Formulation and pharmacokinetic evaluation of tetracycline-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for subcutaneous injection in mice.

The aim of this work was to prepare tetracycline-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (Tet-SLN), and to evaluate the potential of these colloidal carriers for subcutaneous injection. Tet-SLN was prepared by microemulsion method and the preparation conditions were optimized by ternary phase diagram. At optimized process conditions, lyophilized Tet-SLN showed spherical particles with a mean diameter of 87.2±46.9 nm and a negative zeta potential of -6.69 mV, up to 1.7% tetracycline drug content was achieved after loading. In vitro release test showed a biphasic release profile for Tet-SLN and more than 80% of the drug was liberated from Tet-SLN in 48 h. After subcutaneous injection of Tet-SLN to mice, a considerable sustained release was observed; tetracycline in blood could be detected lasting 36 h, and lower concentrations of tetracycline in all tissues tested compared to the free tetracycline solution were observed. In conclusion, Tet-SLN can be prepared well by microemulsion method and subcutaneous injection of SLN provide a new perspective for drug sustained release.

Microporous Luminescent Metal-Organic Framework for a Sensitive and Selective Fluorescence Sensing of Toxic Mycotoxin in Moldy Sugarcane.

Food contamination by toxic mycotoxins not only causes a considerable loss in economy, but importantly poses a huge threat to human health through accidental ingestion. Hence, it is an ongoing and imperative need to develop a convenient, cost-effective method for the detection of the mycotoxin-infected agricultural commodities. To this end, we herein fabricated a novel metal-organic framework-derived composite material that displays a strong solid-state emission in the visible region, by attaching a frequently used fluorescent label, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), via guest adsorption. Significantly, owing to the inherent pH-responsive conformational changes of FITC, the resulting composite material provides, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of the sensitive and selective fluorescence sensing toward 3-nitropropionic acid, which, as a major naturally occurring mycotoxin in moldy sugarcane, has been closely linked to poisoning episodes in human beings and animals.

Selective gas adsorption and fluorescence sensing response of a Zn(ii) metal-organic framework constructed by a mixed-ligand strategy.

By means of a mixed-ligand strategy, a novel bi-functional metal-organic framework, [H2N(CH3)2]·Zn(NDC)(atz)·H2O (NDC = 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, Hatz = 1H-tetrazol-5-amine), was synthesized, which displays a three-dimensional two-fold interpenetrated framework. Owing to the introduction of two different functional organic ligands, this complex exhibits bi-functional properties, i.e., selective gas adsorption of CO2 over CH4 and fluorescence sensing response for nitrobenzene.