Antioxidant Efficacy and "In Vivo" Safety of a Bentonite/Vitamin C Hybrid.

L-ascorbic acid (LAA), commonly known as vitamin C, is an excellent and recognized antioxidant molecule used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. Several strategies have been developed in order to preserve its chemical stability, connected with its antioxidant power, but there is little research regarding the employment of natural clays as LAA host. A safe bentonite (Bent)-which was verified by in vivo ophthalmic irritability and acute dermal toxicity assays-was used as carrier of LAA.

A simple way for targeted delivery of an antibiotic: In vitro evaluation of a nanoclay-based composite.

The sodium-modified form of fluorohectorite nanoclay (NaFh) is introduced as a potential drug carrier, demonstrating its ability for the controlled release of the broad-spectrum antibiotic Ciprofloxacin through in vitro tests. The new clay-drug composite is designed to target the local infections in the large intestine, where it delivers most of the incorporated drug thanks to its pH-sensitive behavior. The composite has been conceived to avoid the use of coating technology and to decrease the side-effects commonly associated to the burst-release of the ciprofloxacin at the stomach level.