Topical ocular administration using thermosensitive chitosan-glycerophosphate-PRP hydrogels for improved ocular bioavailability.

PURPOSE: One of the difficulties in the pharmacy field is the delivery of drugs for the eyes. Topical therapy is one of the most common methods for treating eye diseases. Due to their unique properties, including biocompatibility and suitable degradation, hydrogels are appropriate for biological purposes. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), as a designated concentration of platelets, is in a smaller volume than the plasma and is considered a rich source of growth factor that has been used in recent years, including applications in eye diseases including corneal wound healing, improvement of dry eye and post-LASIK syndrome. METHODS: The present study was performed to fabricate Chitosan (CS) and glycerophosphate (GP) based hydrogels that are temperature-sensitive for PRP and investigate their effect on ocular stem cells. RESULTS: CS-GP-based temperature-sensitive hydrogels containing PRP were successfully fabricated using CS and GP. This hydrogel is liquid at ambient temperature and a gel at ocular temperature. Rheology, FTIR, and SEM tests assessed the properties of the hydrogels. The results of the MTT test showed that the hydrogel made with the optimal formulation was not toxic to LSC cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Given this, CS-GP-based hydrogels can be applied as a biocompatible formulation in ocular medication administration with increased bioavailability at the ocular surface and topical delivery of PRP.

Preliminary Findings of Platelet-Rich Plasma-Induced Ameliorative Effect on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hormonal imbalance, oxidative stress and chronic anovulation. The present study was designed to assess ameliorative effect of auto-locating platelet-rich plasma (PRP), as a novel method, for inhibiting PCOS-induced pathogenesis in experimentally-induced hyperandrogenic PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, 30 immature (21 days old) female rats were assigned into five groups, including control (sampled after 30 days with no treatment), 15 and 30 days PCOS-sole-induced as well as 15 and 30 days PRP auto-located PCOS-induced groups. Serum levels of estrogen, progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), ovarian total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were evaluated. Expression of estrogen receptor α (Erα), ß (Erß) and c-Myc were assessed. Finally, the numbers of intact follicles per ovary and mRNA damage ratio were analyzed. RESULTS: PRP groups significantly (P<0.05) decreased serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone and androstenedione and remarkably (P<0.05) increased estrogen and progesterone syntheses versus PCOS-sole groups. The PRP auto-located animals exhibited increased TAC, GSH-px and SOD levels, while they showed diminished MDA content (P<0.05) versus PCOS-sole groups. The PRP auto-located groups exhibited an elevated expression of Erα and Erß versus PCOS-sole groups. Moreover, PRP groups significantly (P<0.05) decreased c-Myc expression and mRNA damage compared to PCOS-sole groups, and remarkably improved follicular growth. CONCLUSION: PRP is able to regulate hormonal interaction, improve the ovarian antioxidant potential as well as folliculogenesis and its auto-location could be considered as a novel method to prevent/ameliorate PCOS-induced pathogenesis.