RESUMO
Quercetin is a bioactive component that is capable of having therapeutic potential in the prevention of different noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs). However, it presents instability in the gastrointestinal tract in addition to low bioavailability. One way to overcome the limitations of quercetin lies in using nanotechnology for the development of nanoparticles, based on biopolymers, that are capable of being ingestible. Inulin, a fructan-type polysaccharide, acts as a delivery system for the release of quercetin in a target cell, guaranteeing the stability of the molecule. Inulin-coated quercetin nanoparticles were synthesized by the spray dryer method, and four variables were evaluated, namely inulin concentration (5-10% w/v), feed temperature (40-60 °C), inlet temperature (100-200 °C) and outlet temperature (60-100 °C). The optimal conditions were obtained at 10% w/v inulin concentration, with 45 °C feed temperature, 120 °C inlet temperature and 60 °C outlet temperature, and the nanoparticle size was 289.75 ± 16.3 nm in water. Fluorescence microscopy indicated quercetin loading in the inulin nanoparticles, with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 73.33 ± 7.86%. Inulin-coated quercetin nanoparticles presented effects of inhibition in Caco-2 and HepG2 cells, but not in HDFa cells. The experimental data showed the potential of inulin nanoparticles as transport materials for unstable molecules, in oral administration systems, for the encapsulation, protection and release of quercetin.
RESUMO
The electrospinning technique is a useful and versatile approach for conversion of polymeric solutions into continuous fibers, ranging from a few micrometers (10-100 µm) to the scale of nanometers (10- 100 nm) in diameters. This technique can be used in a vast number of polymers, in some cases after modifying them to the required properties. The high surface-to-volume ratio of the fibers can improve some processes like cell binding and proliferation, drug loading, and mass transfer processes. One of the most important and studied areas of electrospinning is in the drug delivery field, for the controlled release of active substances ranging from antibiotics and anticancer agents, to macromolecules such as proteins and DNA. The advantage of this method is that a wide variety of low solubility drugs can be loaded into the fibers to improve their bioavailability or to attain controlled release. This review presents an overview of the reported drugs loaded into electrospun polymeric nanofibers to be used as drug delivery systems. These drugs are classified by their applications in pharmacy.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/química , Antineoplásicos/química , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos , Nanofibras/química , Polímeros/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Eletricidade , Humanos , Tamanho da Partícula , Propriedades de SuperfícieRESUMO
Electrospun (bio)polymeric fibers have attracted widespread interest as functional materials with suitable morphology and properties for their use as tissue engineering scaffolds and/or wound dressings. The fibrous/porous morphology of this type of materials promotes the adhesion and proliferation of tissue cells, but on the other hand, pathogenic microorganisms unfortunately can also be attached to the fibers, thus leading to serious infections and consequently to the immediate removal of the scaffolds or wound dressings, which may imply greater tissue damage. In this context, this review addresses the more recent approaches based on electrospinning and related techniques for developing composite (bio)polymeric fibers with tailored antimicrobial properties either by using mere electrospinning for the incorporation of well-defined antimicrobial nanoparticles (silver, gold, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, copper oxide, etc.) or by resorting to the combination of electrospraying and electrospinning for the generation of nanoparticle-coated fibers, as well as coaxial electrospinning for obtaining fibers with nanoparticle-rich surface.
Assuntos
Anti-Infecciosos/farmacologia , Biopolímeros/farmacologia , Engenharia Tecidual/métodos , Humanos , Nanopartículas/química , Cicatrização/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Nowadays, electrospinning has become one of the most versatile, easy, and cost-effective techniques to engineer advanced materials used for many applications, especially in the biomedical and environmental areas. Like the numerous patents around the world, the increasing number of papers witnesses the huge potential of this simple process, and many companies have been emerged during the last years to exploit its innumerable applications. This article presents a critically selected overview of polymers that can be used to produce nanofibers, along with the biomedical applications of the resulting electrospun scaffolds. We have focused on about seven natural and synthetic polymers, but many more can be found in the literature, either as their pristine state or as composites with ceramics, metals, and other polymers. The description of some strategies for nanofiber production, and the characterization used to evaluate their optimization, has been discussed. Finally, several polymers have been recognized as highlights for future work.