Advances in Natural Polymers: Extraction Methods and Applications.

Biomass-based alternatives for the manufacturing of bioplastic materials are important aspects of a more sustainable future; their physicochemical properties need to be able to compete with the existing market to establish them as a viable alternative [...

New Hydrophilic Matrix Tablets for the Controlled Released of Chlorzoxazone.

The modified release of active substances such as chlorzoxazone from matrix tablets, based on KollidonSR and chitosan, depends both on the drug solubility in the dissolution medium and on the matrix composition. The aim of this study is to obtain some new oral matrix tablet formulations, based on KollidonSR and chitosan, in order to optimize the low-dose oral bioavailability of chlorzoxazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of class II Biopharmaceutical Classification System. Nine types of chlorzoxazone matrix tablets were obtained using the direct compression method by varying the components ratio as 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 chlorzoxazone/excipients, 20-40 w/w % KollidonSR, 3-7 w/w % chitosan while the auxiliary substances: Aerosil 1 w/w %, magnesium stearate 0.

Development of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Controlled Amiodarone Delivery.

In various drug delivery systems, solid lipid nanoparticles are dominantly lipid-based nanocarriers. Amiodarone hydrochloride is an antiarrhythmic agent used to treat severe rhythm disturbances. It has variable and hard-to-predict absorption in the gastrointestinal tract because of its low solubility and high permeability.

Lignins as Promising Renewable Biopolymers and Bioactive Compounds for High-Performance Materials.

The recycling of biomass into high-value-added materials requires important developments in research and technology to create a sustainable circular economy. Lignin, as a component of biomass, is a multipurpose aromatic polymer with a significant potential to be used as a renewable bioresource in many fields in which it acts both as promising biopolymer and bioactive compound. This comprehensive review gives brief insights into the recent research and technological trends on the potential of lignin development and utilization.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on the PLA-Based Blends and Biocomposites Containing Rosemary Ethanolic Extract and Chitosan.

The irradiation of polymeric materials with ionizing radiation (γ-rays, X-rays, accelerated electrons, ion beams, etc.) may lead to disproportion, hydrogen abstraction, arrangements, degradation, and/or the formation of new bonds. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of gamma irradiation on some new poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based blends and biocomposites, which is crucial when they are used for food packaging or medical purposes.

Encapsulation of Natural Bioactive Compounds by Electrospinning-Applications in Food Storage and Safety.

Packaging is used to protect foods from environmental influences and microbial contamination to maintain the quality and safety of commercial food products, to avoid their spoilage and to extend their shelf life. In this respect, bioactive packaging is developing to additionally provides antibacterial and antioxidant activity with the same goals i.e.

Bioactive Electrospun Fibers of Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Incorporating α-Tocopherol for Food Packaging Applications.

Antioxidant activity is an important feature for food contact materials such as packaging, aiming to preserve freshness and retard food spoilage. Common bioactive agents are highly susceptible to various forms of degradation; therefore, protection is required to maintain functionality and bioavailability. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), a biodegradable GRAS labeled polymer, was used in this study for encapsulation of α-tocopherol antioxidant, a major component of vitamin E, in the form of electrospun fibers.

Towards a Bioactive Food Packaging: Poly(Lactic Acid) Surface Functionalized by Chitosan Coating Embedding Clove and Argan Oils.

Here we introduce a new method aiming the immobilization of bioactive principles onto polymeric substrates, combining a surface activation and emulsion entrapment approach. Natural products with antimicrobial/antioxidant properties (essential oil from -clove and vegetal oil from L-argan) were stabilized in emulsions with chitosan, a natural biodegradable polymer that has antimicrobial activity. The emulsions were laid on poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a synthetic biodegradable plastic from renewable resources, which was previously activated by plasma treatment.

PLA-Based Materials Containing Bio-Plasticizers and Chitosan Modified with Rosehip Seed Oil for Ecological Packaging.

