Ricerc@Sapienza

Highly hydrophilic and biocompatible nanocarriers based on polysaccharide hydrogels (nanohydrogels,
NHs) were shown to be promising systems for drug delivery applications. Following the idea of these
emerging drug carriers, the aim of the present work was to develop self-assembled hydrogel nanoparticles
based on amphiphilic derivatives of hyaluronic acid (HA) and riboflavin (Rfv), synthesized by “click”
Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. The obtained amphiphilic product

Nanohydrogels based on natural polymers, such as polysaccharides, are gaining interest as vehicles for therapeutic agents, as they can modify the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the carried drugs. In this work, hyaluronan-riboflavin nanohydrogels were tested in vivo in healthy rats highlighting their lack of toxicity, even at high doses, and their different biodistribution with respect to that of native hyaluronan.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most significant human pathogens that is frequently isolated in a wide range of superficial and systemic infections. The ability of S. aureus to invade and survive within host cells such as keratinocytes and host immune cells has been increasingly recognized as a potential factor in persistent infections and treatment failures. The incorporation of antibiotics into hyaluronan-cholesterol nanohydrogels represents a novel paradigm in the delivery of therapeutic agents against intracellular bacteria.

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.