Nanoparticle formulation increases Syzygium cumini antioxidant activity in Candida albicans-infected diabetic rats.

CONTEXT: Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Myrtaceae) is a medicinal plant widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, studies on the use of this plant and of nanoparticle formulations against DM-related fungal infections are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the treatments with aqueous seed extract of S. cumini (ASc) and ASc-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPASc) on biochemical parameters in Candida albicans-infected diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups: Control, DM, C. albicans, C. albicans + ASc, C. albicans + NPASc, DM + C. albicans, DM + C. albicans + ASc and DM + C. albicans + NPASc. Rats were daily treated with ASc or NPASc (100 mg/kg) for 21 days. Biochemical parameters in serum and urine, advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) and TBARS levels in the serum, kidney, liver and pancreas and N-acetyl-ß-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities in kidney and urine were evaluated. RESULTS: Biochemical and oxidative stress parameters increased in rats with DM and/or candidiasis. NPASc was more effective than ASc in decreasing glucose (56%), cholesterol (33%) and creatinine (51%) levels; serum (16%) and pancreatic (46%) AOPP and renal (48%) TBARS levels when compared with DM + C. albicans group. In C. albicans group, both treatments decreased NAG activity but did not decrease creatinine levels. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the use of nanotechnology is able to improve plant extract properties such as antioxidant activity that may be useful in diabetes-related complications.

Ketoprofen-loaded pomegranate seed oil nanoemulsion stabilized by pullulan: Selective antiglioma formulation for intravenous administration.

This study aimed to prepare pomegranate seed oil nanoemulsions containing ketoprofen using pullulan as a polymeric stabilizer, and to evaluate antitumor activity against in vitro glioma cells. Formulations were prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method and different concentrations of pullulan were tested. Nanoemulsions presented adequate droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, ketoprofen content and encapsulation efficiency. Nanoemulsions were able to delay the photodegradation profile of ketoprofen under UVC radiation, regardless of the concentration of pullulan. In vitro release study indicates that nanoemulsions were able to release approximately 95.0% of ketoprofen in 5h. Free ketoprofen and formulations were considered hemocompatible at 1 µg/mL, in a hemolysis study, for intravenous administration. In addition, a formulation containing the highest concentration of pullulan was tested against C6 cell line and demonstrated significant activity, and did not reduce fibroblasts viability. Thus, pullulan can be considered an interesting excipient to prepare nanostructured systems and nanoemulsion formulations can be considered promising alternatives for the treatment of glioma.