Evaluation of Preclinical Efficacy of Curcumin-Loaded Bicosome Systems in Amelioration of Oral Mucositis.

Background/objectives: Oral mucositis (OM) is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer therapy, characterized by ulceration or inflammation of the oral mucosa. This study evaluates the preclinical efficacy of curcumin-loaded bicosome systems (cur-BS) in mitigating chemotherapy-induced OM in mice.

Methods: BS were prepared using a combination of 1,2-di-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), α-tocopherol, and curcumin, encapsulated within liposomal vesicles.

Molecular Interactions between Tarantula Toxins and Low-Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels.

Few gating-modifier toxins have been reported to target low-voltage-activated (LVA) calcium channels, and the structural basis of toxin sensitivity remains incompletely understood. Studies of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels have identified the S3b-S4 "paddle motif," which moves at the protein-lipid interface to drive channel opening, as the target for these amphipathic neurotoxins. Voltage-gated calcium (Cav) channels contain four homologous voltage sensor domains, suggesting multiple toxin binding sites.