Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling: The First Study of Their Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential.

This work presents the chemical profile of two edible species of mushrooms from the genus Leccinum: Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling, both harvested on the outskirts of Bragança (Northeastern Portugal). Both species were prepared and characterized regarding their content in nutrients (i.e.

Leccinum vulpinum Watling induces DNA damage, decreases cell proliferation and induces apoptosis on the human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

The current work aimed to study the antitumour activity of a phenolic extract of the edible mushroom Leccinum vulpinum Watling, rich essentially in hydroxybenzoic acids. In a first approach, the mushroom extract was tested against cancer cell growth by using four human tumour cell lines. Given the positive results obtained in these initial screening experiments and the evidence of some studies for an inverse relationship between mushroom consumption and breast cancer risk, a detailed study of the bioactivity of the extract was carried out on MCF-7 cells.

Screening a Small Library of Xanthones for Antitumor Activity and Identification of a Hit Compound which Induces Apoptosis.

Our previous work has described a library of thioxanthones designed to have dual activity as P-glycoprotein modulators and antitumor agents. Some of these compounds had shown a significant cell growth inhibitory activity towards leukemia cell lines, without affecting the growth of non-tumor human fibroblasts. However, their effect in cell lines derived from solid tumors has not been previously studied.

Performance of an in vitro mucoadhesion testing method for vaginal semisolids: influence of different testing conditions and instrumental parameters.

The purpose of this work was to develop an in vitro mucoadhesion testing method for vaginal semisolid formulations. The proposed method was based on the measurement of the force (detachment force, Fdt) and the work (work of adhesion, Wad) needed to detach a sample of cow vaginal mucosa from a semisolid formulation, using a commercially available texture analyzer. Several testing conditions and instrumental parameters were tested in order to evaluate the mucoadhesive potential of a model vaginal semisolid formulation (1% Carbopol 974P gel).

Oral bioavailability of insulin contained in polysaccharide nanoparticles.

The pharmacological activity of insulin-loaded dextran sulfate/chitosan nanoparticles was evaluated following oral dosage in diabetic rats. Nanoparticles were mucoadhesive and negatively charged with a mean size of 500 nm, suitable for uptake within the gastrointestinal tract. Insulin association efficiency was over 70% and was released in a pH-dependent manner under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

Insulin-loaded nanoparticles are prepared by alginate ionotropic pre-gelation followed by chitosan polyelectrolyte complexation.

Alginate nanoparticles were prepared from dilute alginate sol by inducing a pre-gel with calcium counter ions, followed by polyelectrolyte complex coating with chitosan. Particles in the nanometer size range were obtained with 0.05% alginate and 0.

Probing insulin's secondary structure after entrapment into alginate/chitosan nanoparticles.

The aim of the present study was to probe the structural integrity of insulin after being entrapped into chitosan/alginate nanoparticles produced by ionotropic polyelectrolyte pre-gelation. By manipulating the alginate:chitosan mass ratio and the pH during nanoparticle production, desired nanoparticles with a mean size of 850 (+/-88)nm and insulin association efficiency of 81 (+/-2)% were obtained. Insulin secondary structure was assessed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) after entrapment into nanoparticles and after release from the particles under gastrointestinal simulated conditions.

Development and characterization of new insulin containing polysaccharide nanoparticles.

A nanoparticle insulin delivery system was prepared by complexation of dextran sulfate and chitosan in aqueous solution. Parameters of the formulation such as the final mass of polysaccharides, the mass ratio of the two polysaccharides, pH of polysaccharides solution, and insulin theorical loading were identified as the modulating factors of nanoparticle physical properties. Particles with a mean diameter of 500 nm and a zeta potential of approximately -15 mV were produced under optimal conditions of DS:chitosan mass ratio of 1.