Publications by authors named "Nereide Stela Santos Magalhaes"

The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-staphylococcal, antibiofilm, cytotoxicity and trypanocidal activity, mechanisms of parasite death and immunomodulatory effect of CrataBL encapsulated into liposomes (CrataBL-Lipo). CrataBL-Lipo were prepared by the freeze-thaw technique and characterized. Anti-staphylococcal and antibiofilm activities of CrataBL and CrataBL-Lipo were evaluated against standard and clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus susceptible and resistant.

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Nanoemulsions are dispersions of oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O) immiscible liquids. Thus, our main goal was to formulate a nanoemulsion with low surfactant concentrations and outstanding stability using Copaiba balsam oil (Copaifera sp.).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on co-encapsulating the antibiotics ceftazidime and tobramycin in zein nanoparticles coated with chitosan to target antibiotic-resistant pathogens and biofilms.
  • The characterization of the nanoparticles demonstrated their stability and effective drug encapsulation, with specific particle size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index values indicating successful synthesis.
  • The results showed that the co-encapsulated formulation exhibited stronger antibacterial and antibiofilm activities than the individual antibiotic treatments, making it a promising alternative for treating difficult infections.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and non-toxicity of ciclopirox olamine-loaded liposomes against Cryptococcus neoformans clinical isolates. Initially, 24-1 fractional experimental design was carried out to obtain an optimized formulation of liposomes containing CPO (CPO-LipoC), which were then used to prepare stealth liposomes (CPO-LipoS). Liposomal formulations were characterized by their mean size diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%).

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Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a technique for evaluating the thermodynamic profiles of connection between two molecules, allowing the experimental design of nanoparticles systems with drugs and/or biological molecules. Taking into account the relevance of ITC, we conducted, therefore, an integrative revision of the literature, from 2000 to 2023, on the main purposes of using this technique in pharmaceutical nanotechnology. The search were carried out in the Pubmed, Sciencedirect, Web of Science, and Scifinder databases using the descriptors "Nanoparticles", "Isothermal Titration Calorimetry", and "ITC".

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Article Synopsis
  • Zein is a cost-effective vegetable protein from corn that creates a resistant and adhesive polymer ideal for encapsulating various bioactive compounds.
  • The synthesis of zein nanoparticles can be accomplished through several methods, including antisolvent precipitation, pH-driven processes, electrospraying, and solvent emulsification-evaporation, each offering unique benefits.
  • These zein nanoparticles are stable against environmental factors and have potential uses in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals for their various biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
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Background: Oncocalyxone A (oncoA) is a quinone extracted from the Cordia oncocalyx plant. This compound has pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and cytotoxic activities, among others. OncoA presents a similar chemical structure to doxorubicin, a drug used in cancer treatment, which possesses an intrinsic fluorescence explored in various studies, including those using doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles.

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Different carrier systems have been investigated for myocardial delivery of biopharmaceuticals for heart disease. Here, we aimed to evaluate the heart retention and tissue response of liposomes intended for cardiac drug delivery. Liposomes were produced by the lipid thin film hydration method followed by sonication.

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The pandemic COVID-19 has worried everyone due to the high mortality rate and the high number of people hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2. Given the seriousness of this disease, several companies and research institutions have sought alternative treatment and/or prevention methods for COVID-19. Due to its versatility, nanotechnology has allowed the development of protective equipment and vaccines to prevent the disease and reduce the number of severe COVID-19 cases.

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The present study describes the use of fucoidan, a negative sulfated polysaccharide, as a coating material for the development of liposomes targeted to macrophages infected with . First, fucoidan was chemically modified to obtain a hydrophobized-fucoidan derivative (cholesteryl-fucoidan) using a two-step microwave-assisted (μW) method. The total reaction time was decreased from 14 hours to 1 hour while maintaining the overall yield.

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Background: Target treatment using site-specific nanosystems is a hot topic for treating several diseases, especially cancer.

Objective: The study was set out to develop site-specific liposomes using ConcanavalinA (ConA) to target β- lapachone(β-lap) to human breast cancer cells.

Methods: Liposomes were prepared and characterized according to diameter size, zeta potential, ConA conjugation(%) and β-lap encapsulation efficiency (%).

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Pain is a phenomenon present in the majority of the population, affecting, among others, the elderly, overweight people, and especially recently operated patients, analgesia being necessary. In the specific case of relief of postoperative pain, different kinds of anesthetics are being used, among them bupivacaine, a widely used drug which promotes long-lasting analgesic effects. However, cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity are related to its repetitive use.

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The effect of microencapsulation of L. acidophilus La-05 (8 log CFU/mL) by external ionic gelation technique in alginate (30 g/L; AM) and alginate coated with a low molecular weight chitosan solution (5 g/L; AC5M) on the survival of the freeze-dried probiotic culture during storage (7 °C; 0, 7, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days), and exposure to temperature (72, 85 and 90 °C), pH (2, 4, and 6), and NaCl (10, 15 and 20 g/L) were studied. Furthermore, vegan milks (soybean and rice milks) added with microencapsulated probiotic cultures were evaluated for the physicochemical characteristics and survival of the probiotic culture during refrigerated storage (7 °C; 7 days) and in vitro digestion.

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Purpose: To determine the release profile of moxifloxacin encapsulated in liposomes in the aqueous humor as a controlled release system for intracameral application.

Methods: Liposomes containing moxifloxacin were obtained using the lipid film hydration method and were characterized by particle size and encapsulation efficiency. Female rabbits were used for the in vivo profile release study.

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Nimodipine may be of interest to treat behavioral alterations and memory deficits. However, its oral administration is hampered by a low bioavailability. The aim of this work was to develop pegylated nanoparticles as oral carriers of nimodipine and test their capability to both reverse the anxiety and protect against cognitive impairment of in stressed mice.

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Cashew nut allergy is the second most commonly reported tree nut allergy. Traditional allergen immunotherapy presents several clinical drawbacks that can be reduced by using nanoparticles-basedallergen-delivery systems, modulating the immune response towards a protective one. In this context, the goal of this work was to assess the potential of poly(anhydride) nanoparticles (NP) for cashew nut oral immunization.

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Quercetin has been identified as a promising compound with a neuroprotective potential against age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nevertheless, the clinical application of quercetin is hampered by its low oral bioavailability. The aim of this work was to evaluate the capability of nanoencapsulated quercetin in zein nanoparticles (NPQ), that significantly improves the oral absorption and bioavailability of the flavonoid, as potential oral treatment for AD.

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Myocardial infarction is the most significant manifestation of ischemic heart disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Novel strategies targeting at regenerating the injured myocardium have been investigated, including gene therapy, cell therapy, and the use of growth factors. Growth factor therapy has aroused interest in cardiovascular medicine because of the regeneration mechanisms induced by these biomolecules, including angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, cardiomyocyte proliferation, stem-cell recruitment, and others.

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Previous studies have shown that intracellular calcium ion dysfunction may be an etiological factor in affective illness. Nimodipine (NMD) is a Ca(2+) channel blocker that has been extensively investigated for therapy of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In this work, we have evaluated the antidepressant-like activity of nimodipine encapsulated into liposomes (NMD-Lipo) in mice through tail suspension and forced swim assays, as well as MAOB activity.

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Glutamine has received attention due to its ability to ameliorate the immune system response. Once conventional liposomes are readily recognized and captured by immune system cells, the encapsulation of glutamine into those nanosystems could be an alternative to reduce glutamine dosage and target then to neutrophils. Our goals were to nanoencapsulate glutamine into conventional liposomes (Gln-L), develop an analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for its quantification, and evaluate the viability of neutrophils treated with Gln-L.

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Nimodipine has been shown to have an inhibitory action on seizures and brain damage in rodents. However, the pharmaceutical applicability of this drug is limited by its low solubility in gastrointestinal fluids and high first-pass effect in the liver, which leads to low bioavailability. These difficulties can be overcome through the use of liposomes.

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The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of topical application of a liposomal formulation of itraconazole for the treatment of experimental keratitis with endophthalmitis caused by Aspergillus flavus. The liposomes were obtained by the lipid film hydration method followed by sonication. Adult female Wistar rats (weighing 200-220 g) were immunosuppressed by intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide 3 days before infection by exposure to the fungus A.

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Nimodipine has been investigated in the treatment of anxiety. Its administration, however, presents a number of limitations, particularly by low bioavailability, low aqueous solubility and photosensitivity. These difficulties can be resolved by the use of nanometer-scale pharmaceutical carriers.

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Despite the fact that we live in an era of advanced technology and innovation, infectious diseases, like malaria, continue to be one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The main drawbacks of conventional malaria chemotherapy are the development of multiple drug resistance and the non-specific targeting to intracellular parasites, resulting in high dose requirements and subsequent intolerable toxicity. Nanosized carriers have been receiving special attention with the aim of minimizing the side effects of drug therapy, such as poor bioavailability and the selectivity of drugs.

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