AbstractDesigning bone substitute scaffolds using soft materials with appropriate mechanical and biological features is still a challenging issue. In our current work, we have aimed to design biodegradable and bioactive nanocomposite systems by incorporation of ordered mesoporous SiO2–CaO–P2O5 (MBG) in chitosan-gelatin (CG) blends. MBG was derived by the combination of sol-gel/hydrothermal/evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) techniques. The FE-SEM results showed that MBG nanoparticles had almost spherical shape with good homogeneity and particle size of approximately smaller than 100 nm. TEM images confirmed that the order of mesostructures was enhanced depending on Si content where 85SiO2.10CaO.5P2O5 (M85S) had the most order of porosities. The highest surface area and pore volume belonged to M85S which were 389.01 m2 g−1 and 0.378 cm3 g−1, respectively. Incorporation of M85S in CG makes macro-porous internal morphologies of scaffolds with pore sizes ranging from 20 to 120 μm. The introduction of MBG improved the compression strength of CG from 0.7 to 4.5 MPa. Moreover, the physicochemical properties including biodegradation rates and swelling ratios were decreased and the densities of scaffolds were increased. MTT and ALP assay results indicated no toxicity, proper cell attachments and proliferations on the pore surfaces and bone formation capability of scaffolds, respectively which were intensified by increasing the MBG content. These findings suggest that the developed scaffolds possess prerequisites and can be used as potential scaffolds for hard tissue regeneration.

AbstractHydrogel skin grafts provide a moist environment and act as a regenerative template to the newly formed tissue. In this study, we developed 3D-bio-printed hydrogels using methacrylated pectin and methacrylated gelatin together with an antibacterial agent (curcumin), a bioactive agent (Vitamin-C) and fibroblast cells. Curcumin release was almost 10 times higher at pH 7.4 than pH 5.0, and it demonstrated antimicrobial affinity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. The developed 3D-bio-printed hydrogels containing cells and bioactive agents demonstrated high cell viability, cell proliferation, and collagen production, and are promising skin graft candidates for the treatment of full-thickness problematic wounds.

AbstractIn this study cinnamaldehyde (CA) doped polyurethane cholesteryl pelargonate cholesteric liquid crystal composite membranes were produced and their properties were examined for use in biological applications. The relationship between the blood coagulation and protein adsorption was studied and the results showed that increasing CA concentration allowed an improvement in biological properties of them. Additionally, the effect of CA on the hyrophobicity of these membranes was investigated by determining water holding capacity, contact angles. The mechanical strength of these membranes were determined and it was found that their strength increased and the ability to elongate decreased with an increasing CA dopant concentration.

AbstractDevelopment of novel nano therapeutic material is of great interest among the researchers and with continuous advancement in nanotechnology, dendrimer a monodispersed unimicellar nanosize drug carrier with spacious globular 3D architecture in which the drug can be encapsulated is widely explored. This encapsulation of drug improves its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics properties and more importantly enhances their bioavailability. A dendrimer based drug delivery system is a boon in targeted drug delivery. Its applications are not restricted to the pharmaceutical or medical field but also in other fields of science. The presence of various functional groups on the periphery has made their surface modifiable with therapeutic drugs, diagnostic agents, and targeting ligands. The vast surface area shows its capability to be used as a catalyst in chemical reactions too. And its biocompatibility makes its use much more effective and safer than other nano-carriers. This review tries to give a comprehensive description of this nano therapeutic, its properties, characteristics, method of synthesis, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and recent applications in various fields, which can help the researchers for producing more promising outcomes of the dendrimers.

AbstractAn innovative electrically conductive hydrogel was fabricated through the incorporation of silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) and poly(aniline-co-dopamine) (PANI-co-PDA) into oxidized alginate (OAlg) as a biomimetic scaffold for bone tissue engineering application. The developed self-healing chemical hydrogel was characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, XRD, and TGA. The electrical conductivity and swelling ratio of the hydrogel were obtained as 1.7 × 10−3 S cm−1 and 130%, respectively. Cytocompatibility and cell proliferation potential of the developed scaffold were approved by MTT assay using MG-63 cells. FE-SEM imaging approved the potential of the fabricated scaffold for hydroxyapatite (HA) formation and bioactivity induction through immersing in SBF solution.

AbstractCarbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been used to prepare drug nanocarriers. Zinc (Zn) ions play a crucial role in biological processes. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a biopolymer used in the medical field. In this work, the synthesis of ion Zn-ion-functionalized CNTs/PEG nanocomposites is described. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized using the FE-SEM, FT-IR, XPS, and DSC techniques. The ability of the prepared nanocomposites to release the anticancer drug cisplatin (CP) was assessed. The cytotoxicity of the studied nanocomposites loaded or unloaded with CP toward HeLa cells was evaluated, and their capacity to inhibit the growth of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined. The cytotoxicity tests show that HeLa cells showed considerably larger decrease in cell viability owing to exposure to CP compared to that owing to exposure to Zn-ion-functionalized CNTs/PEG nanocomposites.

