Ricerc@Sapienza

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which are strongly hydrophilic and dimensionally suitable for drug delivery, were used in loading and release studies of two different copper(I)-based antitumor complexes, namely [Cu(PTA)4 ]+ [BF4 ]− (A; PTA = 1, 3, 5-triaza-7-phosphadamantane) and [HB(pz)3 Cu(PCN)] (B; HB(pz)3 = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, PCN = tris(cyanoethyl)phosphane). In the homoleptic, water-soluble compound A, the metal is tetrahedrally arranged in a cationic moiety. Compound B is instead a mixed-ligand (scorpionate/phosphane), neutral complex insoluble in water.

Bile acids are a very important class of natural surfactants, showing
themselves and their derivatives as effective self-assembling materials. The morphology of bile acid derivative aggregates is strongly
dependant upon the substituents present both on the rigid steroid
backbone and on the side chain, making them suitable for applications in
nanochemistry, sensing and drug delivery.

LY2157299 (LY), which is very small molecule bringing high cancer diffusion, is a pathway antagonist against TGFβ. LY dosage can be diluted by blood plasma, can be captured by immune system or it might be dissolved during digestion in gastrointestinal tract. The aim of our study is to optimize a "nano-elastic" carrier to avoid acidic pH of gastrointestinal tract, colon alkaline pH, and anti-immune recognition. Polygalacturonic acid (PgA) is not degradable in the gastrointestinal tract due to its insolubility at acidic pH.

Nano-systems, often used in biomedical applications for the treatment of a broad category of illnesses, represent one of the nanomedicine approaches recently proposed to target specific drugs only in the region where the disease has been developed. Recently the use of this technique has been proposed with electropulsation, hence taking advantage of the enhanced permeabilization of the cell membrane and simultaneously control the release of the encapsulated drug by the nano-system.

Several nanotechnologies rely on the use of magnetic field for therapeutic purposes, as cancer treatment, inflammation, and diseases of the nervous system. The liposomal drug delivery system is a novel technique that allows a controlled release of drugs encapsulated in a nanocarrier (i.e. liposomes), by the application of an external (electric, magnetic, thermal) stimulus to guarantee a local effect on the region where the disease has developed.

Smart drug delivery systems represent an interesting tool to significantly improve the efficiency and the precision in the treatment of a broad category of diseases. In this context, a drug delivery mediated by nanosecond pulsed electric fields seems a promising technique, allowing for a controlled release and uptake of drugs by the synergy between the electropulsation and nanocarriers with encapsulated drugs.

In this work we used a combination of different techniques to investigate the adsorption properties of curcumin by zeolite type A for potential use as an anticancer drug carrier. Curcumin is a natural water-insoluble drug that has attracted great attention in recent years due to its potential anticancer effect in suppressing many types of cancers, while showing a synergistic antitumor effect with other anticancer agents. However, curcumin is poorly soluble in aqueous solutions leading to the application of high drug dosage in oral formulations.

The ability of synthetic zeolites to encapsulate and deliver the bioactive compound curcumin, which is well-known for its therapeutic effects, is investigated. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, is a water-insoluble compound that has attracted great attention in recent years because of its anti-inflammatory properties and anticancer activity. In our research, we use different types of zeolites (LTA and FAU) for loading of curcumin.

The electromagnetic fields application as a way to enhance biomedical techniques has recently drawn the attention of the scientific community, together with the possibility to use biocompatible nanocarriers to safely transport therapeutic substances along the body. For this reason, microdosimetric studies represent a fundamental tool to deeply understand biological effects and improve drug delivery nanosystems methods.

Polymeric oral thin films (OTFs) were prepared by the casting method, combining gellan gum (GG), a water-soluble polysaccharide, and glycerol (Gly) as a plasticizing agent. GG-Gly films were investigated as potential systems for buccal drug delivery using fluconazole (Class I of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System) as a model drug. At a low concentration of Gly drug precipitation occurred while, for higher concentrations of Gly, a significant deterioration of mucoadhesive and mechanical properties was observed.