Elena Peira - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Elena Peira
Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 2008
The aim of this study was to prepare stable O/W microemulsions as topical vehicles for palmitoyl ... more The aim of this study was to prepare stable O/W microemulsions as topical vehicles for palmitoyl collagen aminoacids (Lipacide PCO) and lauryl pyroglutamate (Lauryl PCA), two active substances that can act as adjuvant in acne treatment. The O/W microemulsions were prepared using low quantities of mild nonionic and amphoionic surfactants, employing percentages of ethanol lower than in commonly used lotions. The diffusion profiles of surfactants through cellulose membrane have been investigated to assess in vitro their irritation potential. Vanillin was added to the emulsified systems as fragrance and its stability against oxidation was investigated. A pseudo-first order mechanism was suggested for vanillin degradation in experimental conditions. Addition of antioxidant and sunscreen agents provided protection to vanillin, reducing its degradation rate and consequently increasing the stability of microemulsions.
Journal of microencapsulation, 2016
Doxorubicin (DOXO) lauroyl ester and amide were proposed as lipophilic derivatives and entrapped ... more Doxorubicin (DOXO) lauroyl ester and amide were proposed as lipophilic derivatives and entrapped in SLNs. DOXO derivatives-loaded SLNs were spherical shaped, had 200-300 nm mean diameters and showed 80-94% w/w drug entrapment efficiencies. The effect of DOXO derivatives-loaded SLNs and free DOXO on cell growth was examined by MTT and colony-forming assays on four different tumour cell lines: a pancreatic, CFPAC-1, a lung, A549, and two ovarian, A2780 and A2780res (DOXO-resistant). The results obtained with MTT and colony-forming assay show that although DOXO displayed an inhibition of cell proliferation greater or similar to DOXO lauroyl amide-loaded SLNs on all cell types, the effect induced by DOXO lauroyl ester-loaded SLNs was higher and concentration-dependent, and it was the only one maintained at 10(-5 )mM concentration. Only DOXO lauroyl ester-loaded SLNs were able to induce a 40% inhibitory effect on A2780 res cell line up to 10(-4 )mM concentration.
Pharmaceutics
Bevacizumab (BVZ), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, has recently been proposed as a t... more Bevacizumab (BVZ), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, has recently been proposed as a topical application in the treatment of anterior segment neovascularization; however, as there are some disadvantages in the administration of common eye-drops, ophthalmic topical drug delivery systems are under study to improve the precorneal residence time, reducing the frequency of administration. In this work, oil-in-water and water-in-oil BVZ-loaded microemulsions are developed, able to increase their viscosity, either by the formation of a liquid-crystalline structure upon aqueous dilution, thanks to the presence of Epikuron® 200 and polysorbate 80, or by body-temperature-induced jellification for the presence of Pluronic® F127 aqueous solution as an external phase. In oil-in-water microemulsion, hydrophobic ion pairs of BVZ were also prepared, and their incorporation was determined by release studies. Microemulsions were characterized for rheological behavior, corneal opacity, in v...
Cosmetics
In this study, an overview of the regulations in force in some extra-EU states belonging to diffe... more In this study, an overview of the regulations in force in some extra-EU states belonging to different geoeconomic areas is provided, starting from the current EU legislation on cosmetic products. We focused on their legislative frameworks and the location of the relevant regulatory documentation. Furthermore, for each state considered, our analysis examined the notification/authorization processes, approaches to animal testing, and allowed/prohibited ingredient lists, as these aspects are considered to be among the primary restrictions hindering the cosmetic market. It can be observed that many states are working towards standardising their regulations to promote greater international trade. However, it is essential to recognize that different countries belonging to distinct geoeconomic areas may have unique requirements, and harmonization may not necessarily be the best solution. It is crucial to consider different needs and preferences when approaching the global regulation of the...
Nanomaterials
In recent years, several nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles... more In recent years, several nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, liposomes, and others, have been explored to target and treat a wide variety of diseases. Their employment has brought many benefits, not only to human medicine but also to veterinary medicine, albeit at a slower rate. Soon, the use of nanocarriers could revolutionize the animal health sector, and many veterinary therapies will be more effective as a result. The purpose of this review is to offer an overview of the main applications of nanocarriers in the veterinary field, from supplements for animal health and reproduction to nanovaccines and nanotherapies. Among the major pathologies that can affect animals, special attention is given to canine osteosarcoma (OSA): a comparison with human OSA is provided and the main treatment options are reviewed emphasizing the benefits that nanocarriers could bring in the treatment of this widespre...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Several semisynthetic, low-cardiotoxicity doxorubicin (DOXO) conjugated have been extensively des... more Several semisynthetic, low-cardiotoxicity doxorubicin (DOXO) conjugated have been extensively described, considering the risk of cytotoxicity loss against resistant tumor cells, which mainly present drug efflux capacity. Doxorubicin 14-[4-(4-phenyl-5-thioxo-5H-[1,2]dithiol-3-yl)]-benzoate (H2S-DOXO) was synthetized and tested for its ability to overcome drug resistance with good intracellular accumulation. In this paper, we present a formulation study aimed to develop naked and decorated H2S-DOXO-loaded lipid nanoparticles (NPs). NPs prepared by the “cold dilution of microemulsion” method were decorated with hyaluronic acid (HA) to obtain active targeting and characterized for their physicochemical properties, drug entrapment efficiency, long-term stability, and in vitro drug release. Best formulations were tested in vitro on human-sensitive (MCF7) and human/mouse DOXO-resistant (MDA-MDB -231 and JC) breast cancer cells, on human (U-2OS) osteosarcoma cells and DOXO-resistant human/m...
negative breast cancer cells 4 Gamal-Eldein Fathy Abd-Ellatef 1,2, Elena Gazzano 1, Daniela Chiri... more negative breast cancer cells 4 Gamal-Eldein Fathy Abd-Ellatef 1,2, Elena Gazzano 1, Daniela Chirio3, Ahmed Ragab Hamed 4, 5 Dimas Carolina Belisario 1, Carlo Zuddas 1, Elena Peira3, Barbara Rolando3, Joanna Kopecka 1, 6 Mohamed Assem Said Marie 5, Simona Sapino 3, Sohair Ramadan Fahmy 5, Marina Gallarate2, 7 Abdel-Hamid Zaki Abdel-Hamid 2, Chiara Riganti 1,* 8 1 Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126, Torino, Italy; emails: 9 gabdelra@unito.it; elena.gazzano@unito.it; dimascarolina.belisario@unito.it; carlo.zuddas@unito.it; 10 joanna.kopecka@unito.it; chiara.riganti@unito.it 11 2 Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research 12 Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt; emails: gamalology@yahoo.com; gamalology@gmail.com; 13 abdelhamidzaki@hotmail.com 14 3 Department of Drug Science and Technology, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy; emails: 15 daniela.chirio@unito.it; elena.peir...
Nanomaterials, 2021
The treatment of bone diseases (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone cancer) often re... more The treatment of bone diseases (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone cancer) often results in reduced efficiency and/or adverse reactions due to the fact that it is not specifically targeted to the site of action. The employment of a suitable carrier should increase drug location to the site of bone disease. The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize lipid nanoparticles (NPs) coated with calcium phosphate (CaP-NPs). A coating method, to date used only to obtain liposomes covered with CaP, is herein partially-modified to prepare CaP-coated lipid NPs. An extensive physico-chemical characterization was achieved by employing several techniques (DLS, SEM and TEM, and both combined with EDS, XRD, and FTIR) that confirmed the feasibility of the developed coating method. Preliminary uptake studies on human osteosarcoma cells (U-2OS) were performed by entrapping, as a lipid probe, Sudan Red III in NPs. The obtained data provided evidence that CaP-NPs showed higher c...
Pharmaceutics, 2021
Bevacizumab (BVZ) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to human vascular endothelial growth factor... more Bevacizumab (BVZ) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to human vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and inhibits the interaction between VEGF-A and VEGF receptors, thus blocking the angiogenesis. Repeated intravitreal injections of BVZ for the treatment of ocular pathologies that present an excessive proliferation results in a low patience compliance. BVZ is specially indicated for the treatment of diabetic and degenerative retinopathy. In the present study, we designed lipid nanoparticles (NPs) as a BVZ sustained drug delivery system for reducing the frequency of administration. We used a simple and highly efficient procedure, “Cold dilution of microemulsions”, to obtain spherical NPs with mean diameters of 280–430 nm, Zeta potentials between −17 and −31 mV, and drug entrapment efficiencies between 50 to 90%. This study focused on the biochemical and biophysical stabilities of BVZ after entrapment in NPs. SDS-PAGE electrophoretic analysis and circular dichroism, dynamic li...
