Study of the interactions of gold nanoparticles functionalized with aminolevulinic acid in membrane models.

Gold nanoparticles have been intensively studied in cancer therapy to improve drug release, increasing therapeutic action and reducing adverse effects. The interaction between gold nanoparticles and cell membranes can give information about the cell internalization. In this study, gold nanoparticles with aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) were synthesized using the photoreduction method (5-ALA: AuNPs).

Interaction of dicentrinone, an antitrypanosomal aporphine alkaloid isolated from Ocotea puberula (Lauraceae), in cell membrane models at the air-water interface.

In the present work, the oxoaporphine alkaloid dicentrinone was isolated, for the first time, from leaves of Ocotea puberula (Lauraceae). This alkaloid exhibited antiparasitic activity against trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (IC of 16.4 ± 1.