying stability of 98.33 min, and the lowest viscosity of 0.98 pa.s. This indicates that the treatment of soy lecithin modification combined with Alcalase hydrolysis destroys the structure of soy protein, changes its physicochemical properties, and improves its functional properties. In this study, soy protein was modified by the treatment of soy lecithin modification combined with Alcalase hydrolysis to improve the processing characteristics of soy protein powders and to provide a theoretical basis for its high-value utilization in the plant-based food field.

A straightforward procedure to build a non-toxic relaxometry phantom with desired T1 and T2 times at 3T.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare and analyze soy-lecithin-agar gels for non-toxic relaxometry phantoms with tissue-like relaxation times at 3T. METHODS: Phantoms mimicking the relaxation times of various tissues (gray and white matter, kidney cortex and medulla, spleen, muscle, liver) were built and tested with a clinical 3T whole-body MR scanner. Simple equations were derived to calculate the appropriate concentrations of soy lecithin and agar in aqueous solutions to achieve the desired relaxation times. Phantoms were tested for correspondence between measurements and calculated T1 and T2 values, reproducibility, spatial homogeneity, and temporal stability. T1 and T2 mapping techniques and a 3D T1-weighted sequence with high spatial resolution were applied. RESULTS: Except for the liver relaxation phantom, all phantoms were successfully and reproducibly produced. Good agreement was found between the targeted and measured relaxation times. The percentage deviations from the targeted relaxation times were less than 3% for T1 and less than 6.5% for T2. In addition, the phantoms were homogeneous and had little to no air bubbles. However, the phantoms were unstable over time: after a storage period of 4 weeks, mold growth and also changes in relaxation times were detected in almost all phantoms. CONCLUSION: Soy-lecithin-agar gels are a non-toxic material for the construction of relaxometry phantoms with tissue-like relaxation times. They are easy to prepare, inexpensive and allow independent adjustment of T1 and T2. However, there is still work to be done to improve the long-term stability of the phantoms.

The Influence of Three Commercial Soy Lecithin-Based Semen Extenders and Two Spermatozoa Concentrations on the Quality of Pre-Freeze and Post-Thaw Ram Epididymal Spermatozoa.

There are limited studies on the factors affecting the success of ram epididymal spermatozoa (REPS) cryopreservation. On this note, the current study assessed the influence of three commercial soy lecithin-based semen extenders, AndroMed® (AND), BioXcell® (BIO), and OviXcell® (OVI), and two concentrations (400 × 106 vs. 200 × 106 spermatozoa/mL) on the pre-freeze and post-thaw quality of REPS. The REPS were retrieved from nine adult rams' testes and diluted with each of the three extenders to both concentrations. Straws were frozen manually. Standard motility (SMP) and kinematic parameters (KPs) were assessed via a CASA, while spermatozoa viability, morphology, and acrosomal integrity were assessed via the Kovács-Foote staining technique. The concentration did not significantly affect the pre-freeze and post-thaw SMP and KPs of REPS. BIO and OVI had significantly higher pre-freeze and post-thaw BCFs, post-thaw VAP, and the percentage of all intact heads than AND. In contrast, AND had a significantly lower percentage of REPS with tail defects than BIO and OVI. The 400 × 106 spermatozoa/mL concentration resulted in a significantly higher percentage of all intact heads than the 200 × 106 spermatozoa/mL concentration. Freezing significantly increased tail defects and decreased the percentage of REPS with distal cytoplasmic droplets. The cryopreservation of REPS at the 400 × 106 spermatozoa/mL concentration is recommended. All three extenders must be optimized to preserve the viability, membrane integrity, and better normal morphology of REPS; the reason for increased tail abnormality after the freezing/thawing process needs to be studied.

Advancing gelatin/cinnamaldehyde O/W emulsions electrospinability: Role of soybean lecithin in core-shell nanofiber fabrication.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact and mechanism of soy lecithin incorporation into the gelatin-cinnamaldehyde emulsion, focusing on how it influences emulsion stability during the electrospinning process. In this work, a cinnamaldehyde/gelatin/soy lecithin (CGS) fiber membrane with excellent antibacterial properties was successfully created. The addition of soy lecithin improves the stability of the emulsion and improves the loading performance and fiber morphology of the CGS fiber membrane. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and urea addition confirmed that soy lecithin may strengthen the interface structure of gelatin in the oil and water phases through hydrogen bonds, thus enhancing the stability of the emulsion in electrospinning. The application tests also revealed that the CGS fiber membrane effectively preserved the sensory quality of beef. This study indicates that the vector construction method can extend the utilization of cinnamaldehyde in food industry.

Phospholipid-derived Au and Au-Cu suspensions as efficient peroxide and borohydride activators for organic molecules degradation: Performance and sustainable catalytic mechanism.

In the contemporary context, executing light-oxidant- and reductant-driven reactions in solution-phase processes remains challenging mainly due to the lack of general tools for understanding the reactive potential of nano-functional catalysts. In this study, dual-active nanometals (Au and Cu doped with Au) capped within soy lecithin (SL), were developed and characterized, combining flexibility with the catalytic advantages and stability of liquid-phase catalysts. The as-synthesized SL-Au (LG) and SL-Au-Cu (LGC) catalysts were efficiently degraded rhodamine B (RB, 100%) in the presence of H2O2 under light irradiation (350 W lamp) at wide pH range (3-7) within 4.5 h and p-nitrophenol (p-NP, >90% degradation at pH 7) in the presence of NaBH4 under normal stirring with slower kinetics (∼72 h). RB degradation followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model with a higher r2, and p-NP degradation followed first-order kinetics. The active sites embedded within the structural order of SL arrangement displayed elevated catalytic activity, which was further enhanced by the movement of intermediate/excited states and charged elements within the metal suspended in the phospholipid (LG and LGC). The self-regulating tunability of the physicochemical characteristics of these catalysts provides a convenient and generalizable platform for the transformation of modern dual-active (redox) catalysts into dynamic homogeneous equivalents.

Plant-Based Oil-in-Water Food Emulsions: Exploring the Influence of Different Formulations on Their Physicochemical Properties.

The global focus on incorporating natural ingredients into the diet for health improvement encompasses ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) derived from plant sources, such as flaxseed oil. ω-3 PUFAs are susceptible to oxidation, but oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions can serve to protect PUFAs from this phenomenon. This study aimed to create O/W emulsions using flaxseed oil and either soy lecithin or Quillaja saponins, thickened with modified starch, while assessing their physical properties (oil droplet size, ζ-potential, and rheology) and physical stability. Emulsions with different oil concentrations (25% and 30% w/w) and oil-to-surfactant ratio (5:1 and 10:1) were fabricated using high-pressure homogenization (800 bar, five cycles). Moreover, emulsions were thickened with modified starch and their rheological properties were measured. The physical stability of all emulsions was assessed over a 7-day storage period using the TSI (Turbiscan Stability Index). Saponin-stabilized emulsions exhibited smaller droplet diameters (0.11-0.19 µm) compared to lecithin (0.40-1.30 µm), and an increase in surfactant concentration led to a reduction in droplet diameter. Both surfactants generated droplets with a high negative charge (-63 to -72 mV), but lecithin-stabilized emulsions showed greater negative charge, resulting in more intense electrostatic repulsion. Saponin-stabilized emulsions showed higher apparent viscosity (3.9-11.6 mPa·s) when compared to lecithin-stabilized ones (1.19-4.36 mPa·s). The addition of starch significantly increased the apparent viscosity of saponin-stabilized emulsions, rising from 11.6 mPa s to 2117 mPa s. Emulsions stabilized by saponin exhibited higher stability than those stabilized by lecithin. This study confirms that plant-based ingredients, particularly saponins and lecithin, effectively produce stable O/W emulsions with flaxseed oil, offering opportunities for creating natural ingredient-based food emulsions.

