Electrosprayed Nanoparticles Containing Hydroalcoholic Extract of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench Stimulates Immune System by Increasing Inflammatory Factors in Male Wistar Rats.

Purpose: Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a member of the Asteraceae family and is traditionally used mainly due to its immunostimulatory properties. Various compounds including alkylamides and chicoric acid were reported as active ingredients of E. purpurea. Here, we aimed to prepare electrosprayed nanoparticles (NPs) containing hydroalcoholic extract of E. purpurea using Eudragit RS100 (EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs) to improve the immunomodulatory effects of the extract. Methods: The EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs with the different extract:polymer ratios and solution concentrations were prepared using the electrospray technique. The size and morphology of the NPs were evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). To evaluate the immune responses, male Wistar rats were administrated with the prepared EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs and plain extract in the final dose of 30 or 100 mg/kg. The blood samples of the animals were collected and the inflammatory factors and complete blood count (CBC) were investigated. Results: In vivo studies indicated that the plain extract and EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs (100 mg/kg) significantly increased the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1-ß (IL1-ß) whereas the EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs (30 mg/kg) significantly increased the number of white blood cells (WBCs) compared to the control group. Lymphocytes' count in all groups was increased significantly compared to the control group (P<0.05) whereas other CBC parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion: The prepared EP-Eudragit RS100 NPs by electrospray technique caused significant reinforcement in the immunostimulatory effects of the extract of E. purpurea.

Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest of Iran.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed in response to the rapid propagation of HIV/AIDS across Iran and its status in this region. Accordingly, an evidence-based program is required to combat this disease. OBJECTIVES: The present study estimated the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in East Azerbaijan (population: 3,724,000). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created a database of all positive cases from 1987 to 2012. We also analyzed and described the epidemiological status of HIV/AIDS during a 25-year period by using SPSS. RESULTS: In East Azerbaijan, 371 HIV/AIDS cases have been reported, i.e. 1 case per 10,000 population. The vast majority of reported cases (91%, n =338) were men, whereas only 9% (n = 33) were women. The mean age of patients was 30.8 ± 12.3 years. Unsafe drug injection (59%, n = 219) and sexual interaction (13%, n = 48) were the two major modes of HIV transmission. In addition, 7% (n = 25) of patients have been diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B Virus, and hepatitis C virus simultaneously. Moreover, 60% (n = 205) of men were infected via drug injection, while 82% (n = 27) of women were infected via unprotected sexual interaction (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a rapid increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases in East Azerbaijan, necessitating immediate attention and strategies to combat the rapid spread of the disease. Development of provincial and national HIV/AIDS strategies demands more accurate and comprehensive HIV/AIDS surveillance.

Reduced ABCB1 Expression and Activity in the Presence of Acrylic Copolymers.

PURPOSE: P-glycoprotein (P-gp; ABCB1), an integral membrane protein in the apical surface of human intestinal epithelial cells, plays a crucial role in the intestinal transport and efflux leading to changes in the bioavailability of oral pharmaceutical compounds. This study was set to examine the potential effects of three Eudragits RL100, S100 and L100 on the intestinal epithelial membrane transport of rhodammine-123 (Rho-123), a substrate of P-gp using a monolayer of human colon cancer cell line (Caco-2). METHODS: The least non-cytotoxic concentrations of the excipients were assessed in Caco-2 cells by the MTT assay. Then the transepithelial transport of Rho-123 across Caco-2 monolayers was determined with a fluorescence spectrophotometer. Besides, the expression of the P-gp in cells exposed to the polymers was demonstrated using Western-blotting analysis. RESULTS: Treatment of cells with Eudragit RL100 and L100 led to a very slight change while Eudragit S100 showed 61% increase in Rho-123 accumulation (P<0.001) and also reduced transporter expression. CONCLUSION: Our studies suggest that using proper concentrations of the Eudragit S100 in drug formulation would improve intestinal permeability and absorption of p-gp substrate drugs.

Skin infection management using novel antibacterial agents.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cause difficulties in the management of skin and soft tissue infections and have led to morbidity and mortality in hospital-acquired infections especially in susceptible individuals, those who are generally sick or immunosuppressed. Currently approaches in antibacterial agents offer opportunities to manage the trouble using novel anti-infection systems. Therefore, nanotechnology, a most promising field for generating new applications in medicine, has introduced a most prominent nanoproduct named as nanosilver that revealed excellent antimicrobial activity against some of the hazardous infections. Also cathelicidin peptides which are a part of native immune defense system in the skin and epithelia exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity against some of these perilous infections.

Hypothesis: silver nanoparticles as an adjuvant for cancertherapy.

Cytotoxic agents are a main part of therapeutic process against the observed tumors, which lead to some unwished damages, due to drug uptake by normal body cells causing various tissue/organ failures associated with formal administration manners. But nowadays the risk is reduced by new target therapy techniques, of which the observed physical nature of micelles and nanosilver particles, governing their special behavior, could help using micelle-coated silver nanoparticles as a novel adjuvant for cancer target therapy.