Deep eutectic solvents: Preparation, properties, and food applications.

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) emerge as innovative 21st-century solvents, supplanting traditional ones like ethanol and n-hexane. Renowned for their non-toxic, biodegradable, and water-miscible nature with reduced volatility, DESs are mostly synthesized through heating and stirring method. Physicochemical properties such as polarity, viscosity, density and surface tension of DESs influenced their application. This review paper gives the overview of application of eco-benign DESs in fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices, herbs, plantation crops, oil seed crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, seaweed, and milk for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Also, it gives insight of determination of pesticides, insecticides, hazardous and toxic compounds, removal of heavy metals, detection of illegal milk additive, purification of antibiotics and preparation of packaging film. Methodologies for separating bioactive compounds from DESs extracts are systematically examined. Further, safety regulations of DESs are briefly discussed and reviewed literature reveals prevalent utilization of DES-based bioactive compound rich extracts in cosmetics, indicating untapped potential of their application in the food industry.

SDC4-rs1981429 and ATM-rs228590 may provide early biomarkers of breast cancer risk.

In Australia, 13% of women are diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) in their lifetime with approximately 20,000 women diagnosed with the disease in 2021. BC is characterised by complex histological and genomic influences with recent advances in cancer biology improving early diagnosis and personalised treatment interventions. The Phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase/Protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway is essential in apoptosis resistance, cell survival, activation of cellular responses to DNA damage and DNA repair. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are ubiquitous molecules found on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix with essential functions in regulating cell survival, growth, adhesion and as mediators of cell differentiation and migration. HSPGs, particularly the syndecans (SDCs), have been linked to cancers, making them an exciting target for anticancer treatments. In the PI3K/AKT pathway, syndecan-4 (SDC4) has been shown to downregulate AKT Serine/Threonine Kinase (AKT1) gene expression, while the ATM Serine/Threonine Kinase (ATM) gene has been found to inhibit this pathway upstream of AKT. We investigated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in HSPG and related genes SDC4, AKT1 and ATM and their influence on the prevalence of BC. SNPs were genotyped in the Australian Caucasian Genomics Research Centre Breast Cancer (GRC-BC) population and in the Griffith University-Cancer Council Queensland Breast Cancer Biobank (GU-CCQ BB) population. We identified that SDC4-rs1981429 and ATM-rs228590 may influence the development and progression of BC, having the potential to become biomarkers in early BC diagnosis and personalised treatment.

Formulation, development and optimization of raloxifene-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for treatment of osteoporosis.

CONTEXT: Osteoporosis (OP) is a disease of skeletal system and is associated with fragility fracture at the hip, spine and wrist. Various drugs have been used to treat OP. One of them is raloxifene hydrochloride (RLX), a second-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) approved by the USFDA. RLX possesses only 2% absolute bioavailability (BA) by oral route due to its extensive first-pass metabolism. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current research work was to develop and evaluate RLX-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) for treatment of OP with enhanced BA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The RLX-loaded CS-NPs were prepared by gelation of CS with tripolyphosphate (TPP) by ionic cross-linking. Formulation was optimized and in vitro drug release and in vivo study were performed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: CS-NPs were formed by the ionic gelation method. The particle size, entrapment efficiency and loading efficiency varied from 216.65 to 1890 nm, 32.84 to 97.78% and 23.89 to 62.46%, respectively. Release kinetics showed diffusion-controlled and Fickian release pattern. In vivo study indicated higher plasma drug concentration with NPs administered intranasally as compared to drug suspension administered through oral route (p < 0.05). A significantly higher drug concentration in plasma was achieved in 10 min after nasal administration with respect to oral administration. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that RLX-loaded CS-NPs have better BA and would be a promising approach for intranasal (i.n.) delivery of RLX for the treatment of OP.