Cuantificación de metales en LECISAN®por espectrometría de emisión óptica con plasma acoplado inductivamente

Introducción: La contaminación resultante de la industrialización ha propiciado el aumento de la concentración de metales en diversos ambientes y su incorporación a materias primas y productos terminados, lo que repercute directamente en la salud humana. Objetivo: Cuantificar metales en la materia prima empleada en la fabricación de la tableta masticable LECISAN® y en la tableta, para establecer niveles de referencia de: aluminio, calcio, cadmio, cromo, cobre, hierro, magnesio, plomo, silicio, vanadio y zinc. Método: Se utilizó la espectrometría atómica de emisión óptica con plasma inductivamente acoplado (ICP OES) y se establecieron mediante métodos estadísticos los intervalos de confianza para la media de los valorescuantificados con una probabilidad del 95%. Resultados: Existen diferencias significativas entre las dos formas de presentación en cuanto a la cantidad de todos los metales, excepto aluminio (p<0,05). Los coeficientes de variación fueron bajos, el cromo obtuvo un valor cercano al 10% en la materia prima y el plomo resultó elevado (17,44 %). Los valores se encuentran dentro del rango reportado como permisibles según norma cubana (NC 493:2012) excepto para plomo y cobre. Se observaron mayores concentraciones de aquellos elementos con efectos favorables para la salud. Conclusiones: Los resultados encontrados deben ser considerados como referenciales para la evaluación del impacto que sobre la salud tendría el régimen de administración diaria del suplemento nutricionalLECISAN® yel análisis de factores relacionados con la presencia de metales en subproductos del refinado del aceite de soya para futura investigaciones.

Introduction: The pollution resulting from industrialization has led to an increase in the concentration of metals in various environments and their incorporation into raw materials and finished products, which has a direct impact on human health. Objective: To quantify metals in the raw material used in the manufacture of the LECISAN® chewable tablet and in the tablet, to establish reference levels of: aluminum, calcium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, lead, silicon, vanadium and zinc. Method: Atomic optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP OES) was used and confidence intervals for the mean of the quantified values were established using statistical methods with a probability of 95%. Results: There are significant differences between the two presentation forms in terms of the amount of all metals, except aluminum (p<0.05). The variation coefficients were low, chromium obtained a value close to 10% in the raw material and lead was high (17.44%). The values are within the range reported as permissible according to Cuban standards (NC 493:2012) except for lead and copper. Higher concentrations of those elements with favorable health effects were observed. Conclusions: The results found should be considered as references for the evaluation of the impact that the daily administration regimen of the LECISAN® nutritional supplement would have on health and the analysis of factors related to the presence of metals in by-products of soybean oil refining for future research.

Introdução: A poluição decorrente da industrialização tem levado ao aumento da concentração de metais em diversos ambientes e à sua incorporação em matérias-primas e produtos acabados, o que tem impacto direto na saúde humana. Objetivo: Quantificar metais na matéria-prima utilizada na fabricação do comprimido mastigável LECISAN® e no comprimido, estabelecer teores de referência de: alumínio, cálcio, cádmio, cromo, cobre, ferro, magnésio, chumbo, silício, vanádio e zinco. Método: Foi utilizada espectrometria de emissão óptica atômica com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP OES) e os intervalos de confiança para a média dos valores quantificados foram estabelecidos por meio de métodos estatísticos com probabilidade de 95%. Resultados: Existem diferenças significativas entre as duas formas de apresentação quanto à quantidade de todos os metais, exceto alumínio (p<0,05). Os coeficientes de variação foram baixos, o cromo obteve valor próximo a 10% na matéria-prima e o chumbo foi alto (17,44%). Os valores estão dentro da faixa informada como permitida segundo as normas cubanas (NC 493:2012) exceto para chumbo e cobre. Foram observadas concentrações mais elevadas desses elementos com efeitos favoráveis à saúde. Conclusões: Os resultados encontrados devem ser considerados referências para a avaliação do impacto que o regime diário de administração do suplemento nutricional LECISAN® teria na saúde e a análise dos fatores relacionados à presença de metais em subprodutos do refino do óleo de soja para pesquisas futuras.