AbstractHerein, a novel grafted chitosan nanogel with 3,4-methylenedioxycinnamic acid was carried out aiming at the encapsulation of the monoterpenes carvacrol and thymol, with the purpose of developing a material that can be used in the control of the fungus Microsporum canis. The nanogel encapsulation efficiency showed an encapsulation capacity of 12.9% carvacrol and 13.3% thymol. When in an aqueous medium the nanogel with the respective encapsulated monoterpene oils was able to form stable nanoparticles. The nanogels chitosan-g-3,4-methylenedioxycinnamic acid-carvacrol and chitosan-g-3,4-methylenedioxycinnamic acid-thymol showed antifungal potential against the fungus Microsporum canis, being able to inhibit mycelial growth by 100.00 and 93.13%, respectively.

AbstractTargeted drug delivery (TDD) systems have several advantages, especially with drugs having toxic side effects such as lornoxicam (LX) which shows high hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, especially with long-term use. This work represents an attempt to control magnetic microspheres encapsulating LX and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) for potential targeted drug delivery of LX. Superparamagnetic nanoparticles were fabricated via the co-precipitation method and together with LX were encapsulated into polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres through an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion solvent evaporation method. The effects of changing the amount of drug, MNPs, and volume of the aqueous phase were investigated by preparing several microsphere formulations. Increasing the amount of encapsulated MNPs increased the magnetization of the microspheres without affecting the morphology. Doubling the volume of the aqueous phase resulted in a higher encapsulation efficiency and drug loading; 83.9% and 10.7%, respectively, while increasing the amount of drug had a negative effect on both drug loading and encapsulation efficiency. Drug release from the microspheres was successfully achieved and showed a biphasic nature. A system of four planar coils was then used to magnetically control the movement of a cluster of capsules in a glycerin medium, as a simulation for the targeting process. The microspheres were successfully controlled to move in a U-turn path with sharp corners demonstrating their potential for TDD applications.

AbstractFluorescent dyes, or fluorophores, enable researchers to visualize specific biological molecules by fluorescence microscopy. Herein, a novel fluorescent FITC-poly(amidoamine) (FITC-PAMAM) dendrimers have been synthesized via divergent approach. The molecular structure of the FITC-PAMAM dendrimers (G-0 to G5) was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopy and by FTIR. In order to emphasize the structural efficacy of FITC-PAMAM dendrimer, the drug delivery behavior has been evaluated by using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as a model cancer therapy drug. Anti-proliferative activity of FITC-cored PAMAM dendrimers in all generations (G0-G5) with or without 5-FU were analyzed on human gastric carcinoma cells (AGS) by WST-1 cell proliferation assay. Initially, the nontoxic dose of unloaded FITC-PAMAM dendrimers was assessed for further drug loading experiments. Loading of 5-FU into FITC-PAMAM dendrimers, regardless of generation, increased the toxicity of the drug. Besides, 5-FU loaded FITC-PAMAM dendrimers induced a generation-based gradual inhibition of cell proliferation. FITC and phase contrast merged images indicated that FITC-PAMAM dendrimers facilitate the entry of the drug into the cells, in a generation-dependent manner. The FITC- dendrimers may serve as a promising intracellular drug delivery agent for 5-FU by increasing cell uptake into cells and thereby, enhancing antiproliferative activity on AGS cells in a generation-dependent manner.

AbstractPresent review focuses the glucose sensing nature of polymer and biopolymer nanocomposites (PNCs). Enzymatic and non-enzymatic sensing mechanisms are explained relating to active participation of PNCs. Different methods of glucose sensing like electrochemical, fluorescence, colorimetric, SPR and SERS-based techniques are logically explained by considering their advantages and drawbacks for critical analysis. The glucose sensing efficacy of various fillers such as clay, graphene and quantum dots in PNCs are compared. Sensing behaviors of various PNCs with conducting polymers and polysaccharides are also established. This detailed analysis may help in solving challenges in glucose sensing by PNCs during therapeutic approach toward diabetes.

AbstractAmphiphilic cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol-methyl methacrylate) (PVA-PMMA) copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using a two-step process. Unlike other polymers, which are typically produced via direct polymerization, PVA is produced from the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). Therefore, in the first part of the project, copolymeric PVAc-PMMA NPs were prepared by using the radical emulsion polymerization method in different concentrations of BDOD (0–10% mol.) and water: methanol compositions. Conversion degree, morphology, particle size, and polymerization rate of non-agglomerated samples were evaluated. The optimal sample that synthesized in water: methanol % (90:10) as polymerization medium and 2.5% mol. crosslinker was hydrolyzed by 0.6 M NaOH solution. To confirm the hydrolysis reaction, FE-SEM, FT-IR, DLS, 1H NMR, and TGA tests were performed. The optimal sample was loaded by methotrexate (MTX), and drug release investigated at different times by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The sustained and pH-responsive profile of drug release in vitro was observed, and 47.24% of the drug was released at pH = 7.4 and 65.39% at pH = 5.8 after 96 h. Also, the MTT assay and dual-fluorescent acridine orange/propidium iodide assay showed that drug-loaded nanocarriers exhibited anticancer activity as applied to MCF-7 cells.

