Hybrid lipid-biopolymer nanocarrier as a strategy for GBM photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common brain cancer characterized by aggressive and infiltrated tumors. For this, hybrid biopolymer-lipid nanoparticles coated with biopolymers such as chitosan and lipidic nanocarriers (LN) loaded with a photosensitizer (AlClPc) can be used for GBM photodynamic therapy. The chitosan-coated LN exhibited stable physicochemical characteristics and presented as an excellent lipid nanocarrier with highly efficiently encapsulated photosensitizer chloro-aluminum phthalocyanine (AlClPc).

New series of metal complexes by amphiphilic biopolymeric Schiff bases from modified chitosans: Preparation, characterization and effect of molecular weight on its biological applications.

To improve biological activity of chitosans, new Zn(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes with biopolymeric amphiphilic Schiff bases anchored in different molecular weight chitosans matrices modified with salicylaldehyde and glycidol were prepared. Salicylaldehyde was introduced to generate complexing Schiff base sites in the chitosans matrix while glycidol is intended to increase the water solubility of the resulting biopolymeric complexes. These novel complexes were characterized using various techniques and assayed for antimicrobial and antitumor activity.

The influence of reaction parameters on complexation of Zn(II) complexes with biopolymeric Schiff bases prepared from chitosan and salicylaldehyde.

Influence of some reactional parameters as mol ratio (Schiff base:metal), solvent, temperature and reaction time were evaluated in order to improve the extension of complexation during the preparation of zinc complexes of biopolymeric Schiff base from chitosan and salicylaldehyde. Zinc(II) complex was used as a model system in order to improve the degree of complexation for further synthesis of different Schiff bases complexes from other aldehydes and metallic centers. The complexation yields for each synthesis were estimated on the basis of the zinc oxide formed after thermal degradation.

Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activities of Biopolymeric Schiff Bases Prepared with Chitosan and Salicylaldehydes and Their Pd(II) and Pt(II) Complexes.

In an attempt to enhance chitosan biological activities, biopolymeric Schiff bases of chitosan and different salicylaldehydes and their palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes were synthesized and tested. The chemical structures of these derivatives were characterized using ¹H-NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and XPRD. Thermal analysis was done through TGA/DTG-DTA.

Synthesis, characterization and biological activity of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes of biopolymeric Schiff bases of salicylaldehydes and chitosan.

Schiff bases have been prepared from biopolymer chitosan and salicylaldehyde, 5-methoxysalicylaldehyde, and 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde. Ligands were synthesized in a 1:1.5mol ratio, and their Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes in a 1:1mol ratio (ligand:metal).

Polymeric systems as nanodevices for siRNA delivery.

The delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) is a promising approach to silencing gene expression aimed at treating infections, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and various other disorders. Recent progress in this area has been achieved with nanodevices possessing multiple properties and assembled with new, biodegradable, synthetic polymers and polysaccharides. Different synthetic routes and multiple strategies, such as multilayer systems and stimuliresponsive polymers, have been developed to attain high efficiencies.

Synthesis and evaluation of diethylethylamine-chitosan for gene delivery: composition effects on the in vitro transfection efficiency.

Chitosan has been indicated as a safe and promising polycation vector for gene delivery. However its low transfection efficiency has been a challenging obstacle for its application. To address this limitation, we synthesized chitosan derivatives which had increasing amounts of diethylethylamine groups (DEAE) attached to the chitosan main chain.