Nanomaterials, 2021
Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candid... more Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis affect millions of women each year. They are caused by an overgrowth of microorganisms, generally sexually transmitted, which in turn can be favored by alterations in the vaginal flora. Conventional treatments of these infections consist in systemic or local antimicrobial therapies. However, in the attempt to reduce adverse effects and to contrast microbial resistance and infection recurrences, many efforts have been devoted to the development of vaginal systems for the local delivery of antimicrobials. Several topical dosage forms such as aerosols, lotions, suppositories, tablets, gels, and creams have been proposed, although they are sometimes ineffective due to their poor penetration and rapid removal from the vaginal canal. For these reasons, the development of innovative drug delivery systems, able to remain in situ and release active agents for a prolonged...
Nanomaterials, 2020
Bone diseases include a wide group of skeletal-related disorders that cause mobility limitations ... more Bone diseases include a wide group of skeletal-related disorders that cause mobility limitations and mortality. In some cases, e.g., in osteosarcoma (OS) and metastatic bone cancer, current treatments are not fully effective, mainly due to low patient compliance and to adverse side effects. To overcome these drawbacks, nanotechnology is currently under study as a potential strategy allowing specific drug release kinetics and enhancing bone regeneration. Polymers, ceramics, semiconductors, metals, and self-assembled molecular complexes are some of the most used nanoscale materials, although in most cases their surface properties need to be tuned by chemical or physical reactions. Among all, scaffolds, nanoparticles (NPs), cements, and hydrogels exhibit more advantages than drawbacks when compared to other nanosystems and are therefore the object of several studies. The aim of this review is to provide information about the current therapies of different bone diseases focusing the att...
Pharmaceutics, 2020
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a critical hindrance to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The mai... more Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a critical hindrance to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The main thing responsible for MDR phenotypes are plasma-membranes associated with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) Binding Cassette (ABC) drug efflux transporters, such as the P-glycoprotein (Pgp) transporter that has the broadest spectrum of substrates. Curcumin (CURC) is a Pgp inhibitor, but it is poorly soluble and bioavailable. To overcome these limitations, we validated the efficacy and safety of CURC, loaded in biocompatible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), with or without chitosan coating, with the goal of increasing the stability, homogeneous water dispersibility, and cellular uptake. Both CURC-loaded SLNs were 5–10-fold more effective than free CURC in increasing the intracellular retention and toxicity of doxorubicin in Pgp-expressing triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The effect was due to the decrease of intracellular reactive oxygen species, consequent inhibition of the Akt/IKKα-β...
Nanomaterials, 2019
Endophthalmitis is a rare, but serious, intravitreal inflammatory disorder that can arise after c... more Endophthalmitis is a rare, but serious, intravitreal inflammatory disorder that can arise after cataract surgery. The intracameral injection of 1 mg cefuroxime (CEF) followed by three-times daily antibiotic topical administration for a week is generally recognized as the routine method of prophylaxis after cataract surgery. This procedure is controversial because of both the low efficacy and the low adherence to therapy by elderly patients. A unique slow release antibiotic intravitreal injection could solve these problems. The objective of the present study was to design ophthalmic nanocomposite delivery systems based on in situ gelling formulations that undergo sol-to-gel transition upon change in temperature to prolong the effect of CEF. Oil in water (O/W) microemulsion (µE) and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), obtained with an innovative formulation technology called cold microemulsion dilution, were evaluated as ocular drug delivery systems for CEF. Drug entrapment efficiency up...
Nanomaterials, 2019
The bioavailability of ophthalmic therapeutics is reduced because of the presence of physiologica... more The bioavailability of ophthalmic therapeutics is reduced because of the presence of physiological barriers whose primary function is to hinder the entry of exogenous agents, therefore also decreasing the bioavailability of locally administered drugs. Consequently, repeated ocular administrations are required. Hence, the development of drug delivery systems that ensure suitable drug concentration for prolonged times in different ocular tissues is certainly of great importance. This objective can be partially achieved using thermosensitive drug delivery systems that, owing to their ability of changing their state in response to temperature variations, from room to body temperature, may increase drug bioavailability. In the case of topical instillation, in situ forming gels increase pre-corneal drug residence time as a consequence of their enhanced adhesion to the corneal surface. Otherwise, in the case of intraocular and periocular, i.e., subconjunctival, retrobulbar, peribulbar admi...
Nanomaterials, 2019
Background: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are attractive drug delivery systems for lipophilic ... more Background: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are attractive drug delivery systems for lipophilic molecules like curcumin (CURC) with low chemical stability. Methods: A simple, innovative, and cold-operating method, named “cold dilution of microemulsion” is developed by the authors to produce SLNs. An oil-in-water microemulsion (µE), whose disperse phase consisted of a solution of trilaurin in a partially water-miscible solvent, was prepared after mutually saturating solvent and water. Trilaurin SLNs precipitated following solvent removal upon water dilution of the µE. After SLN characterization (mean size, Zeta potential, CURC entrapment efficiency, and over time stability), they were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity studies on pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines and for in vivo preliminary biodistribution studies in Wistar healthy rats. Results: CURC loaded SLNs (SLN-CURC) had mean diameters around 200 nm, were negatively charged, stable over time, and able to entrap CURC up to al...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Chitosan is an excipient which has been studied thoroughly in research works thanks to its positi... more Chitosan is an excipient which has been studied thoroughly in research works thanks to its positive characteristics such as muco-adhesiveness and ability to open epithelial-tight-junctions. In this article, lipophilic stearoyl chitosan (ST-CS) was synthetized in order to anchor this polymer to lipid nanoparticles and prepare ST-CS-coated nanoparticles (ST-CS-NP) using the microemulsion cold dilution technique. Curcumin (CURC) was used as model drug. CURC-ST-CS-NP were characterized by dimensional analysis, zeta potential, drug entrapment, drug release; tested in vitro on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell (HUVEC) cells to study its cytotoxicity and on human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) to determine inhibition ability; tested in rats to determine CURC blood profiles and biodistribution. CURC-ST-CS-NP had mean diameters in the range 200–400 nm and CURC entrapment up to 73%. These systems did not show cytotoxicity on HUVEC cells at all tested dilutions and revealed to be more ef...
Journal of cosmetic science
Two commercial anti-aging products, RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions, containing retinol a... more Two commercial anti-aging products, RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions, containing retinol and vitamin C, were studied. The concentration of vitamin A was determined over time, subjecting the creams to an accelerated stability test. Both emulsions, when stored at 25 degrees C, showed a moderate decrease over time in retinol concentration, while after storage at 40 degrees C the percentage of retinol degraded increased over time. Under UVA irradiation, the retinol degraded to a greater extent than under UVB irradiation, both in RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions. In order to verify the anti-aging effectiveness of the emulsions, an in vivo test on some female volunteers was carried out, evaluating the visible results of the application of the creams on the skin surface. The creams were rather unstable after storage at 40 degrees C, but they were effective in treating the signs of aging and in reducing facial wrinkles.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005
Synopsis Hemp-seed oil has several positive effects on the skin: thanks to its unsaturated fatty ... more Synopsis Hemp-seed oil has several positive effects on the skin: thanks to its unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content it alleviates skin problems such as dryness and those related to the aging process. We present a comparative study of hemp-seed and olive oils, determining some physicochemical indices and evaluating their stability against oxidation. The peroxide value of hemp-seed oil was below 20, the threshold limit for edible oils. Hemp-seed oil was less stable against peroxidation than olive oil, but MDA and MONO assays showed its stability to be above expectations. The chlorophyll contained in extra virgin olive oil had a higher photostability than that contained in hemp-seed oil, possibly due to the larger amount of antioxidant in the olive oil. A certain amount of Vitamin E was found in hemp-seed oil. Since quality analyses indicated that hemp-seed oil is relatively stable, emulsions were prepared with the two oils, and their stability and rheological characteristics were tested. Some of the resulting gel-emulsions were suitable for spraying on the skin.
Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 2008
The aim of this study was to prepare stable O/W microemulsions as topical vehicles for palmitoyl ... more The aim of this study was to prepare stable O/W microemulsions as topical vehicles for palmitoyl collagen aminoacids (Lipacide PCO) and lauryl pyroglutamate (Lauryl PCA), two active substances that can act as adjuvant in acne treatment. The O/W microemulsions were prepared using low quantities of mild nonionic and amphoionic surfactants, employing percentages of ethanol lower than in commonly used lotions. The diffusion profiles of surfactants through cellulose membrane have been investigated to assess in vitro their irritation potential. Vanillin was added to the emulsified systems as fragrance and its stability against oxidation was investigated. A pseudo-first order mechanism was suggested for vanillin degradation in experimental conditions. Addition of antioxidant and sunscreen agents provided protection to vanillin, reducing its degradation rate and consequently increasing the stability of microemulsions.
Journal of microencapsulation, 2016
Doxorubicin (DOXO) lauroyl ester and amide were proposed as lipophilic derivatives and entrapped ... more Doxorubicin (DOXO) lauroyl ester and amide were proposed as lipophilic derivatives and entrapped in SLNs. DOXO derivatives-loaded SLNs were spherical shaped, had 200-300 nm mean diameters and showed 80-94% w/w drug entrapment efficiencies. The effect of DOXO derivatives-loaded SLNs and free DOXO on cell growth was examined by MTT and colony-forming assays on four different tumour cell lines: a pancreatic, CFPAC-1, a lung, A549, and two ovarian, A2780 and A2780res (DOXO-resistant). The results obtained with MTT and colony-forming assay show that although DOXO displayed an inhibition of cell proliferation greater or similar to DOXO lauroyl amide-loaded SLNs on all cell types, the effect induced by DOXO lauroyl ester-loaded SLNs was higher and concentration-dependent, and it was the only one maintained at 10(-5 )mM concentration. Only DOXO lauroyl ester-loaded SLNs were able to induce a 40% inhibitory effect on A2780 res cell line up to 10(-4 )mM concentration.
Pharmaceutics
Bevacizumab (BVZ), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, has recently been proposed as a t... more Bevacizumab (BVZ), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, has recently been proposed as a topical application in the treatment of anterior segment neovascularization; however, as there are some disadvantages in the administration of common eye-drops, ophthalmic topical drug delivery systems are under study to improve the precorneal residence time, reducing the frequency of administration. In this work, oil-in-water and water-in-oil BVZ-loaded microemulsions are developed, able to increase their viscosity, either by the formation of a liquid-crystalline structure upon aqueous dilution, thanks to the presence of Epikuron® 200 and polysorbate 80, or by body-temperature-induced jellification for the presence of Pluronic® F127 aqueous solution as an external phase. In oil-in-water microemulsion, hydrophobic ion pairs of BVZ were also prepared, and their incorporation was determined by release studies. Microemulsions were characterized for rheological behavior, corneal opacity, in v...
Cosmetics
In this study, an overview of the regulations in force in some extra-EU states belonging to diffe... more In this study, an overview of the regulations in force in some extra-EU states belonging to different geoeconomic areas is provided, starting from the current EU legislation on cosmetic products. We focused on their legislative frameworks and the location of the relevant regulatory documentation. Furthermore, for each state considered, our analysis examined the notification/authorization processes, approaches to animal testing, and allowed/prohibited ingredient lists, as these aspects are considered to be among the primary restrictions hindering the cosmetic market. It can be observed that many states are working towards standardising their regulations to promote greater international trade. However, it is essential to recognize that different countries belonging to distinct geoeconomic areas may have unique requirements, and harmonization may not necessarily be the best solution. It is crucial to consider different needs and preferences when approaching the global regulation of the...
Nanomaterials
In recent years, several nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles... more In recent years, several nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, liposomes, and others, have been explored to target and treat a wide variety of diseases. Their employment has brought many benefits, not only to human medicine but also to veterinary medicine, albeit at a slower rate. Soon, the use of nanocarriers could revolutionize the animal health sector, and many veterinary therapies will be more effective as a result. The purpose of this review is to offer an overview of the main applications of nanocarriers in the veterinary field, from supplements for animal health and reproduction to nanovaccines and nanotherapies. Among the major pathologies that can affect animals, special attention is given to canine osteosarcoma (OSA): a comparison with human OSA is provided and the main treatment options are reviewed emphasizing the benefits that nanocarriers could bring in the treatment of this widespre...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Several semisynthetic, low-cardiotoxicity doxorubicin (DOXO) conjugated have been extensively des... more Several semisynthetic, low-cardiotoxicity doxorubicin (DOXO) conjugated have been extensively described, considering the risk of cytotoxicity loss against resistant tumor cells, which mainly present drug efflux capacity. Doxorubicin 14-[4-(4-phenyl-5-thioxo-5H-[1,2]dithiol-3-yl)]-benzoate (H2S-DOXO) was synthetized and tested for its ability to overcome drug resistance with good intracellular accumulation. In this paper, we present a formulation study aimed to develop naked and decorated H2S-DOXO-loaded lipid nanoparticles (NPs). NPs prepared by the “cold dilution of microemulsion” method were decorated with hyaluronic acid (HA) to obtain active targeting and characterized for their physicochemical properties, drug entrapment efficiency, long-term stability, and in vitro drug release. Best formulations were tested in vitro on human-sensitive (MCF7) and human/mouse DOXO-resistant (MDA-MDB -231 and JC) breast cancer cells, on human (U-2OS) osteosarcoma cells and DOXO-resistant human/m...
negative breast cancer cells 4 Gamal-Eldein Fathy Abd-Ellatef 1,2, Elena Gazzano 1, Daniela Chiri... more negative breast cancer cells 4 Gamal-Eldein Fathy Abd-Ellatef 1,2, Elena Gazzano 1, Daniela Chirio3, Ahmed Ragab Hamed 4, 5 Dimas Carolina Belisario 1, Carlo Zuddas 1, Elena Peira3, Barbara Rolando3, Joanna Kopecka 1, 6 Mohamed Assem Said Marie 5, Simona Sapino 3, Sohair Ramadan Fahmy 5, Marina Gallarate2, 7 Abdel-Hamid Zaki Abdel-Hamid 2, Chiara Riganti 1,* 8 1 Department of Oncology, University of Torino, via Santena 5/bis, 10126, Torino, Italy; emails: 9 gabdelra@unito.it; elena.gazzano@unito.it; dimascarolina.belisario@unito.it; carlo.zuddas@unito.it; 10 joanna.kopecka@unito.it; chiara.riganti@unito.it 11 2 Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research 12 Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt; emails: gamalology@yahoo.com; gamalology@gmail.com; 13 abdelhamidzaki@hotmail.com 14 3 Department of Drug Science and Technology, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy; emails: 15 daniela.chirio@unito.it; elena.peir...
Nanomaterials, 2021
The treatment of bone diseases (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone cancer) often re... more The treatment of bone diseases (including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone cancer) often results in reduced efficiency and/or adverse reactions due to the fact that it is not specifically targeted to the site of action. The employment of a suitable carrier should increase drug location to the site of bone disease. The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize lipid nanoparticles (NPs) coated with calcium phosphate (CaP-NPs). A coating method, to date used only to obtain liposomes covered with CaP, is herein partially-modified to prepare CaP-coated lipid NPs. An extensive physico-chemical characterization was achieved by employing several techniques (DLS, SEM and TEM, and both combined with EDS, XRD, and FTIR) that confirmed the feasibility of the developed coating method. Preliminary uptake studies on human osteosarcoma cells (U-2OS) were performed by entrapping, as a lipid probe, Sudan Red III in NPs. The obtained data provided evidence that CaP-NPs showed higher c...
Pharmaceutics, 2021
Bevacizumab (BVZ) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to human vascular endothelial growth factor... more Bevacizumab (BVZ) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to human vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and inhibits the interaction between VEGF-A and VEGF receptors, thus blocking the angiogenesis. Repeated intravitreal injections of BVZ for the treatment of ocular pathologies that present an excessive proliferation results in a low patience compliance. BVZ is specially indicated for the treatment of diabetic and degenerative retinopathy. In the present study, we designed lipid nanoparticles (NPs) as a BVZ sustained drug delivery system for reducing the frequency of administration. We used a simple and highly efficient procedure, “Cold dilution of microemulsions”, to obtain spherical NPs with mean diameters of 280–430 nm, Zeta potentials between −17 and −31 mV, and drug entrapment efficiencies between 50 to 90%. This study focused on the biochemical and biophysical stabilities of BVZ after entrapment in NPs. SDS-PAGE electrophoretic analysis and circular dichroism, dynamic li...
Nanomaterials, 2021
Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candid... more Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis affect millions of women each year. They are caused by an overgrowth of microorganisms, generally sexually transmitted, which in turn can be favored by alterations in the vaginal flora. Conventional treatments of these infections consist in systemic or local antimicrobial therapies. However, in the attempt to reduce adverse effects and to contrast microbial resistance and infection recurrences, many efforts have been devoted to the development of vaginal systems for the local delivery of antimicrobials. Several topical dosage forms such as aerosols, lotions, suppositories, tablets, gels, and creams have been proposed, although they are sometimes ineffective due to their poor penetration and rapid removal from the vaginal canal. For these reasons, the development of innovative drug delivery systems, able to remain in situ and release active agents for a prolonged...
Nanomaterials, 2020
Bone diseases include a wide group of skeletal-related disorders that cause mobility limitations ... more Bone diseases include a wide group of skeletal-related disorders that cause mobility limitations and mortality. In some cases, e.g., in osteosarcoma (OS) and metastatic bone cancer, current treatments are not fully effective, mainly due to low patient compliance and to adverse side effects. To overcome these drawbacks, nanotechnology is currently under study as a potential strategy allowing specific drug release kinetics and enhancing bone regeneration. Polymers, ceramics, semiconductors, metals, and self-assembled molecular complexes are some of the most used nanoscale materials, although in most cases their surface properties need to be tuned by chemical or physical reactions. Among all, scaffolds, nanoparticles (NPs), cements, and hydrogels exhibit more advantages than drawbacks when compared to other nanosystems and are therefore the object of several studies. The aim of this review is to provide information about the current therapies of different bone diseases focusing the att...
Pharmaceutics, 2020
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a critical hindrance to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The mai... more Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a critical hindrance to the success of cancer chemotherapy. The main thing responsible for MDR phenotypes are plasma-membranes associated with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) Binding Cassette (ABC) drug efflux transporters, such as the P-glycoprotein (Pgp) transporter that has the broadest spectrum of substrates. Curcumin (CURC) is a Pgp inhibitor, but it is poorly soluble and bioavailable. To overcome these limitations, we validated the efficacy and safety of CURC, loaded in biocompatible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), with or without chitosan coating, with the goal of increasing the stability, homogeneous water dispersibility, and cellular uptake. Both CURC-loaded SLNs were 5–10-fold more effective than free CURC in increasing the intracellular retention and toxicity of doxorubicin in Pgp-expressing triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The effect was due to the decrease of intracellular reactive oxygen species, consequent inhibition of the Akt/IKKα-β...
Nanomaterials, 2019
Endophthalmitis is a rare, but serious, intravitreal inflammatory disorder that can arise after c... more Endophthalmitis is a rare, but serious, intravitreal inflammatory disorder that can arise after cataract surgery. The intracameral injection of 1 mg cefuroxime (CEF) followed by three-times daily antibiotic topical administration for a week is generally recognized as the routine method of prophylaxis after cataract surgery. This procedure is controversial because of both the low efficacy and the low adherence to therapy by elderly patients. A unique slow release antibiotic intravitreal injection could solve these problems. The objective of the present study was to design ophthalmic nanocomposite delivery systems based on in situ gelling formulations that undergo sol-to-gel transition upon change in temperature to prolong the effect of CEF. Oil in water (O/W) microemulsion (µE) and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), obtained with an innovative formulation technology called cold microemulsion dilution, were evaluated as ocular drug delivery systems for CEF. Drug entrapment efficiency up...
Nanomaterials, 2019
The bioavailability of ophthalmic therapeutics is reduced because of the presence of physiologica... more The bioavailability of ophthalmic therapeutics is reduced because of the presence of physiological barriers whose primary function is to hinder the entry of exogenous agents, therefore also decreasing the bioavailability of locally administered drugs. Consequently, repeated ocular administrations are required. Hence, the development of drug delivery systems that ensure suitable drug concentration for prolonged times in different ocular tissues is certainly of great importance. This objective can be partially achieved using thermosensitive drug delivery systems that, owing to their ability of changing their state in response to temperature variations, from room to body temperature, may increase drug bioavailability. In the case of topical instillation, in situ forming gels increase pre-corneal drug residence time as a consequence of their enhanced adhesion to the corneal surface. Otherwise, in the case of intraocular and periocular, i.e., subconjunctival, retrobulbar, peribulbar admi...
Nanomaterials, 2019
Background: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are attractive drug delivery systems for lipophilic ... more Background: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are attractive drug delivery systems for lipophilic molecules like curcumin (CURC) with low chemical stability. Methods: A simple, innovative, and cold-operating method, named “cold dilution of microemulsion” is developed by the authors to produce SLNs. An oil-in-water microemulsion (µE), whose disperse phase consisted of a solution of trilaurin in a partially water-miscible solvent, was prepared after mutually saturating solvent and water. Trilaurin SLNs precipitated following solvent removal upon water dilution of the µE. After SLN characterization (mean size, Zeta potential, CURC entrapment efficiency, and over time stability), they were tested for in vitro cytotoxicity studies on pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines and for in vivo preliminary biodistribution studies in Wistar healthy rats. Results: CURC loaded SLNs (SLN-CURC) had mean diameters around 200 nm, were negatively charged, stable over time, and able to entrap CURC up to al...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Chitosan is an excipient which has been studied thoroughly in research works thanks to its positi... more Chitosan is an excipient which has been studied thoroughly in research works thanks to its positive characteristics such as muco-adhesiveness and ability to open epithelial-tight-junctions. In this article, lipophilic stearoyl chitosan (ST-CS) was synthetized in order to anchor this polymer to lipid nanoparticles and prepare ST-CS-coated nanoparticles (ST-CS-NP) using the microemulsion cold dilution technique. Curcumin (CURC) was used as model drug. CURC-ST-CS-NP were characterized by dimensional analysis, zeta potential, drug entrapment, drug release; tested in vitro on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell (HUVEC) cells to study its cytotoxicity and on human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) to determine inhibition ability; tested in rats to determine CURC blood profiles and biodistribution. CURC-ST-CS-NP had mean diameters in the range 200–400 nm and CURC entrapment up to 73%. These systems did not show cytotoxicity on HUVEC cells at all tested dilutions and revealed to be more ef...
Journal of cosmetic science
Two commercial anti-aging products, RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions, containing retinol a... more Two commercial anti-aging products, RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions, containing retinol and vitamin C, were studied. The concentration of vitamin A was determined over time, subjecting the creams to an accelerated stability test. Both emulsions, when stored at 25 degrees C, showed a moderate decrease over time in retinol concentration, while after storage at 40 degrees C the percentage of retinol degraded increased over time. Under UVA irradiation, the retinol degraded to a greater extent than under UVB irradiation, both in RETI C and RETI C concentrate emulsions. In order to verify the anti-aging effectiveness of the emulsions, an in vivo test on some female volunteers was carried out, evaluating the visible results of the application of the creams on the skin surface. The creams were rather unstable after storage at 40 degrees C, but they were effective in treating the signs of aging and in reducing facial wrinkles.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005
Synopsis Hemp-seed oil has several positive effects on the skin: thanks to its unsaturated fatty ... more Synopsis Hemp-seed oil has several positive effects on the skin: thanks to its unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content it alleviates skin problems such as dryness and those related to the aging process. We present a comparative study of hemp-seed and olive oils, determining some physicochemical indices and evaluating their stability against oxidation. The peroxide value of hemp-seed oil was below 20, the threshold limit for edible oils. Hemp-seed oil was less stable against peroxidation than olive oil, but MDA and MONO assays showed its stability to be above expectations. The chlorophyll contained in extra virgin olive oil had a higher photostability than that contained in hemp-seed oil, possibly due to the larger amount of antioxidant in the olive oil. A certain amount of Vitamin E was found in hemp-seed oil. Since quality analyses indicated that hemp-seed oil is relatively stable, emulsions were prepared with the two oils, and their stability and rheological characteristics were tested. Some of the resulting gel-emulsions were suitable for spraying on the skin.