Sonochemical Synthesis of Hydrophilic Drug Loaded Multifunctional Bovine Serum Albumin Nanocapsules.

A facile sonochemical approach is designed to fabricate protein nanocapsules for hydrophilic drugs (HDs), and HD-loaded multifunctional bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanocapsules (MBNCs) have been prepared for the first time. The as-synthesized HD-loaded MBNCs have a satisfying size range and an excellent magnetic responsive ability. Moreover, high-dose hydrophilic drugs could be loaded into the MBNCs. As carriers, HD-loaded MBNCs also show attractive redox-responsive controlled release ability for hydrophilic drugs and could be internalized selectively by the tumor cells through the folate-mediated endocytosis.

The efficacy of melilotus extract in the management of postoperative ecchymosis and edema after simultaneous rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Melilotus extract has been used as a folk medicine in inflammation-related therapy. This study was undertaken to determine the potential benefits of this herbal extract in treating postoperative ecchymosis and edema after simultaneous rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty. METHODS: Augmentation rhinoplasty and double-eyelid blepharoplasty were performed in one procedure by the same surgeon on 46 patients. RESULTS: Postoperative edema and ecchymosis were evaluated independently by two investigators checking the upper eyelid, lower eyelid, and paranasal area at postoperative days 1, 4, and 7. Our data showed that the patients receiving melilotus extract (n = 16) had lower scores not only in upper-eyelid and lower-eyelid ecchymosis, but also in paranasal ecchymosis at postoperative day 7 when compared with those in the control group. No significant difference in postoperative ecchymosis was detected in the group receiving dexamethasone treatment (n = 16) when compared with the control group (n = 14) at postoperative days 1, 4, and 7. The mean scores of upper-eyelid, lower-eyelid, and paranasal edema at postoperative days 1 and 4 were significantly lower in the group receiving dexamethasone treatment (n = 16) than that in the control group. Although the scores of eyelid edema reduction in the patients receiving melilotus extract showed no difference when compared with the control group, paranasal edema was reduced much more at postoperative days 4 and 7 when compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: We suggest the appropriate use of melilotus extract based on its beneficial effects on the postoperative results after simultaneous rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty.