[Role of mexidol (2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine succinate) in the obtaining of stabilized magnetite nanoparticles for biomedical application].

Magnetite nanoparticles (NPs) are studied as agents for magnetic resonance imaging, hyperthermia of malignant tumors, targeted drug delivery as well as anti-anemic action. One of the main problems of such NPs is their aggregation that requires creation of methods for magnetite NPs stabilization during preparation of liquid medicinal forms on their basis. The present work is devoted to the possibility of mexidol (2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine succinate) use for solubilization of magnetite NPs in hydrophilic medium. For this purpose, the condensate produced by electron-beam evaporation and condensation, with magnetite particles of size 5-8 nm deposited into the crystals of sodium chloride were used in conjunction with substance of mexidol (2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine succinate), and low molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The NP condensate was dispersed in distilled water or PVP or mexidol solutions. NPs size distribution in the liquid phase of the systems was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy, iron (Fe) concentration was evaluated by atomic emission spectrometry. It is shown that in the dispersion prepared in distilled water, the major amount of NPs was of 13-120 nm in size, in mexidol solution - 270-1700 nm, in PVP solution - 30-900 nm. In the fluid containing magnetite NPs together with mexidol and PVP, the main fraction (99.9%) was characterized by the NPs size of 14-75 nm with maximum of 25 nm. This system had the highest iron concentration: it was similar to that in the sample with mexidol solution and 6.6-7.3 times higher than the concentration in the samples with distilled water or PVP. Thus, in the preparation of aqueous dispersions based on magnetite NPs condensate, mexidol provides a transition of Fe to the liquid phase in amount necessary to achieve its biological activity, and PVP stabilizes such modified NPs.

Effects of hydroxypyridine derivatives mexidol and emoxypin on the reparative processes in rabbit eye on the models of corneal epithelial defect and conjunctival ischemia.

Deepithelialization of the cornea (diameter 7 mm) was performed in rabbits and the rate of defect epithelialization was evaluated. Conjunctival ischemia was modeled by application of graduated alkaline burn. Antioxidant activity and content of nitrates and nitrites was measured in the tear fluid before and after burn by chemiluminescence and Griess methods, respectively. Emoxypin and mexidol promoted healing of corneal epithelial defect at the stage of epitheliocyte migration to the defect area and at the stage of their proliferation, respectively. After treatment with both agents, the area of conjunctival ischemia decreased more rapidly, but the efficiency of mexidol was higher. Antioxidant activity and content of products of NO metabolism in tear fluid decreased after burn. Mexidol, but not emoxypin, increased these parameters. Thus, mexidol and emoxypin have different effects on corneal epithelialization and conjunctival ischemia and effects of mexidol are more pronounced.

[Electrophysiological study of the mechanism of mexidol action].

It has been found that mexidol (5 mM) significantly (96 +/- 2%) depressed excitatory postsynaptic current caused by step depolarization in neurons of medial vestibular nucleus of medulla oblongata slices in young (aged 13 - 17 days) male albino rats. In addition, mexidol (2,5 - 5 mM) depressed by 94 +/- 3% excitatory postsynaptic current caused by Shaffer collaterals stimulation of CA1 pyramidal neurons of hippocampal slices in young rats. Complex MK-801 (non-competitive antagonist of NMDA receptors), in contrast to CNQX (competitive AMPA receptor antagonist), considerably decreased the depressant effect of the drug in both brain structures. Therefore, the central favorable effect of mexidol can be mediated by ion mechanisms with glutamate- and GABA-ergic components, primarily by the inhibition of ion currents through NMDA receptor complex.