Bile Acid Sequestrants for Hypercholesterolemia Treatment Using Sustainable Biopolymers: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives.

Bile acids, the endogenous steroid nucleus containing signaling molecules, are responsible for the regulation of multiple metabolic processes, including lipoprotein and glucose metabolism to maintain homeostasis. Within our body, they are directly produced from their immediate precursors, cholesterol C (low-density lipoprotein C, LDL-C), through the enzymatic catabolic process mediated by 7-α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1). Bile acid sequestrants (BASs) or amphiphilic resins that are nonabsorbable to the human body (being complex high molecular weight polymers/electrolytes) are one of the classes of drugs used to treat hypercholesterolemia (a high plasma cholesterol level) or dyslipidemia (lipid abnormalities in the body); thus, they have been used clinically for more than 50 years with strong safety profiles as demonstrated by the Lipid Research Council-Cardiovascular Primary Prevention Trial (LRC-CPPT). They reduce plasma LDL-C and can slightly increase high-density lipoprotein C (HDL-C) levels, whereas many of the recent clinical studies have demonstrated that they can reduce glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, due to higher daily dosage requirements, lower efficacy in LDL-C reduction, and concomitant drug malabsorption, research to develop an "ideal" BAS from sustainable or natural sources with better LDL-C lowering efficacy and glucose regulations and lower side effects is being pursued. This Review discusses some recent developments and their corresponding efficacies as bile removal or LDL-C reduction of natural biopolymer (polysaccharide)-based compounds.

ß-Cyclodextrin-Functionalized Cellulose Nanocrystals and Their Interactions with Surfactants.

ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) forms a host-guest inclusion complex with many organic and amphiphilic compounds found in pharmaceutical, textile, cosmetic, food, and personal care systems. Therefore, grafting of ß-CD onto a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) offers a possible strategy to use functionalized CNC to complex with surface-active molecules. We have successfully grafted ß-CD onto CNCs in a stepwise manner using cyanuric chloride as the linker. The structure of ß-CD-grafted CNC (CNC-CD) was characterized by UV-vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and the grafting ratio of ß-CD was determined by the phenolphthalein inclusion protocol. Ionic surfactants induced the aggregation of CNC-CDs by forming inclusion complexes with ß-CDs on the surface of CNC. The interactions of amphiphilic compounds with CNC-CD were examined by surface tensiometry, conductometric and potentiometric titration, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Mechanisms describing the complex formation between surfactants and CNC-CD were proposed, where an improved understanding of CD interactions with surfactants and lipids would enable better strategies for drug encapsulation and delivery with CDs.

Cellulose Nanocrystal-ZnO Nanohybrids for Controlling Photocatalytic Activity and UV Protection in Cosmetic Formulation.

A high-performance semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) on melamine formaldehyde-coated cellulose nanocrystals (MFCNCs) was synthesized and evaluated for its application in smart cosmetics. These ZnO@MFCNC hybrid nanostructures were evaluated for their in vitro sun protection factor performance and photocatalytic activity under simulated UV and solar radiation. The photodegradation kinetics of a model pigment (methylene blue) was fitted to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. A 4-fold increase in the photocatalytic activity of ZnO@MFCNCs was observed when compared to pure ZnO. This is associated with (i) increased specific surface area provided by the MFCNC template, (ii) confined surface energy and controlled growth of ZnO nanoparticles, and (iii) entrapment of photoinduced charge carriers in the pores of the core-shell MFCNC rod, followed by fast promotion of interfacial e-charge transfer to the surface of the catalyst. The present study demonstrates how an increase in photocatalytic activity can be engineered without the introduction of structural defects or band gap tailoring of the semiconductor. The aqueous-based ZnO@MFCNC hybrid system displayed attractive UV-absorption and photocatalytic characteristics, offering the conversion of this renewable and sustainable technology into intelligent cosmetic formulations.

Profile of stroke patients treated at a rehabilitation centre in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability in Bangladesh. Rehabilitation services have not yet been integrated into the Bangladesh health system. Only a few non-governmental organisations provide rehabilitation for stroke patients. The demographic profile of these patients has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the socio-demographic data, risk factors, place of primary management and cost of stroke for those who attended rehabilitation at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 103 conveniently selected stroke patients who attended CRP between December 2015 and May 2016. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 49 years. The majority (68%) originated from urban areas. About 85% of the patients had a history of hypertension prior to their stroke. Following the stroke, most patients received their initial treatment in a general clinic or hospital by registered physicians. Only 22% of the patients were advised to pursue follow-up rehabilitation services by their physicians. All patients interviewed in the survey received unpaid full-time care from their family members. The reported cost of rehabilitation was approximately US $328 per month per patient.