Spray drying egg using either maltodextrin or nopal mucilage as stabilizer agents.

In this work, a comparative study between spray drying (SD) of fresh egg by either maltodextrin (MD) or nopal-mucilage (MN) as stabilizing vectors was made. The powders obtained were characterized for drying performance, moisture content, chemical proximate analysis, thermal analysis (TGA), chemical composition (FTIR), microscopy (SEM) and rheology (viscoelasticity and steady state simple shear viscosity). Infrared analysis showed that MN has the effect of a thickening agent rather than an encapsulating one. Results indicated that SD egg with MN produced a high thermal and mechanical stable product and rendered the highest drying performance, producing a more uniform and defined sphere-shaped morphology in comparison to egg SD either alone and with MD.

Morphological and release characterization of nanoparticles formulated with poly (dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and lupeol: In vitro permeability and modulator effect on NF-κB in Caco-2 cell system stimulated with TNF-α.

Lupeol exhibits anti-inflammatory effects; unfortunately it shows low water solubility. An alternative to overcome this is the development of nanomaterials. Several methods for nanomaterial production are available. One of them is emulsification/solvent-evaporation. The objective of the present work was to evaluate physical properties, transport and in vitro modulator effects on NF-κB of poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with lupeol. Nanonutraceuticals were prepared with 16% (w/v) of lupeol. Size distribution and morphology were measured by particle size analyzer and TEM. In vitro release of lupeol was studied by three different models: Higuchi, Siepmann & Peppas, and Power law. Transport of nanonutraceutical was studied in a Caco-2 cell model and by GC-MS. Modulator effect on NK-κB was studied by western blot analysis. Nanonutraceuticals were 10% larger than the nanoparticles without lupeol (372 vs 337 nm) and presented a broader size distribution (0.28 vs 0.22). TEM results displayed spherical structures with a broader size distribution. Entrapment efficiency of lupeol was 64.54% and it in vitro release data fitted well to the Power law and Higuchi equation (R > 0.84-0.84). Strong regulation of NF-κB of nanonutraceutical was observed. It was not observed any transport across the Caco-2 cell model at the different experimental conditions.

Characterization of physical interaction between Casiopeina III-ia and chitosan. Toward a Cas III-ia drug delivery system.

Casiopeínas are a new generation of anticancer drugs that have shown great in vitro and in vivo antineoplastic activities. Information about interaction drug-excipient, for developing a based-nanoparticle drug delivery system, has not been investigated yet. In order to elucidate if chitosan (CS) modifies the copper complex due to its interaction with Cu(2+) ion, different studies in aqueous media between CS and Casiopeina III-ia (Cas III-ia) were carried out. CS-Cas III-ia mixtures were characterized by viscosity curves, UV-vis, EPR, and in vivo activity against HeLa cell line. Rheological behavior showed a decrease of viscosity when the drug was present due to diminished electrostatic interactions of charged amine group. UV-vis results illustrate that Cas III-ia is not stable at low pH as a result of interaction with acetic acid. However, when chitosan is present at the acidic solution Cas III-ia is stable. These results are supported by EPR studies. Finally, activity of the drug against HeLa cell line was not modified. Therefore, the present work presents evidence that there is no breaking of copper complex due to interaction between CS and Cas III-ia in acidic media. In addition, Cas III-ia maintains both its stability and effectiveness against cancer cell line.

Sustained availability of trimethoprim in drinking water to achieve higher plasma sulphonamide-trimethoprim antibacterial activity in broilers.

(1) In order to make trimethoprim (TMP) available to broilers throughout the day, a sustained release formulation (SRF) of the drug in the form of granules was added to the water tank that supplies drinking water. (2) Broilers were initially dosed with sulphachloropiridazine-TMP (SCP-TMP 5:1) and then further medicated throughout the day, achieving in the end a dose of 30 mg/kg each of SCP and TMP (group A). Group B received a preparation with the same dose of SCP and TMP (1:1) as group A, but administered as a single dose without the SRF of TMP. Group C received the customary SCP-TMP 5:1 preparation (30 and 6 mg/kg, respectively). Water tanks were completely consumed in 3 to 4 h. (3) Broilers were bled at different times and concentration of antibacterial activity in serum determined by correlating the composite antibacterial activity of SCP and TMP with actual concentrations of these drugs by means of a microbiological agar diffusion assay. (4) Time vs serum concentrations of activity were higher in group B; the increments in the maximum serum concentration for group B over groups A and C being 39 and 67%, respectively. (5) However, the sustained concentration of activity over time, measured as the area under the cu)rve, was highest in group A. Group B had higher values for area under the curve than group C. (6) An additional dose of TMP to achieve 30 mg/kg of both SCP and TMP improves the serum concentration of this combination over the customary 5:1 proportion. The best values for sustaining antibacterial activity were obtained using a 1:1 ratio as in group A. The use of a SRF as in group A may translate into better clinical results.