Electrospinning Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus fermentum K73 Using Gelatin as the Main Component of a Food-Grade Matrix.

This work aimed to establish the conditions that improve the viability of Lactobacillus fermentum K73 during and after the electrospinning process. A mixture of experimental designs were performed to select the formulation (gelatin and bacterial culture) that improves the probiotic viability after blending and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. A Box-Behnken design was performed to improve the encapsulation yield and survival during the electrospinning process. For the Box-Behnken design, the factors were soy lecithin and bacteria culture concentration at the blend and collector distance for electrospinning. It was hypothesized that soy lecithin improved the electrospinnability, acting as a surfactant in the mixture and allowing lower voltage to be used during the process. The selected volume ratio of the gelatin (25%)/bacterial culture mixture was 0.66/0.34. The physicochemical parameters of the selected blend were in the recommended range for electrospinning. The conditions that improved the encapsulation yield and survival during electrospinning were 200 g/L of bacterial culture, 2.5% (w/v) soy lecithin, and 7 cm collector distance. The experimental encapsulation yield and survival was 80.7%, with an experimental error of 7.2%. SEM micrographs showed the formation of fibers with gelatin/bacterial culture beads. Encapsulation improved the viability of the probiotic under simulated gastrointestinal conditions compared to free cells.

Post-Thaw Parameters of Buck Semen Quality after Soy Lecithin Extender Supplementation with Fumaric Acid.

The supplementation of cryopreservation media with antioxidants improves the post-thaw quality and fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. To maximize the fertility of frozen-thawed buck spermatozoa, further research is required to overcome obstacles that have yielded controversial results and standardize protocols. In the present work, the effect of adding fumaric acid (a well-described antioxidant) to a soy lecithin semen extender on certain quality parameters of spermatozoa following freezing and thawing was examined for the first time. Five sexually mature Skopelos bucks were used, and ejaculates were collected with an artificial vagina. The semen samples (98 samples, five replicates) were diluted (400 × 106 spermatozoa/mL) with OviXcell®, supplemented with fumaric acid (0 mM, 2.15 mM, 10 mM or 30 mM), equilibrated (5 °C; 3 h), packed (0.5 mL straws), frozen and stored (-196 °C) until further processing. After thawing, the spermatozoa total and progressive motility (CASA), viability (eosin-nigrosin), membrane functional integrity (HOST), acrosome integrity (SpermBlue®) and mitochondrial function (Rhodamine-123/SYBR-14/PI) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed with one-way ANOVA, followed by Duncan's test; significance was set at 0.05. The addition of 2.15 mM fumaric acid improved (p < 0.05) spermatozoa viability, membrane functional integrity, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial function compared to all other concentrations. The addition of 30 mM fumaric acid decreased (p < 0.05) spermatozoa viability and mitochondrial function compared to all other concentrations. These results indicate a beneficial effect of a 2.15 mM fumaric acid addition to a soy lecithin extender on post-thaw buck spermatozoa quality. Further research is required to evaluate the in vivo fertility of frozen-thawed buck spermatozoa treated with fumaric acid, as well as to elucidate the mechanism of action of fumaric acid in spermatozoa.

Development of κ-carrageenan-PEG/lecithin bioactive hydrogel membranes for antibacterial adhesion and painless detachment.

