scholarly journals Nanofibers for drug delivery – incorporation and release of model molecules, influence of molecular weight and polymer structure

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1939-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Hrib ◽  
Jakub Sirc ◽  
Radka Hobzova ◽  
Zuzana Hampejsova ◽  
Zuzana Bosakova ◽  
...  

Nanofibers were prepared from polycaprolactone, polylactide and polyvinyl alcohol using NanospiderTM technology. Polyethylene glycols with molecular weights of 2 000, 6 000, 10 000 and 20 000 g/mol, which can be used to moderate the release profile of incorporated pharmacologically active compounds, served as model molecules. They were terminated by aromatic isocyanate and incorporated into the nanofibers. The release of these molecules into an aqueous environment was investigated. The influences of the molecular length and chemical composition of the nanofibers on the release rate and the amount of released polyethylene glycols were evaluated. Longer molecules released faster, as evidenced by a significantly higher amount of released molecules after 72 hours. However, the influence of the chemical composition of nanofibers was even more distinct – the highest amount of polyethylene glycol molecules released from polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers, the lowest amount from polylactide nanofibers.

1988 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 1735-1744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jitka Horská ◽  
Jaroslav Stejskal ◽  
Pavel Kratochvíl ◽  
Aubrey D. Jenkins ◽  
Eugenia Tsartolia ◽  
...  

An attempt was made to prepare well-defined graft copolymers by the coupling reaction between acyl chloride groups located along the backbone chain and monohydroxy-terminated grafts prepared separately. The molecular weights and the parameters of heterogeneity in chemical composition of the products were determined by light scattering and osmometry. The determination of molecular characteristics revealed that the degree of grafting was low. The results therefore could not be confronted with a statistical model at this stage. The problems encountered in the synthesis, e.g., gel formation, and the data relating to the soluble products are discussed.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 603
Author(s):  
Zinnia Shah ◽  
Umar Farooq Gohar ◽  
Iffat Jamshed ◽  
Aamir Mushtaq ◽  
Hamid Mukhtar ◽  
...  

Podophyllotoxin, along with its various derivatives and congeners are widely recognized as broad-spectrum pharmacologically active compounds. Etoposide, for instance, is the frontline chemotherapeutic drug used against various cancers due to its superior anticancer activity. It has recently been redeveloped for the purpose of treating cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients. Podophyllotoxin and its naturally occurring congeners have low bioavailability and almost all these initially discovered compounds cause systemic toxicity and development of drug resistance. Moreover, the production of synthetic derivatives that could suffice for the clinical limitations of these naturally occurring compounds is not economically feasible. These challenges demanded continuous devotions towards improving the druggability of these drugs and continue to seek structure-optimization strategies. The discovery of renewable sources including microbial origin for podophyllotoxin is another possible approach. This review focuses on the exigency of innovation and research required in the global R&D and pharmaceutical industry for podophyllotoxin and related compounds based on recent scientific findings and market predictions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 594
Author(s):  
Yi-Hsun Ho ◽  
Lan Chen ◽  
Rong Huang

N-terminal acetylation catalyzed by N-terminal acetyltransferases (NATs) has various biological functions in protein regulation. N-terminal acetyltransferase D (NatD) is one of the most specific NAT with only histone H4 and H2A proteins as the known substrates. Dysregulation of NatD has been implicated in colorectal and lung cancer progression, implying its therapeutic potential in cancers. However, there is no reported inhibitor for NatD yet. To facilitate the discovery of small-molecule NatD inhibitors, we report the development of a fluorescence-based acetyltransferase assay in 384-well high-throughput screening (HTS) format through monitoring the formation of coenzyme A. The fluorescent signal is generated from the adduct in the reaction between coenzyme A and fluorescent probe ThioGlo4. The assay exhibited a Z′-factor of 0.77 and a coefficient of variation of 6%, indicating it is a robust assay for HTS. A pilot screen of 1280 pharmacologically active compounds and subsequent validation identified two hits, confirming the application of this fluorescence assay in HTS.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 410
Author(s):  
Salar Hafez Ghoran ◽  
Anake Kijjoa

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and, eventually, the ability to perform simple tasks. As the aging population continues to increase exponentially, AD has become a big concern for society. Therefore, neuroprotective compounds are in the spotlight, as a means to tackle this problem. On the other hand, since it is believed—in many cultures—that marine organisms in an individual diet cannot only improve brain functioning, but also slow down its dysfunction, many researchers have focused on identifying neuroprotective compounds from marine resources. The fact that the marine environment is a rich source of structurally unique and biologically and pharmacologically active compounds, with unprecedented mechanisms of action, marine macroorganisms, such as tunicates, corals, sponges, algae, as well as microorganisms, such as marine-derived bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, have been the target sources of these compounds. Therefore, this literature review summarizes and categorizes various classes of marine-derived compounds that are able to inhibit key enzymes involved in AD, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), β-secretase (BACE-1), and different kinases, together with the related pathways involved in the pathogenesis of AD. The compounds discussed herein are emerging as promising anti-AD activities for further in-depth in vitro and in vivo investigations, to gain more insight of their mechanisms of action and for the development of potential anti-AD drug leads.


2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 573-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Chibowski ◽  
M. Paszkiewicz ◽  
M. Wiśniewska

The influence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) on the adsorption properties of non-ionic polymers, i.e. polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), at the Al2O3/solution interface was studied. Measurements for various molecular weights and for various amounts of functional groups on the polymer macromolecules were undertaken and the results obtained discussed in the light of these variations. Studies of the mutual interactions of the polymer–surfactant system in aqueous solution were helpful in explaining the equilibria involved in the Al2O3/polymer solution system in the presence of SDS. The thickness of the adsorption layer was determined by viscometric methods and the influence of the degree of hydrolysis of PVA on the structure of the adsorption layer demonstrated.


1979 ◽  
Vol 10 (29) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. GRINEV ◽  
N. V. ARKHANGEL'SKAYA ◽  
G. YA. URETSKAYA ◽  
A. A. STOLYARCHUK ◽  
P. A. GALENKO-YAROSHEVSKII

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document