Ricerc@Sapienza

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.

Natural antioxidants, such as astaxanthin (AX), resveratrol (RV) and curcumin (CU), are bioactive molecules that show a number of therapeutic effects. However, their applications are remarkably limited by their poor water solubility, physico-chemical instability and low bioavailability.

Magnetic nanoparticles with superparamagnetic properties have attracted increased attention for
applications in biomedicine, as they exhibit a strong magnetization only when an external magnetic
field is applied. Magnetoliposomes (MLs) are the combination of liposomes with encapsulated
magnetic nanoparticles. The potential applications of these hybrid nanocarriers have been
increasingly recognized as providing significant biomedical application possibilities. However, it is

In the last decade, many innovative nanodrugs have been developed, as well as many nanoradiocompounds that show amazing features in nuclear imaging and/or radiometabolic therapy. Their potential uses offer a wide range of possibilities. It can be possible to develop nondimensional systems of existing radiopharmaceuticals or build engineered systems that combine a nanoparticle with the radiopharmaceutical, a tracer, and a target molecule, and still develop selective nanodetection systems.

Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an interesting class of gene-encoded molecules endowed with a broad-spectrum of anti-infective activity and immunomodulatory properties. They represent promising candidates for the development of new antibiotics, mainly due to their membrane-perturbing mechanism of action that very rarely induces microbial resistance. However, bringing AMPs into clinical field is hampered by some intrinsic limitations, encompassing low peptide bioavailability at the target site and high peptide susceptibility to proteolytic degradation.

In recent years, novel nanofabrication approaches have attracted the growing interest of researchers in the biomedical field. Nanomaterials are highly versatile tools that can interact with cells in general, including bacteria, animal and plant cells. When used as drug carriers, NPs can afford improved circulation and biodistribution, in addition to high drug loading and controlled release rates, as well as protection from degradation that may occur both in vitro and in vivo.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is commonly used to treat several tumor types, but its severe side effects, primarily cardiotoxicity, represent a major limitation for its use in clinical settings. In this study we developed and characterized biodegradable and stable poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) submicrocarriers employing an osmosis-based patented methodology, which allowed to optimize the drug loading efficiency up to 99%.

Temozolomide (TMZ) is the current first-line chemotherapy for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, similar to other brain therapeutic compounds, access of TMZ to brain tumors is impaired by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) leading to poor response for GBM patients. To overcome this major hurdle, we have synthesized a set of TMZ-encapsulating nanomedicines made of four cationic liposome (CL) formulations with systematic changes in lipid composition and physical-chemical properties.