Quaternary Ammonium Chitosans: The Importance of the Positive Fixed Charge of the Drug Delivery Systems.

As a natural polysaccharide, chitosan has good biocompatibility, biodegradability and biosecurity. The hydroxyl and amino groups present in its structure make it an extremely versatile and chemically modifiable material. In recent years, various synthetic strategies have been used to modify chitosan, mainly to solve the problem of its insolubility in neutral physiological fluids.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cherry Extract: Nanosystems-Based Strategies to Improve Endothelial Function and Intestinal Absorption.

Cherry fruit has a high content in flavonoids. These are important diet components protecting against oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction, which are all involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, which is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Since the seasonal availability of fresh fruit is limited, research has been focused on cherry extract (CE), which also possesses a high nutraceutical potential.

Antioxidant Effect of Cocoa By-Product and Cherry Polyphenol Extracts: A Comparative Study.

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the importance of cherry and cocoa extracts consumption to protect cells from oxidative stress, paying particular attention to cocoa by-products. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of cocoa husk extract (CHE) and cherry extracts (CE) against ROS-induced oxidative stress in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs).

Methods: CE and CHE had antioxidant activity characterized by total polyphenols content (TPC).

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cherry Extract Loaded in Polymeric Nanoparticles: Relevance of Particle Internalization in Endothelial Cells.

This study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory effect of natural cherry extract (CE), either free or encapsulated in nanoparticles (NPs) based on chitosan derivatives (Ch-der) or poly(lactic--glycolic acid) (PLGA), on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). CE from L. was characterized for total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins content.

Cherry Extract from L. to Improve the Resistance of Endothelial Cells to Oxidative Stress: Mucoadhesive Chitosan vs. Poly(lactic--glycolic acid) Nanoparticles.

Polyphenolic compounds contained in cherry extract (CE) are well known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Unfortunately, most of these natural compounds have low oral bioavailability, reducing their widespread use. Here, different concentrations of polyphenol-rich CE from Tuscany (Italy), encapsulated in poly(lactic--glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs), were compared with those encapsulated in two NP types, different from each other in terms of mucoadhesivity, obtained with chitosan derivatives (Ch-der), regarding CE gastrointestinal (GI) permeability and protective effect on oxidative stress.