The issue of wound dressing adherence poses a substantial challenge in the field of wound care, with implications both clinically and economically. Overcoming this challenge requires the development of a hydrogel dressing that enables painless removal without causing any secondary damage. However, addressing this issue still remains a significant challenge that requires attention and further exploration. The present study is focused on the synthesis of hydrogel membranes based on κ-carrageenan (CG), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and soy lecithin (LC), which can provide superior antioxidant and antibacterial attachment properties with a tissue anti adhesion activity for allowing an easy removability without causing secondary damage. The (CG-PEG)/LC mass ratio was varied to fabricate hydrogel membranes via a facile approach of physical blending and solution casting. The physicochemical properties of (CG-PEG)/LC hydrogel membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical analyses. The membranes showed significantly enhanced mechanical properties with excellent flexibility and had high swelling capacity (˃1000 %), which would provide a moist condition for wound healing. The membranes also exhibited excellent free radical scavenging ability (>60 %). In addition, the (CG-PEG)/LC hydrogel membranes showed reduced peel strength 26.5 N/m as a result of weakening the hydrogel-gelatin interface during an in vitro gelatin peeling test. Moreover, the membrane showed superior antibacterial adhesion activity (>90 %) against both S. aureus and E. coli due to the presence of both PEG and LC. The results also suggested that the hydrogel membranes exhibit NIH3T3 cell antiadhesion property, making them promising material for easy detachment from the healed tissue without causing secondary damage. Thus, this novel combination of (CG-PEG)/LC hydrogel membranes have immense application potential as a biomaterial in the healthcare sector.

Morphology engineering for novel antibiotics: Effect of glass microparticles and soy lecithin on rebeccamycin production and cellular morphology of filamentous actinomycete Lentzea aerocolonigenes.

Lentzea aerocolonigenes, as an actinomycete, is a natural producer of the antibiotic and antitumoral drug rebeccamycin. Due to the filamentous cellular morphology handling in cultivations is challenging; therefore, morphology engineering techniques are mandatory to enhance productivity. One promising approach described in the literature is the addition of mineral particles in the micrometer range to precisely adjust cellular morphology and the corresponding product synthesis (microparticle-enhanced cultivation, MPEC). Glass microparticles are introduced in this study as a novel supplementation type for bioprocess intensification in filamentous organisms. Several investigations were conducted to screen for an optimal particle setup, including particle size and concentration regarding their impact and effects on enhanced productivity, microparticle incorporation behavior into the biopellets, the viability of pellets, and morphological changes. Glass microparticles (10 g·L-1) with a median diameter of 7.9 µm, for instance, induced an up to fourfold increase in product synthesis accompanied by overall enhanced viability of biomass. Furthermore, structural elucidations showed that biopellets isolated from MPEC tend to have lower hyphal density than unsupplemented control pellets. In this context, oxygen microprofiling was conducted to better understand how internal structural changes interwind with oxygen supply into the pellets. Here, the resulting oxygen profiles are of a contradictive trend of steeper oxygen consumption with increasing glass microparticle supplementation. Eventually, MPEC was combined with another promising cultivation strategy, the supplementation of soy lecithin (7.5 g·L-1), to further increase the cultivation performance. A combination of both techniques in an optimized setup resulted in a rebeccamycin concentration of 213 mg·L-1 after 10 days of cultivation, the highest value published so far for microparticle-supplemented shake flask cultivations of L. aerocolonigenes.

Structural Changes in Liposomal Vesicles in Association with Sodium Taurodeoxycholate.

Liposomes composed of soy lecithin (SL) have been studied widely for drug delivery applications. The stability and elasticity of liposomal vesicles are improved by incorporating additives, including edge activators. In this study, we report the effect of sodium taurodeoxycholate (STDC, a bile salt) upon the microstructural characteristics of SL vesicles. Liposomes, prepared by the thin film hydration method, were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), electron microscopy, and rheological techniques. We noticed a reduction in the size of vesicles with the incremental addition of STDC. Initial changes in the size of spherical vesicles were ascribed to the edge-activating action of STDC (0.05 to 0.17 µM). At higher concentrations (0.23 to 0.27 µM), these vesicles transformed into cylindrical structures. Morphological transitions at higher STDC concentrations would have occurred due to its hydrophobic interaction with SL molecules in the bilayer. This was ascertained from nuclear magnetic resonance observations. Whereas shape transitions underscored the deformability of vesicles in the presence of STDC, the consistency of bilayer thickness ruled out any dissociative effect. It was interesting to notice that SL-STDC mixed structures could survive high thermal stress, electrolyte addition, and dilution.

Self-Assembling Lecithin-Based Mixed Polymeric Micelles for Nose to Brain Delivery of Clozapine: In-vivo Assessment of Drug Efficacy via Radiobiological Evaluation.

Purpose: The research objective is to design intranasal brain targeted CLZ loaded lecithin based polymeric micelles (CLZ- LbPM) aiming to improve central systemic CLZ bioavailability. Methods: In our study, intranasal CLZ loaded lecithin based polymeric micelles (CLZ- LbPM) were formulated using soya phosphatidyl choline (SPC) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) with different CLZ:SPC:SDC ratios via thin film hydration technique aiming to enhance drug solubility, bioavailability and nose to brain targeting efficiency. Optimization of the prepared CLZ-LbPM using Design-Expert® software was achieved showing that M6 which composed of (CLZ:SPC: SDC) in respective ratios of 1:3:10 was selected as the optimized formula. The optimized formula was subjected to further evaluation tests as, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), TEM, in vitro release profile, ex vivo intranasal permeation and in vivo biodistribution. Results: The optimized formula with the highest desirability exhibiting (0.845), small particle size (12.23±4.76 nm), Zeta potential of (-38 mV), percent entrapment efficiency of > 90% and percent drug loading of 6.47%. Ex vivo permeation test showed flux value of 27 µg/cm².h and the enhancement ratio was about 3 when compared to the drug suspension, without any histological alteration. The radioiodinated clozapine ([131I] iodo-CLZ) and radioiodinated optimized formula ([131I] iodo-CLZ-LbPM) were formulated in an excellent radioiodination yield more than 95%. In vivo biodistribution studies of [131I] iodo-CLZ-LbPM showed higher brain uptake (7.8%± 0.1%ID/g) for intranasal administration with rapid onset of action (at 0.25 h) than the intravenous formula. Its pharmacokinetic behavior showed relative bioavailability, direct transport percentage from nose to brain and drug targeting efficiency of 170.59%, 83.42% and 117% respectively. Conclusion: The intranasal self-assembling lecithin based mixed polymeric micelles could be an encouraging way for CLZ brain targeting.

Preclinical evaluation of the effects of soy lecithin on body composition

Introduction: Soy lecithin has become one of the most widely used dietary supplements with potential to treat obesity. Objective: To determine the effect of soy lecithin on body composition. Material and Methods: An experimental preclinical pharmacology study was carried out in the Laboratory of Antibodies and Experimental Biomodels (Labex-cim) and the Basic Sciences Laboratory of the University of Medical Sciences of Santiago de Cuba in 2019. Soy lecithin was administered for 30 days, in doses considered as maximum and minimum to two experimental groups of Wistar rats, to be compared with the control group that received regular feeding. Bioelectric variables and indicators of fat mass were estimated by establishing differences between the experimental groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test of independent samples and considering the level of significance less than 5 %. Results: Total body water, fat-free mass, extracellular water, and total body fat changed significantly compared to the control and between groups; also, there were variations in fat weight in the main compartments, increasing in the group supplemented at the minimum dose and reducing in the group that received the maximum dose of the product. The phase angle showed reduction in both experimental groups. Conclusions: Soy lecithin, depending on the dose, modifies the body composition in rats, the phase angle being an appreciable parameter for nutritional evaluation.

Introducción: La lecitina de soya se ha convertido en un suplemento dietético de los más utilizados con potencialidades para tratar la obesidad. Objetivo: Determinar el efecto de la lecitina de soya sobre la composición corporal. Material y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de farmacología preclínica experimental en el Laboratorio de Anticuerpos y Biomodelos Experimentales (Labex-cim) y el Laboratorio de Ciencias Básicas de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Santiago de Cuba, en 2019. Se administró lecitina de soja por 30 días, en dosis consideradas como máximas y mínimas a dos grupos experimentales de ratas Wistar, para ser comparados con grupo control que recibió alimentación habitual. Se estimaron variables bioeléctricas e indicadores de masa grasa estableciendo diferencias entre los grupos experimentales mediante la Prueba de Kruskal-Wallis de muestras independientes y considerando el nivel de significación menor del 5 %. Resultados: El agua corporal total, la masa libre de grasa, el agua extracelular y la grasa corporal total se modificaron de manera significativa en comparación con el control y entre grupos, así como existieron variaciones en el peso de la grasa en los compartimentos principales, incrementándose en el grupo suplementado a dosis mínima y reduciendo en el grupo que recibió dosis máxima del producto. El ángulo de fase mostró reducción en ambos grupos experimentales. Conclusiones: La lecitina de soya, dependiendo de la dosis, modifica la composición corporal en ratas siendo el ángulo de fase un parámetro apreciable para la evaluación nutricional.

