Preparation, physicochemical characterization, and bioactivity evaluation of berberine-entrapped albumin nanoparticles.

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid with several clinical therapeutic applications. Its low water solubility, absorption, and cellular bioavailability diminish BBR's therapeutic efficacy. In this study, BBR was encapsulated into bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA NPs) core to reduce BBR limitations and enhance its clinical therapeutic properties.

Eco-friendly polyurethane acrylate (PUA)/natural filler-based composite as an antifouling product for marine coating.

In the current study, the polyurethane acrylate (PUA) polymer was synthesized by the addition reaction between an isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate and cured by polyol. Different properties of the synthesized PUA were determined through diverse analysis methods. The polyurethane acrylate (PUA)/natural filler-based composite (rhizome water extract of Costus speciosus) was prepared as an antifouling agent.

Potential therapeutic and pharmacological strategies for SARS-CoV2.

Background: At the end of 2019, the new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) strain causing severe acute respiratory syndrome swept the world. From November 2019 till February 2021, this virus infected nearly 104 million, with more than two million deaths and about 25 million active cases. This has prompted scientists to discover effective drugs to combat this pandemic.

Phytochemical and pharmacological appraisal of the aerial parts of L. growing in Egypt.

L. (Fabaceae) is widely grown in Egypt. It has a great history of folkloric medicinal uses.

Magnetically Guided Self-Assembled Protein Micelles for Enhanced Delivery of Dasatinib to Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Magnetic nanocarriers are useful in targeted cancer therapy. Dasatinib (DAS)-loaded magnetic micelles were prepared for magnetically guided drug delivery. The magnetic nanoplatform is composed of hydrophobic oleic acid-coated magnetite (FeO) core along with DAS encapsulated in amphiphilic zein-lactoferrin self-assembled polymeric micelles.

Self-assembled amphiphilic zein-lactoferrin micelles for tumor targeted co-delivery of rapamycin and wogonin to breast cancer.

Protein-based micelles have shown significant potential for tumor-targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs. In this light, self-assembled nanocarriers based on GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) amphiphilic protein co-polymers were synthesized via carbodiimide coupling reaction. The new nano-platform is composed of the following key components: (i) hydrophobic zein core to encapsulate the hydrophobic drugs rapamycin (RAP) and wogonin (WOG) with high encapsulation efficiency, (ii) hydrophilic lactoferrin (Lf) corona to enhance the tumor targeting, and prolong systemic circulation of the nanocarriers, and (iii) glutaraldehyde (GLA)-crosslinking to reduce the particle size and improve micellar stability.

Dual inhibitors of hepatitis C virus and hepatocellular carcinoma: design, synthesis and docking studies.

Aim: Simultaneous inhibition of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may enhance anti-HCV effects and reduce resistance and side effects.

Results/methodology: Novel hybrid derivatives were designed and synthesized to exhibit dual activity against HCV and its associated major complication, HCC. The synthesized compounds were screened for their potential activity against HCV and HCC.

Superiority of aromatase inhibitor and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor combined delivery: Hyaluronate-targeted versus PEGylated protamine nanocapsules for breast cancer therapy.

Despite several reports have revealed the beneficial effect of co-administration of COX-2 inhibitors with aromatase inhibitors in managing postmenopausal breast cancer; no nanocarriers for such combined delivery have been developed till now. Therefore, protamine nanocapsules (PMN-NCs) have been developed to co-deliver letrozole (LTZ) that inhibits aromatase-mediated estrogen biosynthesis and celecoxib (CXB) that synergistically inhibits aromatase expression. Inspired by the CD44-mediated tumor targeting ability of hyaluronate (HA), we developed HA-coated PMN-NCs (HA-NCs) via electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly.

Multi-Reservoir Phospholipid Shell Encapsulating Protamine Nanocapsules for Co-Delivery of Letrozole and Celecoxib in Breast Cancer Therapy.

Purpose: In the current work, we propose a combined delivery nanoplatform for letrozole (LTZ) and celecoxib (CXB).

Methods: Multi-reservoir nanocarriers were developed by enveloping protamine nanocapsules (PRM-NCs) within drug-phospholipid complex bilayer.

Results: Encapsulation of NCs within phospholipid bilayer was confirmed by both size increase from 109.

Flavonoids of Alcea rosea L. and their immune stimulant, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG-2 cell line.

Alcea rosea L. is widely cultivated in gardens of Egypt as an ornamental plant and it has a great history of folkloric medicinal uses. In the present work, phytochemical investigation of the alcoholic extract of the flowers of A.

Berberine Reduces Neurotoxicity Related to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Rats.

Berberine is a plant alkaloid that has several pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, antilipidemic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) triggers different aspects of disorders such as impaired endogenous lipid metabolism, hypercholesterolemia, oxidative stress, and neurotoxicity. In this study, we examined the mechanism by which NASH induces neurotoxicity and the protective effect of berberine against both NASH and its associated neurotoxicity.

PI3K/Akt-independent NOS/HO activation accounts for the facilitatory effect of nicotine on acetylcholine renal vasodilations: modulation by ovarian hormones.

We investigated the effect of chronic nicotine on cholinergically-mediated renal vasodilations in female rats and its modulation by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS)/heme oxygenase (HO) pathways. Dose-vasodilatory response curves of acetylcholine (0.01-2.

Cyanoacetic acid hydrazones of 3-(and 4-)acetylpyridine and some derived ring systems as potential antitumor and anti-HCV agents.

Two new acetylpyridinehydrazones derived from cyanoacetic acid hydrazide have been synthesized namely: cyanoacetic acid (1-pyridin-3 or 4-yl-ethylidene) hydrazides (1a,b). and some derived ring systems: 2-imino or 2-oxo-2H-chromenes (2a,b and 3a,b), substituted 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydrothiazoles (4a-d), substituted 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro-6H-thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-7-ones (5a-d), substituted dihydrothiazoles (7a,b), and substituted 2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridines (8a-d and 9a,b). Fifteen compounds were evaluated for their anticancer activity using the USA-NCI in-vitro screening program.

Polysubstituted pyrazoles, part 5. Synthesis of new 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid hydrazide analogs and some derived ring systems. A novel class of potential antitumor and anti-HCV agents.

A novel series of 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid hydrazide analogs and some derived 4-substituted-1,2,4-triazolin-3-thiones, 2-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 2-substituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles has been synthesized. Ten of the newly synthesized compounds were selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-in vitro-disease oriented antitumor screening to be evaluated for their antitumor activity. Seven compounds, namely 7a-c, 9, 11, 13 and 14, exhibited potential and broad spectrum antitumor activity against most of the tested subpanel tumour cell lines (GI50<100 microM).

Synthetic peptide-based immunoassay as a supplemental test for HCV infection.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single strand RNA hepatotrophic virus infecting 170 millions around the world and 20% of Egyptian blood donors. Although there has been significant improvement in the enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) in population screening of HCV infection, the development of a low variability, easy to automate and inexpensive supplemental test to support the current immunoassays was of a major concern to several laboratories.

Objectives: In the current study, we embarked on a systematic study to analyze by DNA sequencing several HCV isolates to identify conserved core protein sequences and perform explorative analysis of five synthetic peptides from the core/E1 region in anti-HCV antibody assays.