Cyclodextrins as Multi-Functional Ingredients in Dentistry.

Cyclodextrins are present in a variety of oral hygiene compositions. The present work describes the role of cyclodextrins in several toothpastes and mouthwashes that are already available in the market, as well as their prospective use in other applications as investigated in studies in the literature. Moreover, cyclodextrins are under study for the development of materials used in various techniques of dental repair, such as fillings, cements and binders therein.

Molecular Mind Games: The Medicinal Action of Cyclodextrins in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Cyclodextrins are often used as molecular carriers for small active ingredients in medicine. Recently, the intrinsic medicinal activity of some of these compounds has been under investigation, mainly related to their ability to interfere with cholesterol and, therefore, prevent and treat cholesterol-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and neuronal diseases arising from altered cholesterol and lipid metabolism. One of the most promising compounds within the cyclodextrin family is 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), owing to its superior biocompatibility profile.

Applications of Antioxidant Secondary Metabolites of spp.

is one of the largest and most diverse genus of brown seaweeds, comprising of around 400 taxonomically accepted species. Many species of this genus have long been a part of human culture with applications as food, feed, and remedies in folk medicine. Apart from their high nutritional value, these seaweeds are also a well-known reservoir of natural antioxidant compounds of great interest, including polyphenols, carotenoids, meroterpenoids, phytosterols, and several others.

The Gemstone Cyborg: How Diamond Films Are Creating New Platforms for Cell Regeneration and Biointerfacing.

Diamond is a promising material for the biomedical field, mainly due to its set of characteristics such as biocompatibility, strength, and electrical conductivity. Diamond can be synthesised in the laboratory by different methods, is available in the form of plates or films deposited on foreign substrates, and its morphology varies from microcrystalline diamond to ultrananocrystalline diamond. In this review, we summarise some of the most relevant studies regarding the adhesion of cells onto diamond surfaces, the consequent cell growth, and, in some very interesting cases, the differentiation of cells into neurons and oligodendrocytes.

Overview of Phlorotannins' Constituents in Fucales.

Fucales are an order within the Phaeophyceae that include most of the common littoral seaweeds in temperate and subtropical coastal regions. Many species of this order have long been a part of human culture with applications as food, feedand remedies in folk medicine. Apart from their high nutritional value, these seaweeds are also a well-known reservoir of multiple bioactive compounds with great industrial interest.

Correction: Braga et al. Cyclodextrins in Antiviral Therapeutics and Vaccines. 2021, , 409.

In the original publication [...

Redesigning Nature: Ruthenium Flavonoid Complexes with Antitumour, Antimicrobial and Cardioprotective Activities.

Flavonoids are a class of natural polyphenolic compounds sharing a common 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2-1-benzopyran (flavan) backbone. Typically known for their antioxidant activity, flavonoids are also being investigated regarding antitumour and antimicrobial properties. In this review, we report on the complexation of both natural and synthetic flavonoids with ruthenium as a strategy to modulate the biological activity.

Coordination Compounds As Multi-Delivery Systems for Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis therapies leveraging bisphosphonates and mineral components (e.g., magnesium, calcium, and strontium) have been raising attention because of their potential for managing this ever-growing disease.

Chitosan nanoparticles as a promising tool in nanomedicine with particular emphasis on oncological treatment.

The study describes the current state of knowledge on nanotechnology and its utilization in medicine. The focus in this manuscript was on the properties, usage safety, and potentially valuable applications of chitosan-based nanomaterials. Chitosan nanoparticles have high importance in nanomedicine, biomedical engineering, discovery and development of new drugs.

Cyclodextrins in Antiviral Therapeutics and Vaccines.

The present review describes the various roles of cyclodextrins (CDs) in vaccines against viruses and in antiviral therapeutics. The first section describes the most commonly studied application of cyclodextrins-solubilisation and stabilisation of antiviral drugs; some examples also refer to their beneficial taste-masking activity. The second part of the review describes the role of cyclodextrins in antiviral vaccine development and stabilisation, where they are employed as adjuvants and cryopreserving agents.

Strategies to Broaden the Applications of Olive Biophenols Oleuropein and Hydroxytyrosol in Food Products.

Oleuropein (OLE) and hydroxytyrosol (HT) are olive-derived phenols recognised as health-promoting agents with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities, providing a wide range of applications as functional food ingredients. HT is Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), whereas OLE is included in EFSA daily consumptions recommendations, albeit there is no official GRAS status for its pure form. Their application in food, however, may be hindered by challenges such as degradation caused by processing conditions and undesired sensorial properties (e.

Bisphosphonates, Old Friends of Bones and New Trends in Clinics.

Bisphosphonates, used for a long time in osteoporosis management, are currently the target of intensive research, from pre-formulation studies to more advanced stages of clinical practice. This review presents an overview of the contributions of this family of compounds to human health, starting with the chemistry and clinical uses of bisphosphonates. Following this, their pharmacology is described, highlighting administration-borne handicaps and undesirable effects.

Inclusion Compound of Efavirenz and γ-Cyclodextrin: Solid State Studies and Effect on Solubility.