Physical, morphological and storage stability of clove oil nanoemulsion based delivery system.

Clove oil based Nanoemulsions (NE) were prepared ultrasonically using Tween 80 and soy lecithin as synthetic and natural surfactants, respectively. The developed NEs were characterized for various parameters (particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, viscosity, colour, turbidity and pH) and the comparative effect of both the surfactants at variable levels (oil:tween 80-1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 and oil: soy lecithin- 1:1, 1:1.5 and 1:2) was assessed. It was found that the type of surfactant and oil to surfactant ratio significantly affected particle size and stability of NEs. The NE prepared using tween 80 @1:3 had smallest average droplet diameter (40.9 nm). The formulated NEs were stored at 25 °C and 4 °C and analyzed for turbidity, pH and phase separation up to 90 days. Results revealed that the type and concentration of the surfactant significantly influenced the particle size and stability of NEs. NEs prepared using tween 80 were found to be more viscous than those prepared with soy lecithin. The prepared clove oil NEs have important implication to be used as a natural delivery system to increase the shelf life of food products.

Soy lecithin: A beneficial substance for adjusting the ADC in aqueous solutions to the values of biological tissues.

PURPOSE: To test soy lecithin as a substance added to water for the construction of MRI phantoms with tissue-like diffusion coefficients. The performance of soy lecithin was assessed for the useable range of adjustable ADC values, the degree of non-Gaussian diffusion, simultaneous effects on relaxation times, and spectral signal properties. METHODS: Aqueous soy lecithin solutions of different concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% …, 10%) and soy lecithin-agar gels were prepared and examined on a 3 Tesla clinical scanner at 18.5° ± 0.5°C. Echoplanar sequences (b values: 0-1000/3000 s/mm2 ) were applied for ADC measurements. Quantitative relaxometry and MRS were performed for assessment of T1 , T2 , and detectable spectral components. RESULTS: The presence of soy lecithin significantly restricts the diffusion of water molecules and mimics the nearly Gaussian nature of diffusion observed in tissue (for b values <1000 s/mm2 ). ADC values ranged from 2.02 × 10-3  mm2 /s to 0.48 × 10-3  mm2 /s and cover the entire physiological range reported on biological tissue. Measured T1 /T2 values of pure lecithin solutions varied from 2685/2013 to 668/133 ms with increasing concentration. No characteristic signals of soy lecithin were observed in the MR spectrum. The addition of agar to the soy lecithin solutions allowed T2 values to be well adjusted to typical values found in parenchymal tissue without affecting the soy lecithin-controlled ADC value. CONCLUSION: Soy lecithin is a promising substance for the construction of diffusion phantoms with tissue-like ADC values. It provides several advantages over previously proposed substances, in particular a wide range of adjustable ADC values, the lack of additional 1 H-signals, and the possibility to adjust ADC and T2 values (by adding agar) almost independently of each other.

Polymeric ethosomal gel loaded with nimodipine: Optimisation, pharmacokinetic and histopathological analysis.