AbstractIn this study, latanoprost-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/LAT) nanofibers were developed as an ocular drug delivery system for glaucoma treatment. The nanofibers were constructed via electrospinning and crosslinked by glutaraldehyde. The characterization studies were conducted by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller analyses, water contact angle measurements, and also swelling and degradation studies. The PVA/LAT nanofibers crosslinked with 0.5% glutaraldehyde solution for 20 min had a cumulative release of 52% for 23 days. The results demonstrated that the PVA/LAT nanofibers have a usage potential as an ocular drug delivery system for glaucoma treatment.

AbstractBecause fossil-based polymer particles are generally not biologically degradable, which has led to their significant accumulations as microplastic is now a serious global problem. Therefore, bio-based polymers synthesized from renewable monomers have received much attention due to their biodegradability and biocompatibility. The biopolymer in particle forms has been recently recognized as a functional material. Dispersed systems mainly synthesized them via radical polymerization. The radicals generated by gamma radiation were applied in this work to reduce chemical consumption, where cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) was used as the main biopolymer in precipitation polymerization. The generated radical will abstract the hydrogen atom on the CAB chain, giving an active site for radical polymerization. After the comonomers, methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, were grafted to the CAB chains, the copolymer chains were self-assembly to form a particle and precipitate out from the continuous phase. Various parameters such as gamma rays dose, water content, and monomer type were studied to obtain high conversion and colloidal stability of the obtained CAB-based particles. It was found that at 10 kGy (cumulative radiation), 0.31 wt% of water and using hydrophilic monomer as hydroxyethyl methacrylate (40 wt%-CAB) was the optimal condition where the CAB-based particles with high conversion (∼≥90%), about 100 nm and high stability were obtained. Moreover, this technique encapsulated Citronella oil, an essential oil model, and found that the capsule size bit increased about 300 nm where %EE and %LE are 60 and 30%, respectively. This result indicated that radiation-initiated radical precipitation polymerization is an easy and potential technique to prepare cellulose-based particles and capsules, which may apply to other biopolymers.

AbstractSkin injuries are common problems and large skin defects or infected skin needs extra attention that make the researchers find new solutions. Herein, a novel biocompatible, biodegradable antibacterial scaffold containing gelatin, TiO2, polycaprolactone, and silk fibroin loaded with different ratios of curcumin (0.5, 1, and 1.5% wt.) was fabricated with electrospinning technique and was tested with various in vitro tests. The cellular investigations (cell adhesion, cell viability, and in vitro migration test) and antibacterial assay revealed the higher efficiency of the scaffold with 1% wt. curcumin and further investigation were performed on this scaffold. The morphological observation confirmed the nanofibrous structure of the scaffold, with 0.10 ± 0.015 μm average fiber diameter. This scaffold showed hydrophilic nature with high swelling ratio absorption and 76.45 ± 5.19% degradation ratio after 2 weeks. Also, it could provide adequate mechanical properties for skin regeneration. The drug-releasing investigation revealed Cur’s controlled release over 48 h. Therefore, this biocompatible and antibacterial scaffold showed high potential for treating skin injuries and is suggested for future in vivo studies.

AbstractOleuropein-loaded photocrosslinked hydrogels, consisting of methacrylated pectin (PEC-MA) and methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HA-MA), were developed as a new hydrogel wound dressing. Pectin and hyaluronic acid were methacrylated and the composite hydrogels were developed by photocrosslinking of the methacrylated polymer precursors. Methacrylation and the photocrosslinking reactions were approved by 1H-NMR and FTIR analyses. In addition to thermal and morphological characterizations, swelling and in vitro degradation studies were performed. More importantly, bioactivity studies, such as cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and hemolysis were performed to reveal the potential of the oleuropein-loaded photocrosslinked hybrid hydrogels for wound dressing applications. In vitro scratch assay studies showed that oleuropein-loaded wound dressing effectively promoted the wound healing compared to the control in 24 hrs. Oleuropein-loaded photocrosslinked hydrogels had no genotoxic and cytotoxic effects on L929 cells and could have a potential for wound healing applications.