Several recipes based on PLA, bio-plasticizers, and active agents such as vitamin E and cold-pressed rosehip seed oil encapsulated into chitosan by the emulsion method named here as chitosan modified (CS-M) were elaborated by melt compounding for food packaging applications. Resulted biocomposites have been investigated from the point of view of physical-mechanical, thermal, barrier, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties to select the formulations with the optimum features to produce food trays and films for packaging applications. The obtained results showed that the elaborated formulations exhibit tensile strength and flexibility dependent on their composition being either rigid or flexible, as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, which will potentially lead to prolonged use for food packaging.

Study on Acute Toxicity of Amiodarone New Complexes With Cyclodextrin.

Amiodarone low solubility and high permeability is the limiting step for its bioavailability, therefore new formulations are needed to improve the solubility of amiodarone either to increase its oral bioavailability or to reduce its toxic effects. Complexation of amiodarone with cyclodextrin results in improved dissolution rate, solubility, and allows for a more controlled drug release. We characterized the acute toxicity of a new amiodarone 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin complex (AMD/HP-β-CD) as powdered form and as a matrix based on Kollidon® and chitosan, administered intraperitoneally in laboratory animals.

Progresses in Food Packaging, Food Quality, and Safety-Controlled-Release Antioxidant and/or Antimicrobial Packaging.

Food packaging is designed to protect foods, to provide required information about the food, and to make food handling convenient for distribution to consumers. Packaging has a crucial role in the process of food quality, safety, and shelf-life extension. Possible interactions between food and packaging are important in what is concerning food quality and safety.

New Developments in Medical Applications of Hybrid Hydrogels Containing Natural Polymers.

New trends in biomedical applications of the hybrid polymeric hydrogels, obtained by combining natural polymers with synthetic ones, have been reviewed. Homopolysaccharides, heteropolysaccharides, as well as polypeptides, proteins and nucleic acids, are presented from the point of view of their ability to form hydrogels with synthetic polymers, the preparation procedures for polymeric organic hybrid hydrogels, general physico-chemical properties and main biomedical applications (i.e.

Influence of the Chitosan and Rosemary Extract on Fungal Biodegradation of Some Plasticized PLA-Based Materials.

The fungal degradation of the complex polymeric systems based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural bioactive compounds (chitosan and powdered rosemary alcoholic extract) was studied. Two fungal strains and were tested. Both fungi characteristics and changes in morphology, structure and thermal properties were monitored.

Vegetable Additives in Food Packaging Polymeric Materials.

Plants are the most abundant bioresources, providing valuable materials that can be used as additives in polymeric materials, such as lignocellulosic fibers, nano-cellulose, or lignin, as well as plant extracts containing bioactive phenolic and flavonoid compounds used in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries. The incorporation of additives into polymeric materials improves their properties to make them suitable for multiple applications. Efforts are made to incorporate into the raw polymers various natural biobased and biodegradable additives with a low environmental fingerprint, such as by-products, biomass, plant extracts, etc.

Biocompatible Materials Based on Plasticized Poly(lactic acid), Chitosan and Rosemary Ethanolic Extract I. Effect of Chitosan on the Properties of Plasticized Poly(lactic acid) Materials.

The purpose of the present study is to develop new multifunctional environmentally friendly materials having applications both in medical and food packaging fields. New poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based multifunctional materials containing additives derived from natural resources like chitosan (CS) and rosemary extract (R) were obtained by melt mixing. Each of the selected components has its own specific properties such as: PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable biomass, heat-resistant, with mechanical properties close to those of polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate, and CS offers good antimicrobial activity and biological functions, while R significantly improves antioxidative action necessary in all applications.

Preparation, Characterization and Wound Healing Effects of New Membranes Based on Chitosan, Hyaluronic Acid and Arginine Derivatives.

New membranes based on chitosan and chitosan-hyaluronic acid containing new arginine derivatives with thiazolidine-4-one scaffold have been prepared using the ionic cross-linking method. The presence of the arginine derivatives with thiazolidine-4-one scaffold into the polymer matrix was proved by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a micro-porous structure that is an important characteristic for the treatment of burns, favoring the exudate absorption, the rate of colonization, the cell structure, and the angiogenesis process.

