Tailoring microstructural, drug release properties, and antichagasic efficacy of biocompatible oil-in-water benznidazol-loaded nanoemulsions.

This study explored the transition of lamellar-type liquid crystal (LLC) to biocompatible oil-in-water nanoemulsions able to modify benznidazole (BNZ) release and target the drug to cells infected with the T. cruzi parasite. Three cosolvents (2methylpyrrolidone [NMP], polyethylene glycol [POL], and propylene glycol [PRO] were tested to induce the transition of anisotropic LLC systems to isotropic nanoemulsions. Mixtures of soy phosphatidylcholine with sodium oleate stabilized the dispersions of medium chain triglyceride in water. Rheological measurements, polarized microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering demonstrated that there is a phase transition from LLC to desired nanoemulsions. These small and narrow droplet-sized nanocarriers exhibited some advantages and promising features, such as the enhanced BNZ aqueous solubility and slow drug release rate. In vitro cell biocompatibility of formulations was assessed in the Vero E6 and SiHa cell lines. Drug-loaded nanoemulsions inhibited the epimastigote growth of the T. cruzi parasite (IC50 0.208 ±â€¯0.052 µg mL-1) and reduced its infective life form trypomastigote (IC50 0.392 ±â€¯0.107 µg mL-1). The oil-in-water nanoemulsions were demonstrated as promising biocompatible liquid drug delivery systems capable of improving the BNZ trypanocidal activity for the treatment of Chagas disease.

Evaluation of toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of phytol and its nanoemulsion.

Phytol (PYT) is a diterpenoid having important biological activity. However, it is a water non-soluble compound. This study aims to prepare PYT nanoemulsion (PNE) and evaluation of toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of PYT and PNE. For this, the PNE was prepared by the phase inversion method. The cytotoxicity test was performed in Artemia salina, while toxicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in Allium cepa at concentrations of 2, 4, 8 and 16 mM. Potassium dichromate and copper sulfate were used as positive controls for the tests of A. salina and A. cepa, respectively. In addition, an adaptation response was detected in A. cepa by using the comet assay. The results suggest that both PYT and PNE exhibited toxic and cytotoxic effects at 4-16 mM in either test system, while genotoxicity at 2-16 mM in A. cepa. PNE exhibited more toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects at 8 and 16 mM than the PYT. However, both PYT and PNE at 2 and 4 mM decreased the index and frequency of damage in A. cepa after 48 and 72 h, suggesting a possible adaptation response or DNA damage preventing capacity. Nanoemulsified PYT (PNE) may readily cross the biological membranes with an increase in bioavailability and produce more toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in the used test systems.

Phase Transitions of Isotropic to Anisotropic Biocompatible Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems Overcoming Insoluble Benznidazole Loading.

Previous studies reported low benznidazole (BNZ) loading in conventional emulsions due to the weak interaction of the drug with the most common oils used to produce foods or pharmaceuticals. In this study, we focused on how the type of surfactant, surfactant-to-oil ratio w/w (SOR) and oil-to-water ratio w/w (OWR) change the phase behavior of different lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) produced by emulsion phase inversion. The surfactant mixture composed of soy phosphatidylcholine and sodium oleate (1:7, w/w, hydrophilic lipophilic balance = 16) stabilized medium chain triglyceride in water. Ten formulations with the clear aspect or less turbid dispersions (five with the SOR ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 and five with the OWR from 0.06 to 0.4) were selected from the phase behavior diagram to assess structural features and drug-loading capacity. The rise in the SOR induced the formation of distinct lipid-based drug delivery systems (nanoemulsions and liquid crystal lamellar type) that were identified using rheological measurements and cross-polarized light microscopy images. Clear dispersions of small and narrow droplet-sized liquid-like nanoemulsions, Newtonian flow-type, were produced at SOR from 0.5 to 1.5 and OWR from 0.12 to 0.4, while clear liquid or gel-like liquid crystals were produced at SOR from 1.5 to 2.5. The BNZ loading was improved according to the composition and type of LBDDS produced, suggesting possible drug location among surfactant layers. The cell viability assays proved the biocompatibility for all of the prepared nanoemulsions at SOR less than 1.5 and liquid crystals at SOR less than 2.5, demonstrating their promising features for the oral or parenteral colloidal delivery systems containing benznidazole for Chagas disease treatment.

Triethanolamine stabilization of methotrexate-ß-cyclodextrin interactions in ternary complexes.

The interaction of methotrexate (MTX) with beta-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) in the presence of triethanolamine (TEA) was investigated with the aim to elucidate the mechanism whereby self-assembly cyclodextrin systems work in association with this third component. Solubility diagram studies showed synergic increment of the MTX solubility to be about thirty-fold. Experiments using 2D ROESY and molecular modeling studies revealed the inclusion of aromatic ring III of the drug into ß-CD cavity, in which TEA contributes by intensifying MTX interaction with ß-CD and stabilizes MTX:ß-CD:TEA ternary complex by electrostatic interaction. The maintenance of these interactions in solid phase was also studied in ternary MTX:ß-CD:TEA and comparisons were made with freeze dried binary MTX:ß-CD and physical mixtures. FTIR studies evidenced that MTX-ß-CD interaction remained in solid ternary complexes, which was also supported by thermal (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG)/first derivative of TG analysis (DTG) and C,N,H elementary analysis) and structural (X-ray diffraction analysis, (XRD)) studies, mainly regarding the increment of drug stability. The efficient in vitro drug dissolution studies successfully demonstrated the contribution of ternary complexes, which highlights the importance of this possible new raw material for further applications in drug delivery systems.