Peptide Functionalization of Emulsion-Based Nanocarrier to Improve Uptake across Blood-Brain Barrier.

New strategies for enhancing drug delivery to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) represent a major challenge in treating cerebral diseases. Nanoemulsion-based nanocarriers represent an ideal candidate to improve drug delivery thanks to their versatility in functionalization and cargo protection. In this work, a paclitaxel-loaded nano-emulsion has been firstly functionalized and stabilized with two layers constituted of chitosan and hyaluronic acid, and, secondly, the latter has been conjugated to the CRT peptide.

L. Pod Valves: A By-Product with High Potential as an Adjuvant in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.

L. is a leguminous plant with seeds rich in nutritional compounds, such as polyphenols and L-dopa, a dopamine precursor and first-line treatment for Parkinson's symptoms. Recently, its by-products have been revalued as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds.

Discovering the Ellagitannin Landscape of Dried Walnut Shells by Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Walnut shells, often discarded as waste, hold hidden potential as a source of ellagitannins (ETs), compounds known for their promising antioxidant properties and health benefits. This study employed reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) coupled with Orbitrap-based high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) via electrospray ionization (ESI) in negative polarity to investigate the ET profile in extracts of dried powdered walnut shells. Several compounds belonging to various ET families were successfully identified as deprotonated molecules ([M - H]) and characterized, including mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentagalloyl glucopyranoses, as well as ETs containing the hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) group.

Mass spectrometric characterization of aminophospholipids containing N-(2-hydroxyethyl)glycine in kombu algae extracts.

Rationale: 1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-O-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)glycines] (PHEGs) are a class of rare aminophospholipids found specifically in brown algae, including kombu seaweed. Despite their potential importance in algal physiology, a comprehensive mass spectrometry (MS) characterization, useful to understand their biological behaviour, is still lacking.

Methods: To establish the structural regiochemical features of PHEGs, we employed hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC).

New piperazine and morpholine derivatives: Mass spectrometry characterization and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity.

Recently, pharmaceutical research has been focused on the design of new antibacterial drugs with higher selectivity towards several strains. Major issues concern the possibility to obtain compounds with fewer side effects, at the same time effectively overcoming the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Several solutions include the synthesis of new pharmacophores starting from piperazine or morpholine core units.