New Alginate/PNIPAAm Matrices for Drug Delivery.

This paper deals with a comparative study on the interpolymeric complexes of alginate poly(-isopropyl acryl amide (PNIPAAm) and corresponding graft copolymers with various compositions in respect to their toxicity, biocompatibility and in vitro and in vivo release of theophylline (THP). Loading of the various matrices with theophylline and characterization of loaded matrices was studied by near infrared spectroscopy⁻chemical imaging (NIR⁻CI) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was appreciated that THP loading is higher than 40% and the drug is relatively homogeneous distributed within all matrices because of some specific interactions between components of the system.

Chitosan-Based Bionanocomposite Films Prepared by Emulsion Technique for Food Preservation.

Biopolymer nanocomposite films were prepared by casting film-forming emulsions based on chitosan/Tween 80/rosehip seed oil and dispersed montmorillonite nanoclay C30B. The effect of composition on structural, morphological characteristics and, mechanical, barrier, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties was studied. The presence of rosehip seed oil in chitosan films led to the formation of flexible films with improved mechanical, gas and water vapour barrier properties and antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant/Antibacterial Electrospun Nanocoatings Applied onto PLA Films.

Polylactic acid (PLA) films were coated by coaxial electrospinning with essential and vegetable oils (clove and argan oils) and encapsulated into chitosan, in order to combine the biodegradability and mechanical properties of PLA substrates with the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the chitosan⁻oil nanocoatings. It has been established that the morphology of the electrospun nanocoatings mainly depend on the average molecular weight (MW) of chitosan. Oil beads, encapsulated into the main chitosan nanofibers, were obtained using high-MW chitosan (Chit-H).

Polymeric Nanocomposites and Nanocoatings for Food Packaging: A Review.

Special properties of the polymeric nanomaterials (nanoscale size, large surface area to mass ratio and high reactivity individualize them in food packaging materials. They can be processed in precisely engineered materials with multifunctional and bioactive activity. This review offers a general view on polymeric nanocomposites and nanocoatings including classification, preparation methods, properties and short methodology of characterization, applications, selected types of them used in food packaging field and their antimicrobial, antioxidant, biological, biocatalyst and so forth, functions.

Thermoresponsive behavior of sodium alginate grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous media.

Thermoresponsive graft copolymers were synthesized. Thermally induced properties were introduced by grafting poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) side chains onto a sodium alginate backbone. The resulting graft copolymers cover a broad range in PNIPAM composition and molecular weight.

Comparative Analysis of the Composition and Active Property Evaluation of Certain Essential Oils to Assess their Potential Applications in Active Food Packaging.

The antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activity of four commercial essential oils (EOs) (thyme, clove, rosemary, and tea tree) from Romanian production were studied in order to assess them as bioactive compounds for active food packaging applications. The chemical composition of the oils was determined with the Folin-Ciocâlteu method and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and flame ionization detectors, and it was found that they respect the AFNOR/ISO standard limits. The EOs were tested against three food spoilage fungi-, and -and three potential pathogenic food bacteria-, and -using the disc diffusion method.

Toxicity, Biocompatibility, pH-Responsiveness and Methotrexate Release from PVA/Hyaluronic Acid Cryogels for Psoriasis Therapy.

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/hyaluronic acid cryogels loaded with methotrexate were studied. The physical⁻chemical characterization of cryogels was performed by FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Acute toxicity and haematological parameters were determined by "in vivo" tests.

Lactoferrin-Immobilized Surfaces onto Functionalized PLA Assisted by the Gamma-Rays and Nitrogen Plasma to Create Materials with Multifunctional Properties.

Both cold nitrogen radiofrequency plasma and gamma irradiation have been applied to activate and functionalize the polylactic acid (PLA) surface and the subsequent lactoferrin immobilization. Modified films were comparatively characterized with respect to the procedure of activation and also with unmodified sample by water contact angle measurements, mass loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and chemiluminescence measurements. All modified samples exhibit enhanced surface properties mainly those concerning biocompatibility, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, and furthermore, they are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.