Efavirenz is an antiretroviral drug of widespread use in the management of infections with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Efavirenz is also used in paediatrics, but due to its very poor aqueous solubility the liquid formulations available resort to oil-based excipients. In this report we describe the interaction of γ-cyclodextrin with efavirenz in solution and in the solid state.

Peering into the Kaleidoscope of Cyclodextrins.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are known to us for 130 years, yet they remain ever as new and as fascinating as in their early years, when Villiers marveled at the unexpected growth of "beautiful radiated crystals" in the alcoholic media of his experiments on bacterial fermentation of starches, or when Freudenberg struggled to solve the puzzle of their unusual shape and structure [...

Inclusion Complex of Resveratrol with γ-Cyclodextrin as a Functional Ingredient for Lemon Juices.

Microencapsulated resveratrol (RSV) is a pertinent ingredient in functional foods to be used in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. Gamma-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) was evaluated for its RSV inclusion ability. Inclusion procedures comprised mixing equal concentration of an aqueous solution of γ-CD with an ethanol solution of RSV and freeze-drying to obtain a solid material.

Bone Tissue Disorders: Healing Through Coordination Chemistry.

Osteoporosis, Paget's disease and osteosarcoma are a few examples of bone tissue disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. These conditions can strictly limit the lifestyle of patients and may even lead to their demise. To prevent this or, at least, try to manage the situation, there are several treatments available on the market.

Empowering the Medicinal Applications of Bisphosphonates by Unveiling their Synthesis Details.

Bisphosphonates (BPs), well-known medicinal compounds used for osteoporosis management, are currently the target of intensive research, from basic pre-formulation studies to more advanced stages of clinical practice. The high demand by the pharmaceutical industry inherently requires an easy, efficient and quick preparation of BPs. Current synthetic procedures are, however, still far from ideal.

Natural and Biomimetic Antitumor Pyrazoles, A Perspective.

The present review presents an overview of antitumor pyrazoles of natural or bioinspired origins. Pyrazole compounds are relatively rare in nature, the first ones having been reported in 1966 and being essentially used as somniferous drugs. Cytotoxic pyrazoles of natural sources were first isolated in 1969, and a few others have been reported since then, most of them in the last decade.

Solid γ-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compound with Gingerols, a Multi-Component Guest: Preparation, Properties and Application in Yogurt.

Gingerols from the rhizome of fresh ginger () were obtained by a simple extraction, followed by purification. The gingerols extract was composed of 6-gingerol (54%), 8-gingerol (20%), and 10-gingerol (26%). It was included into γ-cyclodextrin by classic co-dissolution procedures.

Cyclodextrins: Emerging Medicines of the New Millennium.

Cyclodextrins, since their discovery in the late 19th century, were mainly regarded as excipients. Nevertheless, developments in cyclodextrin research have shown that some of these hosts can capture and include biomolecules, highlighting fatty acids and cholesterol, which implies that they are not inert and that their action may be used in specific medicinal purposes. The present review, centered on literature reports from the year 2000 until the present day, presents a comprehensive description of the known biological activities of cyclodextrins and their implications for medicinal applications.

Multi-target drugs active against leishmaniasis: A paradigm of drug repurposing.

This mini-review focuses on leishmanicidal drugs that were sourced from small molecules previously approved for other diseases. The mechanisms of action of these molecules are herein explored, to probe the origins of their inter-species growth inhibitory activities. It is shown how the transversal action of the azoles - fluconazole, posaconazole and itraconazole - in both fungi and Leishmania is due to the occurrence of the same target, lanosterol 14-α-demethylase, in these two groups of species.

Fluorescent Light-up Probe for the Detection of Protein Aggregates.

A fluorescent dye was decorated with water-soluble pyridinium groups in order to be applied in the detection of cyclodextrins or DNA. The dye displays an enhancement of its emission intensity when the internal rotations are restricted due to the formation of an inclusion complex with cyclodextrins or upon interaction with DNA. In vivo, the fluorescent probe can stain protein aggregates with a selectivity comparable to the widely used Proteostat®.

Preformulation Studies of the γ-Cyclodextrin and Montelukast Inclusion Compound Prepared by Comilling.

Montelukast (MLK), an oral antiasthmatic drug with growing use, requires special care in formulation and storage to avoid its degradation by action of light and water. This work investigates the increase in the stability of montelukast as the effect of molecular encapsulation with gamma-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) by means of a solvent-free method, cogrinding. As a first step, a 1:1 preferred stoichiometry is established for this hostguest system using a combination of molecular modeling and the continuous variation method.

Solid-state studies and antioxidant properties of the γ-cyclodextrin·fisetin inclusion compound.

Fisetin is a natural antioxidant with a wide range of nutraceutical properties, including antidiabetic, neuroprotecting, and suppression or prevention of tumors. The present work describes the preparation of a water-soluble, solid inclusion compound of fisetin with gamma-cyclodextrin (γ-CD), a cyclic oligosaccharide approved for human consumption. A detailed physicochemical analysis of the product is carried out using elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman, infrared and C{H} CP-MAS NMR spectroscopies, and thermal analysis (TGA) to verify fisetin inclusion and to present a hypothetical structural arrangement for the host-guest units.