Pickering stabilized nanocellulose-alginate: A diosgenin-mediated delivery of quinalizarin as a potent cyto-inhibitor in human lung/breast cancer cell lines.

The current study explores the facile fabrication of multilayer self-assembled electrostatic oil-in-water Pickering emulsions (PEs) using quaternized nanocellulose (Q-NC) and diosgenin-conjugate alginate (DGN-ALG) particles as stabilizers to form hydrocolloid nanocarriers. The conditions of formulation such as storage time, pH, temperature and salt effect on the emulsion stability were evaluated. The results deduced showed good emulsion droplet stability over a period of 30 days. Morphological analysis revealed the hydrodynamic sizes of the PE droplets to be spherically shaped with an average diameter of 150 ± 3.51 nm. Creaming index, wettability and critical aggregation concentrations (CAC) as well as chemical characterization of the PEs were examined. In vitro release kinetics of encapsulated quinalizarin as a model drug was investigated with a determined cumulative drug release (CDR) of 89 ± 1.21% in simulated pH blood medium of pH 7.4. In addition, cellular internalization of the PEs was studied via confocal microscopy imaging and showed high cellular uptake. Also, evaluated in vitro cytotoxicity by MTT assay demonstrated excellent anticancer activity in human lung (A549) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines.

Genipin crosslinked gelatin-diosgenin-nanocellulose hydrogels for potential wound dressing and healing applications.

The present study focuses on the synthesis and evaluation of neomycin-loaded hydrogels as potential substrate for wound healing application. Herein, genipin crosslinked gelatin interpenetrated diosgenin-modified nanocellulose (DGN-NC) hydrogels were synthesized. The hydrogels' chemical structures as well as surface morphology, mechanical property, and thermal behavior were characterized. Swelling analysis and gelation kinetics of the hydrogels were studied and the results obtained showed good swelling capacity as well as high gel yield. In addition, the prepared loaded hydrogels were evaluated for antibacterial activity against human pathogenic E. coli and S. aureus bacteria with inhibition capacity determined in the range of 50-88%. In vitro cytocompatibility and drug release studies were also explored under simulated physiological conditions achieving high cell viability and release percentage >80% and >90% after 24 h, respectively. In effect, the design hydrogels in the present study possess adequate incorporated antibacterial properties with significant potentials towards wound dressing and healing applications.

Pickering emulsions stabilized nanocellulosic-based nanoparticles for coumarin and curcumin nanoencapsulations: In vitro release, anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Coumarin and curcumin have a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer but hindered therapeutic applications due to low stability and poor solubility in water. The main objective of the current study was to overcome these drawbacks via improved bioavailability by nanoencapsulated emulsions. Pickering emulsion (PE) via oil-in-water approach were stabilized by aminated nanocellulose (ANC) particles through application of a full factorial optimization design for nanoemulsions containing different composition of oil phase with medium chain triglyceride (MCT) and Tween 80. The fabricated nanoemulsions and PEs with average particle sizes (≤150 nm) were obtained. Influencing factors such as ANC concentration, storage time and pH on the stability of emulsions were examined alongside zeta potentials. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) of coumarin and curcumin were determined as >90%. Release kinetic profiles for encapsulated PEs displayed sustained release with supposed increase bioavailability. Higher release percent were detected for curcumin encapsulated PE in contrast to coumarin. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation for coumarin and curcumin loaded PEs were further investigated for anticancer and antimicrobial activities using human cell lines (L929 and MCF-7) and different microorganisms (Gram (+), Gram (-) and fungi), respectively. The results clearly demonstrated PE coumarin and curcumin as promising candidates to inhibit microbial growth and to prevent preferential killing of cancer cells compared to normal cells.