Synthesis and Characterization of Ciprofloxacin Loaded Star-Shaped Polycaprolactone-Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels for Oral Delivery.

The administration of poorly water-soluble drugs represents a relevant problem due to the low body fluids transport efficiency through hydrophilic hydrogels. Star-shaped co-polymers, i.e., amphiphilic polymers such as those with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic outer shell, can be used to improve weak interactions with drugs, with relevant benefits in terms of administration and controlled delivery. In this work, two different co-polymers, four-arm star-shaped PCL-PEG and six-arm star-shaped PCL-PEG, were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization to be loaded with ciprofloxacin. 1H-NMR and FTIR analyses confirmed that PCL arms were successfully grafted to the mPEG backbone, while DSC analysis indicated similar crystallinity and melting point, ranging from 56 to 60 °C, independent of the different co-polymer architecture. Therefore, both star-shaped PCL-PEGs were investigated as cargo device for ciprofloxacin. No significant differences were observed in terms of drug entrapment efficiency (>95%) and drug release, characterized by a pronounced burst followed by a slow sustained release, only slightly affected by the co-polymer architecture. This result was also confirmed with curve fitting via the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Lastly, good antibacterial properties and biocompatibility exhibited in both star-shaped PCL-PEG co-polymers suggest a promising use for oral delivery applications.

PCL/Gelatin/Graphene Oxide Electrospun Nanofibers: Effect of Surface Functionalization on In Vitro and Antibacterial Response.

The emergence of resistance to pathogenic bacteria has resulted from the misuse of antibiotics used in wound treatment. Therefore, nanomaterial-based agents can be used to overcome these limitations. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin/graphene oxide electrospun nanofibers (PGO) are functionalized via plasma treatment with the monomeric groups diallylamine (PGO-M1), acrylic acid (PGO-M2), and tert-butyl acrylate (PGO-M3) to enhance the action against bacteria cells. The surface functionalization influences the morphology, surface wettability, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of PGO nanofibers. PGO-M1 and PGO-M2 exhibit good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, whereas PGO-M3 tends to reduce their antibacterial properties compared to PGO nanofibers. The highest proportion of dead bacteria cells is found on the surface of hydrophilic PGO-M1, whereas live cells are colonized on the surface of hydrophobic PGO-M3. Likewise, PGO-M1 shows a good interaction with L929, which is confirmed by the high levels of adhesion and proliferation with respect to the control. All the results confirm that surface functionalization can be strategically used as a tool to engineer PGO nanofibers with controlled antibacterial properties for the fabrication of highly versatile devices suitable for different applications (e.g., health, environmental pollution).

Functionalized Antimicrobial Nanofibers: Design Criteria and Recent Advances.

The rise of antibiotic resistance has become a major threat to human health and it is spreading globally. It can cause common infectious diseases to be difficult to treat and leads to higher medical costs and increased mortality. Hence, multifunctional polymeric nanofibers with distinctive structures and unique physiochemical properties have emerged as a neo-tool to target biofilm and overcome deadly bacterial infections. This review emphasizes electrospun nanofibers' design criteria and properties that can be utilized to enhance their therapeutic activity for antimicrobial therapy. Also, we present recent progress in designing the surface functionalization of antimicrobial nanofibers with non-antibiotic agents for effective antibacterial therapy. Lastly, we discuss the future trends and remaining challenges for polymeric nanofibers.

Biomedical Applications of Aromatic Azo Compounds.

Azo dyes are widely used in textile, fiber, cosmetic, leather, paint and printing industries. Besides their characteristic coloring function, azo compounds are reported as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and cytotoxic agents. They have the ability to be used as drug carriers, either by acting as a 'cargo' that entrap therapeutic agents or by prodrug approach. The drug is released by internal or external stimuli in the region of interest, as observed in colon-targeted drug delivery. Besides drug-like and drug carrier properties, a number of azo dyes are used in cellular staining to visualize cellular components and metabolic processes. However, the biological significance of azo compounds, especially in cancer chemotherapy, is still in its infancy. This may be linked to early findings that declared azo compounds as one of the possible causes of cancer and mutagenesis. Currently, researchers are screening the aromatic azo compounds for their potential biomedical use, including cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we highlight the medical applications of azo compounds, particularly related to cancer research. The biomedical significance of cis-trans interchange and negative implications of azo compounds are also discussed in brief.

Applications of calixarenes in cancer chemotherapy: facts and perspectives.