AbstractThe nervous system is a vital component of the human body, and its dysfunction can have fatal consequences or severe adverse effects. After significant disabling conditions, the nervous system is not able to recover damaged parts. Schwann cells are needed in a short period to regenerate nerve cells, but they do not support axonal growth-permissive phenotype. In this regard, implanting growth factors, small molecules, stem cells, and biological macromolecules in peripheral nerve injury would promote axonal outgrowth. In this review, the nervous system, related injuries, and essential factors applied for nerve regeneration are systematically highlighted.

AbstractDifferent types of wound dressings have been introduced in various forms such as membrane, gel, sponge, and hydrocolloid. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural polymer produced by many bacterial cells. It has received much attention in wound-healing due to its attractive and suitable properties including purity, ultrafine network structure, high water holding capacity, excellent mechanical properties, cytocompatibility, and high crystallinity. In this review, the wound healing process is first described, then the types of wound dressings and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Also, BC-based wound dressings and their combination with other materials are investigated for antimicrobial activity.

AbstractThe incorporation of the drug Isoniazid (an anti-tuberculosis drug) into nanoparticles of polyelectrolyte chitosan-poly(aspartic acid) complexes was carried out by the ionotropic gelation technique, adding a sodium polyaspartate solution containing the drug to a chitosan solution in different proportions in a mass ratio (mg/mg) Isoniazid/Chitosan. This was confirmed by MALDI-TOF/MS, ESI/MS, FTIR, and UV-Vis. The lowest average particle diameter (PD), estimated by DSL, was 148.5 ± 1 nm corresponding to an Isoniazid/chitosan ratio (mg/mg) of 0.5:1. FE-SEM showed nanoparticles in the order of 100–300 nm; whereas AFM showed semi-spherical particle morphology.

AbstractThe most recent WHO statistics of the year 2020 shows that lung cancer accounts for the maximum cancer mortality cases, with 1.8 million deaths annually. The current treatment strategies for lung cancer involve the three classical approaches adopted in all types of cancer, that is, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical procedures. Apart from these, radiofrequency ablation, immunotherapy, and palliative care is provided to improve the prognosis of the patients. However, the ever-increasing number of about 2.2 million new cases of lung cancer each year along with an increase in its causative factors like tobacco smoking and air pollutants, demand newer and more effective therapies to control the disease. The treatment is usually started with chemotherapy, which is mostly given parenterally, which gives higher systemic concentration than the lung tissue, leading to non-selective action and generally has lower patient compliance. In this article, we aim to review the use of nanocarriers like carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, quantum dots, micelles, magnetic nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, and liposomes for targeted lung cancer treatment. Comparison of several clinical trials shows the superiority of lipid-based nanocarriers called liposomes, and their use through the pulmonary route to control the cancer growth as well as selective accumulation in the lung tissue, slow-release, and higher effectiveness, with least adverse effects. Liposomes are a tiny bubble, spherical vesicles which have at least one lipid bilayer. We have also addressed the challenges related to factors like drug resistance, particle size, etc., faced during incorporation of antineoplastic agents into the liposomes and ways to overcome them. Lastly, we have addressed the wide scope of inhalational liposomal treatment as a course of medical care in lung cancer and its future prospects.

AbstractSuper Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles have attracted much attention in drug delivery systems because of their considerable surface-to-volume ratio and content as well. In this regard, in this study, four different formulations of magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized via various polymeric coating layer (beta-cyclodextrin, Chitosan, Gum Arabic, and Alginate) in order to find an appropriate polymer in terms of higher drug loading efficiency and capacity. Molecular dynamics simulation and Quantum mechanics were manipulated to examine the interaction mechanism between the polysaccharide polymers and Doxorubicin. Based on the calculated results, As the best candidate, βCD was chosen for DOX loading. DOX, a hydrophilic drug, was loaded into each of the four formulations. The optimum formulation, Fe3O4-ßCD, possessed loading efficiency and capacity, with 97% and 13%, respectively. The selected nanocarrier was fully characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared, VSM, TGA, XRD, SEM, UV-Vis, DLS, and TEM. TEM result exhibited the prepared Fe3O4-ßCD-DOX nanoparticles had a spherical shape (core and shell) and the size of around 15 nm. In vitro release investigation was conducted using HPLC analysis in the phosphate-buffered saline in acidic (pH = 5.4) and neutral (pH = 7.4) medium. The obtained results demonstrated that a sustain release performance for more than 72 h with the amount of 50% DOX release in pH = 5.4. Cytotoxicity assay showed the toxicity of bare Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-ßCDNPsagainst MDA-MB468 cancerous cell and MCF10A normal cell was negligible and DOX-loaded NPs (Fe3O4-ßCD-DOX) illustrated a higher toxicity in MDA-MB468 cancerous cells than MCF 10 A normal cells. The results showed that Fe3O4-ßCD-DOXNPs could improve the therapeutic efficacy and also reduce the adversarial effects; accordingly, the prepared system could be served as a promising drug delivery system in cancer treatment.