Cetrimonium Surfactants with Biologically Active Counter Ions as Self-Immolative Drug Delivery Systems

Novel derivatives of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) possessing anions of ibuprofen and naproxen as hydrophobic counterions were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared and differential electronic absorption spectroscopy. The self-assembly of each surfactant was investigated using surface tensiometry. The self-immolative nature of these compounds was analyzed through study of their behavior in response to trigger such as medium pH. ADMET-SAR (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity – structure-activity relationship) profiles of synthesized surfactants were generated using admetSAR v. 1.0). The cetrimonium drugs exhibited better profiles than the corresponding pure drugs, save the aqueous solubility which was reduced due to hydrophobicity of counterions.

A multidisciplinary approach for the physic-chemical characterization of peloids to new perspectives in the development for “hydrothermal Developing Countries” using partecipatory methodology

The Osservatorio Termale Permanente (OTP) operated from 1996 to 2014 in the Italian and international therapeutic thermalism field. The main aim of OTP was the development of a multidisciplinary approach for the characterization of the quality of peloids for cutaneous application and their maturation process using different qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques opening at the Integrated Analytical Approach in the field of therapeutic thermalism. The main innovation introduced by OTP were rheology and surface tensiometry applications on peloids. The introduction of surface tensiometry included the skin as a fundamental element for the development of mud therapy protocols based on the bioadhesive properties of peloids. The interfacial investigations between peloids and skin led to the characterization of the exchange activity occurring during pelotherapy on the cutaneous surface in a non-invasive and fast way. On these bases, our work linked each other the multidisciplinarity approach to the study of hydrothermal resources performed by OTP with the concept of the participative methodology commonly applied to the development of projects in the field of development cooperation. This combined approach led us to develop a scientific proposal for the development of therapeutic thermalism in countries not yet improved in this field and characterized by the presence of hydrothermal resources. Keywords: peloid, surface tensiometry, Rossi factor, rheology, Rheological Termal Mud, skin, integrated analytical approach, participative methodology, therapeutical thermal proposal, hydrothermal development countries

Surface tensiometry of phase separated protein and polymer droplets by the sessile drop method

Phase separated macromolecules play essential roles in many biological and synthetic systems. We extend sessile droplet tensiometry to work with small quantities of such ultra-low surface tension droplets.