Research on the therapeutic applications of calixarene derivatives is an emerging area of interest. The anticancer activity of various functionalized calixarenes has been reported by several research groups. Due to their superior geometric shape, calixarenes can accommodate drug molecules by forming inclusion complexes. Controlled release of anticancer drugs by calixarenes might help in targeted chemotherapy. This review summarizes the anticancer potential of the calixarenes and their drug loading properties. The potential use of calixarenes in chemoradiotherapy is also highlighted in brief.

Utilization of waste crab shell (Scylla serrata) as a catalyst in palm olein transesterification.

Aquaculture activity has increased the population of crab, hence increasing the generation of related wastes, particularly the shell. In addition, the number of molting process in crabs compounds further the amount of waste shell generated. As such, in the present work, the application of the waste crab shell as a source of CaO in transesterification of palm olein to biodiesel (methyl ester) was investigated. Preliminary XRD results revealed that thermally activated crab shell contains mainly CaO. Parametric study has been investigated and optimal conditions were found to be methanol/oil mass ratio, 0.5:1; catalyst amount, 4 wt. %; and reaction temperature, 338 K. As compared to laboratory CaO, the catalyst from waste crab shell performs well, thus creating another low-cost catalyst source for producing biodiesel as well as adding value to the waste crab shell. Reusability of crab shell CaO has also been studied and the outcome confirmed that the catalyst is capable to be reutilized up to 11 times, without any major deterioration.

Biodiesel production via transesterification of palm olein using waste mud crab (Scylla serrata) shell as a heterogeneous catalyst.

A recent rise in crab aquaculture activities has intensified the generation of waste shells. In the present study, the waste shells were utilized as a source of calcium oxide to transesterify palm olein into methyl esters (biodiesel). Characterization results revealed that the main component of the shell is calcium carbonate which transformed into calcium oxide when activated above 700 degrees C for 2 h. Parametric studies have been investigated and optimal conditions were found to be methanol/oil mass ratio, 0.5:1; catalyst amount, 5 wt.%; reaction temperature, 65 degrees C; and a stirring rate of 500 rpm. The waste catalyst performs equally well as laboratory CaO, thus creating another low-cost catalyst source for producing biodiesel. Reusability results confirmed that the prepared catalyst is able to be reemployed up to 11 times. Statistical analysis has been performed using a Central Composite Design to evaluate the contribution and performance of the parameters on biodiesel purity.

Possible origin of electronic effects in Rh(I)-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation.

Reducing the electron density of ligands switches the regioselectivity of Rh(I)-catalyzed hydrometalation. A reversal of the sense of chiral induction was also observed when chiral ligands are electronically tuned in the same manner. The combined data provide an alternative rationale for the electronic effects often observed in asymmetric hydrogenation.

6,6'-Dimeth-oxy-2,2'-[p-phenyl-ene-bis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenol chloro-form disolvate.

The title compound, C(22)H(20)N(2)O(4)·2CHCl(3), a new Schiff base compound, lies across a crystallographic inversion centre. An intra-molecular O-H⋯N hydrogen bond generates a six-membered ring, producing an S(6) ring motif. Inter-molecular bifurcated C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the two O atoms of the Schiff base ligand and the H atom of the chloro-form solvent of crystallization, generate an R(2) (1)(5) ring motif. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular C-H⋯π and π-π inter-actions [centroid to centroid distance = 3.6158 (10) Å]. In the crystal structure, mol-ecules are stacked down the c axis.

4-(sec-Butyl-amino)-3-nitro-benzoic acid.

The asymmetric unit of title compound, C(11)H(14)N(2)O(4), consists of two crystallographically independent mol-ecules (A and B). In each, intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate S(6) ring motifs. The mean plane of the nitro group forms dihedral angles of 4.5 (3) and 0.5 (3)° with the benzene ring in mol-ecules A and B, respectively. In mol-ecule A, there is disorder of the butyl-amino group which corresponds to an approximate 180° rotation about the N-C(H) bond, forming two sites with refined occupancies of 0.722 (6) and 0.278 (6). Mol-ecule B is similarly disordered but in addition there is further rotational disorder about the C(H)-C(H(2)) bond giving a ratio of occupancies for three components of 0.42:0.35:0.23. In the crystal structure, inter-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link mol-ecules into centrosymmetric dimers generating R(2) (2)(8) ring motifs. The crystal structure is also stabilized by weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions.