Investigating the binding affinity, molecular dynamics, and ADMET properties of curcumin-IONPs as a mucoadhesive bioavailable oral treatment for iron deficiency anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common health issue, and researchers are interested in overcoming it. Nanotechnology green synthesis is one of the recent approaches to making efficient drugs. In this study, we modeled curcumin-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (cur-IONPs) to study their predicted toxicity and drug-likeness properties, then to investigate mucoadhesive behavior by docking cur-IONPs with two main mucin proteins in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) mucosa (muc 5AC and muc 2). Furthermore, the stability of cur-IONPs/protein complexes was assessed by molecular dynamics. Our in-silico studies results showed that cur-IONPs were predicted to be potential candidates to treat IDA due to its mucoadhesive properties, which could enhance the bioavailability, time residency, and iron absorbance through GIT, in addition to its high safety profile with high drug-likeness properties and oral bioavailability. Finally, molecular dynamic simulation studies revealed stable complexes supporting strength docking studies. Our results focus on the high importance of in-silico drug design studies; however, they need to be supported with in vitro and in vivo studies to reveal the efficacy, toxicity, and bioavailability of cur-IONPs.

Quality of life and nutritional status in peritoneal dialysis patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a growing cause of morbidity worldwide. Protein malnutrition is common among patients with ESRD. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) offers greater lifestyle flexibility and independence compared to the widely used treatments for ESRD. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status and the quality of life (QOL) of Palestinian patients undergoing PD, as well as the variables affecting these two outcomes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients receiving PD at An-Najah National University Hospital, Palestine. The malnutrition-inflammation scale (MIS) was used to measure malnutrition, and the QOL score was evaluated using the Dutch WHOQOL-OLD module. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed to check the association between the QOL and MIS scores. RESULTS: The study included 74 patients who were undergoing PD, with an average age of 50.5 ± 16.38. The majority of the patients were females. The study found a significant correlation between malnutrition and lower quality of life (QOL) scores, as measured by the WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire (p < 0.001). Furthermore, younger patients and those who had an occupation were more likely to report a good QOL (p = 0.01). Conversely, patients with pitting edema and diabetes were at higher risk of reporting a lower QOL (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given the elevated risk of malnutrition and diminished QOL among elderly patients, those with pitting edema, and individuals with diabetes, it is imperative to conduct thorough assessments for these groups. We strongly recommend that general practitioners, dietitians, and specialists collaborate to develop tailored programs and interventions to provide these patients with the focused care and attention they require.