This study was performed with the main objective of formulating and evaluating the potential of ethosomesl gel (Etho gel) to deliver nimodipine (NiM) for cardiovascular disease, a potent water insoluble anti-hypertensive drug via skin to reach the deeper layers of skin. The Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize the NiM-Eth to determine the impact of the independent and depended variables. The effectiveness of drug entrapment, vesicle size, and cumulative drug release were assessed for the NiM loaded ethosomes and NiM-Eth gel using carbopol 934 as a gelling agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Power X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were performed and analysed their physicochemical characters. Rat abdomen skin was used to investigate drug permeability and deposition. As compared to marketed products, NiM-Eth gel produced an improved drug permeability in ex vivo experiments. The mean AUC0 to AUC0-∞ of NiM-Eth gel when compared to oral formulation (Nymalize oral preparation) was found to be increased from 4.1 to 5.9 folds which was found to be resulted from first pass effect. Histophatlogical findings revealed that the maximum amount of NiM penetrated the stratum corneum of the skin and create drug depots in the deep layer. In summary, it can be said that NiM might be successfully prepared in NiM-Eth gel for transdermal drug delivery.

Variations in Microstructural and Physicochemical Properties of Soy Wax/Soybean Oil-Derived Oleogels Using Soy Lecithin.

Emerging natural-based polymers and materials progress and new technology innovations open the way for unique food products with high nutritional value development. In this regard, oleogel may be essential in replacing fatty acids from food products. In this study, we researched the effects of varied soy lecithin (SYL) concentrations on the various physicochemical characteristics of soy wax (SW)/refined soybean oil (RSO) oleogels. These oleogels had a soft texture. The microscopic analysis of the oleogels suggested that the thickness, length, and density of the wax crystals (needle-shaped) varied as the SYL content was changed. Colorimetric analysis indicated that the oleogels were slightly yellowish. FTIR spectrometry helped analyze the functional groups of the raw materials and the oleogels. All the functional groups present in the raw materials could be accounted for within the oleogels. The only exception is the hydrogen-bonding peak in SW, which was not seen in the FTIR spectrum of the oleogels. It was found that at a critical SYL content, the oleogel showed a stable and repeatable wax network structure. This can be described by the presence of the uniformly distributed fat crystal network in the sample. The DSC analysis revealed that the oleogel samples were thermo-reversible, with their melting and crystallization temperatures ~43 °C and ~22 °C, respectively. In gist, it can be concluded that the incorporation of SYL can impact the color, wax crystal network characteristics, thermal characteristics, and mechanical characteristics of the oleogels in a composition-dependent manner.

Effects of Lecithin Supplementation in Feed of Different fat Levels on Serum Indexes and Liver Health of Laying Hens.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of soy lecithin on serum-related indicators and liver health in laying hens under the influence of high-fat diets. 180 peak laying hens at 40 weeks of age were randomly assigned to one of the four diets using a 2 × 2 factorial and fed for 5 weeks. The results showed that compared to the low-fat group, the high-fat group had lower egg production (p < 0.05) and higher average daily feed intake and feed-to-egg ratio (p < 0.05). At the 21st day, the serum levels of triglyceride (TC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were higher (p < 0.05), high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were lower (p < 0.01), catalase (CAT) activity was lower (p < 0.05), TC and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in liver were higher (p < 0.01) and SOD activity in liver was lower (p < 0.05) in layers supplemented with soy lecithin. CAT activity in serum was increased (p < 0.01) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity in the liver was decreased (p < 0.05) after increasing the dietary fat concentration. The addition of soy lecithin and the increase in dietary fat concentration had a highly significant interaction on serum CAT activity and liver TC content in layers (p < 0.01). At the 35th day, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was higher (p < 0.01), serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and CAT activity were higher (p < 0.05), and serum triglyceride (TG) content and total T-AOC capacity activity were lower (p < 0.05) in layers supplemented with soy lecithin. Increasing dietary fat concentration decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and GSH-Px activity in serum (p < 0.05). However, it increased TG and MDA content in liver (p < 0.05), and highly decreased SOD content in liver (p < 0.01) in layers. The addition of soy lecithin and increasing dietary fat concentration had a highly significant reciprocal effect on serum ALT viability and CAT viability (p < 0.01) and liver TG and MDA content and SOD viability (p < 0.05) in layers. In conclusion, feeding high-fat diets will adversely affect the laying performance of laying hens, while long-term addition of lecithin can improve the blood lipids and liver lipids of laying hens, enhance the antioxidant capacity of the liver, and maintain liver health.