The formation of zein-chitosan complex coacervated particles: Relationship to encapsulation and controlled release properties.

The complex coacervation between zein and chitosan (CS) as well as the relationship with the controlled release properties of their complex nanoparticles were studied. The factors influencing the nanoparticle formation between zein and CS, including solid to liquid ratio, zein to CS ratio and pH, were systematically investigated. The isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) showed that zein-CS interaction was spontaneous exothermic process. The pH the higher was, the stronger the interaction between zein and CS. The mean particle sizes of ZCNPs were increased by enhanced turbidity between zein and CS (from 90.89 nm to 1368.77 nm). The morphology study showed that spherical particles and coacervate were obtained with the increased interaction between zein and CS. The release profiles of curcumin in vitro indicated that slight burst effect followed by slow release was observed after interacting CS. The ZCNPs at pH 4.0 exhibited smaller particle size (162.07 nm), more stable ζ-potential (49.7 mV), higher encapsulation efficiency (94.67%) and slower release rate. In conclusion, the stronger the interaction was, the lower the curcumin released from the nanoparticles in vitro, and the ZCNPs at pH 4.0 had better potential in oral delivery application.

Curcumin analogues with high activity for inhibiting human prostate cancer cell growth and androgen receptor activation.

The androgen receptor (AR) has a critical role in prostate cancer development and progression. Several curcumin analogues (A10, B10, C10, E10 and F10) with different linker groups were investigated for their effects in human prostate cancer CWR­22Rv1 and LNCaP cell lines. The ability of these compounds to inhibit testosterone (TT)­ or dihydrotestosterone (DHT)­induced AR activity was determined by an AR­linked luciferase assay and by TT­ or DHT­induced expression of prostate specific antigen. Compounds F10 and E10 had stronger inhibitory effects on the growth of cultured CWR­22Rv1 and LNCaP cell lines, and they also had enhanced stimulatory effects on apoptosis compared with curcumin and other curcumin analogues (A10, B10, C10) in CWR­22Rv1 cells. E10 and F10 were more potent inhibitors of AR activity than curcumin, A10 and B10. The higher activities of E10 and F10 may be correlated with a heteroatom linker. The results indicate that one of the potential mechanisms for the anticancer effect of the curcumin analogues was inhibition of AR pathways in human prostate cancer cells.

Effects of curcumin analogues for inhibiting human prostate cancer cells and the growth of human PC-3 prostate xenografts in immunodeficient mice.

Four curcumin analogues ((2E,6E)-2,6-bis(thiophen-3-methylene) cyclohexanone (AS), (2E,5E)-2,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene) cyclopentanone (BS), (3E,5E)-3,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene)-tetrahydropyran-4-one (ES) and (3E,5E)-3,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene)-tetrahydrothiopyran-4-one (FS) as shown in Fig. 1) with different linker groups were investigated for their effects in human prostate cancer CWR-22Rv1 and PC-3 cells. Compounds FS and ES had stronger inhibitory effects than curcumin, AS and BS on the growth of cultured CWR-22Rv1 and PC-3 cells, as well as on the androgen receptor (AR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. The strong activities of ES and FS may be correlated with a heteroatom linker. In animal studies, severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with PC-3 cells in Matrigel. After 4 to 6 weeks, mice with PC-3 tumors (about 0.6 cm wide and 0.6 cm long) received daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of vehicle, ES and FS (10 µg/g body weight) for 31 d. FS had a potent effect in inhibiting the growth and progression of PC-3 tumors. Our results indicate that FS may be useful for inhibiting human prostate tumors growth.

Oxymatrinium tetra-chloridoferrate(III).

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C(15)H(25)N(2)O(2))[FeCl(4)], contains a tetra-chloridoferrate(III) anion and a oxymatrinium cation [oxymatrine is (4R,7aS,13aR,13bR,13cS)-dodeca-hydro-1H,5H,10H-dipyrido[2,1-f:3',2',1'-ij][1,6]naphthyridin-10-one 4-oxide]. The conformation of oxymatrine is similar to that of matrine with one ring having a half-chair conformation, while the others have chair conformations. Chiral chains of cations along the c axis are formed by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

[Inhibition of extracts from Synotis erythropappa on tyrosinase].

OBJECTIVE: To study the inhibition of extracts from Synotis erythropappa on tyrosinase. METHODS: The 70% ethanol extracts were extracted by petroleum benzine, ethyl acetate and n-butanol, and the inhibitory activities against tyrosinase of every fraction were determined in vitro and the inhibitory kinetics of ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions were investigated. RESULTS: The four fractions extracted all had inhibitory activities on tyrosinase, inhibitory activities of ethyl acetate and n-butanol fraction were higher. Their IC50 were 57.8, 140 microg/ml for monophenol oxidase activity and 41.2, 59.6 microg/ml for diphenol oxidase activity, respectively. The inhibition kinetics analyzed by Hnewaver-Burk plots showed that ethyl acetate fraction was a competitive type inhibitor, and its Ki was determined to be 19.7 microg/ml. n-butanol fraction was an uncompetitive type inhibitor, and its Ki was determined to be 60.7 microg/ml. CONCLUSION: Ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of extracts from Synotis erythropappa show potential inhibitory activity on tyrosinase.