Combination Therapy of Doxorubicin and Quercetin on Multidrug-Resistant Breast Cancer and Their Sequential Delivery by Reduction-Sensitive Hyaluronic Acid-Based Conjugate/d-α-Tocopheryl Poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 Succinate Mixed Micelles.

The therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy in many types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors is dramatically hindered by multidrug resistance (MDR). This work presents a combination strategy of pretreatment of MDA-MB-231/MDR1 cells with quercetin (QU) followed by doxorubicin (DOX) to overcome MDR, which can be delivered by mixed micelles composed of the reduction-sensitive hyaluronic acid-based conjugate and d-α-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 succinate. The combination strategy can enhance the cytotoxicity of DOX on MDA-MB-231/MDR1 cells by increasing intracellular DOX accumulation and facilitating DOX-induced apoptosis. The probable MDR reversal mechanisms are that the pretreatment cells with QU-loaded mixed micelles downregulate P-glycoprotein expression to decrease DOX efflux as well as initiate mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathways to accelerate DOX-induced apoptosis. In addition, this combination strategy can not only potentiate in vivo tumor-targeting efficiency but also enhance the antitumor effect in MDA-MB-231/MDR1-bearing nude mice without toxicity or side effects. This research suggests that the co-administration of natural compounds and chemotherapeutic drugs could be an effective strategy to overcome tumor MDR, which deserves further exploration.

Use of a Smartphone Medical App Improves Complications and Quality of Life in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Who Underwent Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND We explored the intervention effect of a smartphone medical app on complications and quality of life of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We divided 132 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who received radiotherapy and chemotherapy for the first time, in accordance with the random number table method, into a control group (67 patients) and an intervention group (65 patients). Patients in control group were discharged with standard care and patients in the intervention group used a smartphone medical app after discharge. Data on adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, complications, and quality of life were collected and analyzed. RESULTS There was no difference between the complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and quality of life between the 2 groups at discharge (P>0.05). The incidence of oral mucositis, xerostomia, mouth-opening difficulties, and nasal congestion in the intervention group was significantly lower than in the control group at 6 months after discharge and quality of life was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Reasonable use of this smartphone app can improve the exercise compliance of discharged patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reduce the adverse reactions and complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and improve quality of life and satisfaction of patients after discharge.

Assessment of intestinal absorption of total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides L. in rat using in situ absorption models.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the absorption behavior of total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (TFH) (the sum of isorhamnetin and quercetin as the index component) in the rat intestine using in situ circulation method. METHODS: The accumulated TFH absorption and related absorption parameters were calculated. Furthermore, the influences of Cremophor ELP and the P-glycoprotein inhibitor, verapamil, on the intestinal absorption of TFH were studied using the in situ circulation model. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results showed that the absorption of TFH increased linearly with its concentration, indicating that a passive diffusion process was dominated. There were no significant differences in the absorption of TFH in three small intestine segments of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and at different concentrations of Cremophor ELP ranging from 0.25% to 1% (P > 0.05). With the presence of P-gp inhibitor, verapamil, in the circulation fluid, the accumulated absorption of TFH did not increase significantly (P > 0.05). Further studies on the solubility and permeability enhancement of TFH should be investigated to develop new TFH products with high bioavailability.

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of solid dispersions of total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides L.

The purpose of this study was to enhance the dissolution of total flavones of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (TFH) by solid dispersions consisting of the drug and a polymeric carrier, poloxamer 188 (PXM). The solvent evaporation method was used to prepare solid dispersions. A 3(2) full-factorial design approach was used for optimization wherein the amount of solvent (X(1)) and the drug-to-polymer ratio (X(2)) were selected as independent variables and the percentage of TFH dissolved in 10 min (Q(10)) was selected as the dependent variable. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that a suitable level of (1) and X(2) was required for obtaining higher dissolution of TFH from PXM solid dispersions. Solid dispersions were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dissolution tests. Characterization studies revealed that solid dispersion of TFH-PXM showed enhancement of TFH dissolution due to the conversion of TFH into a less crystalline and/or amorphous form. In conclusion, dissolution enhancement of TFH was obtained by preparing its solid dispersions in PXM using solvent method.

Raman spectroscopic investigation of the single-monolayer Langmuir-Blodgett film of C16NaphOH and C10AzoNaphC4N-SDS.

Raman spectra were measured for Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of C(16)NaphOH and C(10)AzoNaphC(4)N-SDS on Calcium Fluorite substrate for the first time. In order to find out favorable excitation condition, Raman spectra of the single and multi-monolayer LB films excited at different lines at 244, 514, 633 and 778 nm are recorded and compared in the present study. Raman spectrum of the monolayer LB film of C(16)NaphOH excited by 244 nm demonstrate that excellent signal to noise is achieved even for one monolayer LB film with an extremely short integrating time as 60 s because of being resonantly enhanced, while no meaningful spectra were recorded under the same condition for the monolayer LB film of C(10)AzoNaphC(4)N-SDS because of burning. Using a HeNe 633 nm excitation the problem with strong substrate fluorescence was partially solved, since under these conditions this fluorescence is mainly outside the fingerprint region of the LB film molecules (1000-2000 cm(-1)). Therefore by using the HeNe laser excitation, Raman spectra with high signal to noise ratio of LB films of C(16)NaphOH were collected and shown in this paper. These findings stress again the necessity to define an appropriate Raman system for this special application of LB film diagnosis.

A novel fluorescent vesicular sensor for saccharides based on boronic acid-diol interaction.

A novel amphiphile containing two functional groups of both naphthalene and boronic acid, 2-(hexadecyloxy)-naphthalene-6-boronic acid (HNBA), has been synthesized. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the formation of bilayer vesicles in the ethanol/water solution (Phi=0.6). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) established the presence of crystal-to-liquid crystal transition at 63.36 degrees C. The vesicular fluorescence properties upon binding with carbohydrates have been studied in ethanol/water buffer at pH 7.4. Addition of saccharides to the vesicular solution, the fluorescent intensities of naphthalene in HNBA vesicles centered at 348 nm decreased dramatically with increasing concentration of saccharides. The change tendency of fluorescent intensities of the HNAB vesicles with concentration of saccharides followed in the order of fructose>galactose>maltose>glucose. The pH profiles of the fluorescence intensity were studied in the absence and in the presence of sugars. Also, the urine sample induced spectral changes of the HNBA vesicles were studied. These results suggest that the HNBA vesicles may be developed as a continuous monitoring and implantable fluorescence vesicular sensor, which might be applied in the practical field.