Results of the Surgical Approach of Idiopathic Scoliosis in Adolescents and Postoperative Quality of Life: Systematic Literature Review.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is considered the most severe and common spinal deformity, affecting children and adolescents still in the neuropsychomotor development phase before they reach skeletal maturity. This study aimed to evaluate the surgical approach to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), considering the results associated with the reduction of pathological curvature, pulmonary function, and repercussions on the quality of life of adolescents undergoing such treatment. Systematic literature review, with a quantitative and qualitative approach to the data collected, structured according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), carried out in the databases linked to the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS). The total sample of the studies was 638 adolescents with AIS, with a mean age of 14.93 years ± 1.24. The mean correction of the main pathological curvature in the studies was 55.06% ± 12.24. In all of the selected studies using posterior spinal fusion to correct AIS, there was a significant reduction in pathological curvatures (> 49%), and the recurrence of curvature in none of the studies exceeded a pathological gain of more than 5%. As for lung function, the studies showed significant increases in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with severe AIS, and no pulmonary function losses were reported after surgery to correct AIS.

Enhanced Skin Permeation of Punicalagin after Topical Application of Pluronic Micelles or Vesicles Loaded with Lafoensia pacari Extract.

Punicalagin, the principal ellagitannin of Lafoensia pacari leaves, has proven antioxidant activity, and standardized extracts of L. pacari can be topically used for skin aging management. We hypothesized that Pluronic nanomicelles or vesicles could solubilize sufficiently large amounts of the standardized extracts of L. pacari and provide chemical stability to punicalagin. The standardized extracts of L. pacari were obtained with an optimized extraction procedure, and the antioxidant activity was characterized. Formulations containing Pluronic at 25% and 35% were obtained with or without Span 80. They were characterized by average diameter, polydispersity index, punicalagin content, physicochemical stability, and rheology. A release and skin permeation study was carried out in vertical diffusion cells. The extraction procedure allowed quantifying high punicalagin content (i.e., 141.61 ± 3.87 mg/g). The standardized extracts of L. pacari showed antioxidant activity for all evaluated methods. Pluronic at 25 and Pluronic at 35 with standardized extracts of L. pacari showed an average diameter of about 25 nm. The addition of Span 80 significantly increased the mean diameter by 15-fold (p < 0.05), indicating the spontaneous formation of vesicles. Pluronic formulations significantly protected punicalagin from chemical degradation (p < 0.05). Pluronic at 25 formulations presented as free-flowing liquid-like systems, while Pluronic at 35 resulted in an increase of about 44-fold in |ƞ*|. The addition of Span 80 significantly reduced the Pluronic sol-gel transition temperature (p < 0.05), indicating the formation of vesicles. Formulations with Span 80 significantly enhanced punicalagin skin permeation compared to formulations without Span 80 (p < 0.05). Formulations with Span 80 were demonstrated to be the most promising formulations, as they allowed significant permeation of punicalagin (about 80 to 315 µg/cm2), which has been shown to have antioxidant activity.

Development of carvedilol-loaded lipid nanoparticles with compatible lipids and enhanced skin permeation in different skin models.

The study aimed to develop lipid nanoparticles using excipients compatible with carvedilol (CARV) for enhanced transdermal drug delivery. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) were successfully obtained and fully characterised. Franz diffusion cells were used for release and in vitro permeation studies in the porcine epidermis (EP) and full-thickness rat skin. NLC4 and NLC5 (0.5 mg/mL of CARV) presented small size (80.58 ± 1.70 and 116.80 ± 12.23 nm, respectively) and entrapment efficiency of 98.14 ± 0.79 and 98.27 ± 0.99%, respectively. CARV-loaded NLC4 and NLC5 controlled drug release. NLC4 allowed CAR permeation through porcine EP in greater amounts than NLC5, i.e. 11.83 ± 4.71 µg/cm2 compared to 3.06 ± 0.79 µg/cm2. NLC4 increased CARV permeation by 2.5-fold compared to the unloaded drug in rat skin studies (13.73 ± 4.12 versus 5.31 ± 1.56 µg/cm2). NLC4 seems to be a promising carrier for the transdermal delivery of CARV.

Development of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method for Asiaticoside Quantification in Different Skin Layers after Topical Application of a Centella asiatica Extract.

The topical application of Centella asiatica extract has been commonly used for many different purposes but especially for cosmetic use in the treatment of gynoid lipodystrophy. Asiaticoside, the most active component in this extract, is responsible for its therapeutic activities. However, little is known to date about asiaticoside skin penetration. Thus, an analytical method for asiaticoside quantification in different skin layers after the topical application of C. asiatica extract was developed and skin permeation studies were performed with the plant extract to apply the analytical method developed. An extraction procedure to recover asiaticoside from the biological matrix was also developed. Asiaticoside was assayed by HPLC/UV (high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection) using a gradient of ACN (acetonitrile) and 0.2% phosphoric acid (flow rate of 1.0 mL/min). The analytical procedure was validated according to U. S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Selectivity was shown, as endogenous skin components did not interfere with the asiaticoside peak. Analytical curve was linear (3 to 60 µg/mL) and the lower limit of quantification was determined (3 µg/mL). Asiaticoside recoveries from skin samples were 95.1% and 66.7% for the stratum corneum and remaining skin, respectively. After 48 h of in vitro permeation studies, a substantial amount of asiaticoside was quantified in the skin layers. The presence of asiaticoside was also detected in the receptor solution of Franz diffusion cells after 48 h (5.81 ± 1.00 µg/mL). The method was reliable and reproducible for asiaticoside quantification in skin samples, thereby making it possible to determine the cutaneous penetration profile of this drug in permeation studies.