Physicochemical investigation and in vivo activity of anti-malarial drugs co-loaded in Tween 80 niosomes.

Drugs used for the treatment and prevention of malaria are often plagued by the problem of development of resistance. This has hampered their therapeutic efficiency and rendered them ineffective for monotherapy. However, if re-packaged and combined properly, many of these neglected anti-malarial drugs can possibly find their way back into the treatment regime. The present study evaluates the use of curcumin (CC) and primaquine (PRI) as an anti-malarial combination, packaged within niosomes, in comparison to their respective monotherapy options. It was observed that in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice, mice treated with a combination of 35 mg/kg of CC along with either 5 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg body weight of PRI demonstrated 100% anti-malarial activity and survivability beyond 20 days. The niosome-based PRI-CC combination therapy provided increased protection and survival rate that was associated with prevention in recrudescence. The findings of the study suggest that niosome-based PRI-CC combination therapy may be a promising approach in the treatment of malaria.

Accelerated Orthodontic Treatment using Biomodulation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Orthodontic treatment often spans several months or even years, which can be burdensome for patients. Biomodulation techniques have emerged as potential strategies to expedite orthodontic tooth movement. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with a sample of 60 orthodontic patients, aged 12-30 years, requiring fixed appliance therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to either the biomodulation group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The biomodulation group received low-level laser therapy (LLLT) along with traditional orthodontic treatment, while the control group received conventional orthodontic treatment without LLLT. Treatment duration, pain perception, and orthodontic tooth movement were assessed during the study period. Results: The results demonstrated a significant reduction in treatment duration in the biomodulation group compared to the control group. The biomodulation group exhibited a 30% reduction in overall treatment time, with an average treatment duration of 8.4 months, while the control group required an average of 12 months (P < 0.001). Pain perception during orthodontic adjustments was lower in the biomodulation group. Additionally, biomodulation was associated with a statistically significant increase in the rate of tooth movement, as evidenced by a 20% reduction in the time required to achieve desired tooth alignment (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Biomodulation through low-level laser therapy represents a promising adjunct to traditional orthodontic treatment, significantly accelerating tooth movement and reducing treatment duration.

Opportunities and Challenges for Niosomes as Drug Delivery Systems.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in drug resistance observed in most infectious diseases as well as some forms of cancer, and with the chances of development of new drug molecules to address this issue looking bleak, one of the most plausible ways to disease treatment is combination therapy. PURPOSE: Combination therapy would ensure delay in drug resistance, if utilized rationally. However, the biggest difficulty in employing combination therapy are adverse effects due to potential drug-drug interactions and patient compliance due to multiple routes of administration or multiple dosing that may be required. To overcome these issues, researchers have utilized nanoparticle-based systems that can hold multiple drugs in a single carrier. There are several nanocarrier systems available for such purposes. However, the focus of this review will be non-ionic surfactant-based systems (niosomes) for delivery of multiple therapeutic agents. Niosomes are artificially prepared drug delivery carriers. They are structurally similar to liposomes albeit more stable than them. METHODS: Literature pertaining to combination drug delivery and various drug delivery systems was reviewed. It was conceptualized that many of the methods used to prepare various types of carriers for combination delivery of drugs may be used for niosomal systems as well. CONCLUSION: We envisage that niosomes may effectively be utilized to package older drugs in newer ways. The review will thus focus on techniques that may be used for the formulation of niosomes, ways to encapsulate multiple-drug moieties, and challenges associated in preparing and optimizing such systems.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro study of biocompatible cinnamaldehyde functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (CPGF Nps) for hyperthermia and drug delivery applications in breast cancer.

Cinnamaldehyde, the bioactive component of the spice cinnamon, and its derivatives have been shown to possess anti-cancer activity against various cancer cell lines. However, its hydrophobic nature invites attention for efficient drug delivery systems that would enhance the bioavailability of cinnamaldehyde without affecting its bioactivity. Here, we report the synthesis of stable aqueous suspension of cinnamaldehyde tagged Fe3O4 nanoparticles capped with glycine and pluronic polymer (CPGF NPs) for their potential application in drug delivery and hyperthermia in breast cancer. The monodispersed superparamagnetic NPs had an average particulate size of ∼ 20 nm. TGA data revealed the drug payload of ∼ 18%. Compared to the free cinnamaldehyde, CPGF NPs reduced the viability of breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MDAMB231, at lower doses of cinnamaldehyde suggesting its increased bioavailability and in turn its therapeutic efficacy in the cells. Interestingly, the NPs were non-toxic to the non-cancerous HEK293 and MCF10A cell lines compared to the free cinnamaldehyde. The novelty of CPGF nanoparticulate system was that it could induce cytotoxicity in both ER/PR positive/Her2 negative (MCF7) and ER/PR negative/Her2 negative (MDAMB231) breast cancer cells, the latter being insensitive to most of the chemotherapeutic drugs. The NPs decreased the growth of the breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner and altered their migration through reduction in MMP-2 expression. CPGF NPs also decreased the expression of VEGF, an important oncomarker of tumor angiogenesis. They induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspase-3. Interestingly, upon exposure to the radiofrequency waves, the NPs heated up to 41.6 °C within 1 min, suggesting their promise as a magnetic hyperthermia agent. All these findings indicate that CPGF NPs prove to be potential nano-chemotherapeutic agents in breast cancer.

Advances in progenitor cell therapy using scaffolding constructs for central nervous system injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Current clinical therapy is focused on optimization of the acute/subacute intracerebral milieu, minimizing continued cell death, and subsequent intense rehabilitation to ameliorate the prolonged physical, cognitive, and psychosocial deficits that result from TBI. Adult progenitor (stem) cell therapies have shown promise in pre-clinical studies and remain a focus of intense scientific investigation. One of the fundamental challenges to successful translation of the large body of pre-clinical work is the delivery of progenitor cells to the target location/organ. Classically used vehicles such as intravenous and intra arterial infusion have shown low engraftment rates and risk of distal emboli. Novel delivery methods such as nanofiber scaffold implantation could provide the structural and nutritive support required for progenitor cell proliferation, engraftment, and differentiation. The focus of this review is to explore the current state of the art as it relates to current and novel progenitor cell delivery methods.