Encapsulation and Controlled Release of Vitamin B2 Using Peracetyl-β-Cyclodextrin Polymer-Based Electrospun Nanofiber Scaffold

Functionalized composite nanofiber membranes for selective steroid hormone micropollutants uptake from water: Role of cyclodextrin type

Cyclodextrins (CD) entrapped in nanofiber composite membranes are potential selective adsorbing materials to remove steroid hormone (SHs) micropollutants from water. This study aims to elucidate the role of CD macrocyclic host type on the SHs inclusion complexation and uptake in filtration. Three CD types (α, β, and γ) are cross-linked with epichlorohydrin to form polymers (αCDP, βCDP and γCDP) and entrapped into a nanofiber composite membrane by electrospinning. TGA analysis confirmed the CD entrapment into the nanofiber without loss of CD molecules during filtration. The CD type plays a dominant role in controlling the removal of different SHs. A similar removal (range 33 to 50 %) was observed with αCDP, irrespective of the SH type. In contrast, removal and uptake dependent on SH type were observed for β and γCDP, with the highest removal of 74 % for progesterone, followed by estradiol (46 %) and estrone (27 %) and the lowest removal of 3 % for testosterone. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation revealed a stronger and more stable complex formed with βCDP, as demonstrated by: i) the closer spatial distribution of SH molecules from the βCDP cavity and, ii) the quantum chemistry calculations of the lower de-solvation energy (+6.0 kcal/mol), which facilitates the release of water molecules from interacting interface of CD molecule and hormone. Regarding γCDP, the highest de-solvation energy (+8.3 kcal/mol) poses an energetic barrier, which hinders the formation of the inclusion complex. In the case of αCDP, a higher interaction energy (-8.9 kcal/mol) compared to βCDP (-4.9 kcal/mol) was obtained, despite the broader spatial distribution observed from the MD simulation attributed to a dominant hydrogen bonding interaction with the OH primary groups on the external surface cavity. The findings highlight the relevance of the CD type in designing selective adsorbing membranes for steroid hormone micropollutant uptake. Experimental results and MD simulation suggest that βCD is the most suitable CD type for steroid hormone uptake, due to a more stable and stronger inclusion complexation than α and γCD.

Cyclodextrins and their potential applications for delivering vitamins, iron, and iodine for improving micronutrient status

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have been investigated as potential biopolymeric carriers that can form inclusion complexes with numerous bioactive ingredients. The inclusion of micronutrients (e.g. vitamins or minerals) into cyclodextrins can enhance their solubility and provide oxidative or thermal stability. It also enables the formulation of products with extended shelf-life. The designed delivery systems with CDs and their inclusion complexes including electrospun nanofibers, emulsions, liposomes, and hydrogels, show potential in enhancing the solubility and oxidative stability of micronutrients while enabling their controlled and sustained release in applications including food packaging, fortified foods and dietary supplements. Nano or micrometer-sized delivery systems capable of controlling burst release and permeation, or moderating skin hydration have been reported, which can facilitate the formulation of several personal and skin care products for topical or transdermal delivery of micronutrients. This review highlights recent developments in the application of CDs for the delivery of micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, iron, and iodine, which play key roles in the human body, emphasizing their existing and potential applications in the food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals industries.

Development and evaluation of quercetin enriched bentonite-reinforced starch-gelatin based bioplastic with antimicrobial property

Nowadays novel bio-based materials have been widely employed in food and pharmaceutical industry because of their wide acceptability by the consumers rather than the synthetic materials nevertheless, they possess poor mechanical properties. Reinforcement of biopolymers with intercalation of mineral clays can improve their physicochemical properties; so that such biocomposites possess superior barrier and mechanical properties as well as stability and drug loading efficacy. Thus, this research aimed at formulating quercetin loaded bentonite-reinforced starch-gelatin based novel bioplastic with diverse applicability. The methodology of the study included Box Behnken optimization as well as physical, structural, mechanical and antimicrobial properties evaluation of the proposed reinforced bioplastics. Amount of starch, bentonite and glycerin were the independent variables while the tensile strength, swelling index and elongation percentage were studied as dependent variables. The optimized bioplastic film showed excellent physicochemical and morphological characteristics and also for efficient percentage drug content. The antimicrobial activity showed the highest activity against Escherichia coli followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the non-homogenous nature of the film. Generally, the results revealed that quercetin loaded bentonite-reinforced starch-gelatin based could be used as ecological friendly active food packaging as well as pharmaceutical application with significant antimicrobial properties.

Thermoplastic starch/bentonite clay nanocomposite reinforced with vitamin B2: Physicochemical characteristics and release behavior

This study presents the development and characterization of a nanocomposite material, consisting of thermoplastic starch (TPS) reinforced with bentonite clay (BC) and encapsulated with vitamin B₂ (VB). The research is motivated by the potential of TPS as a renewable and biodegradable substitute for petroleum-based materials in the biopolymer industry. The effects of VB on the physicochemical properties of TPS/BC films, including mechanical and thermal properties, water uptake, and weight loss in water, were investigated. In addition, the surface morphology and chemical composition of the TPS samples were analyzed using high-resolution SEM microscopy and EDS, providing insight into the structure-property relationship of the nanocomposites. The results showed that the addition of VB significantly increased the tensile strength and Young's modulus of TPS/BC films, with the highest values observed for nanocomposites containing 5 php of VB and 3 php of BC. Furthermore, the release of VB was controlled by the BC content, with higher BC content leading to lower VB release. These findings demonstrate the potential of TPS/BC/VB nanocomposites as environmentally friendly materials with improved mechanical properties and controlled release of VB, which can have significant applications in the biopolymer industry.

PEG-mesoporous material modified by superparamagnetic nanoparticles as a delivery system of cefotaxime

The fight against infectious bacterial diseases has been taking major steps forward by designing new nanodrugs and nanoscale biological carriers with unique physicochemical properties. Here, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-silica mesoporous material/superparamagnetic CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticle nanocomposite was synthesized using a facile chemical approach, and proposed as a carrier for the delivery of cefotaxime (CTX) drug. The resulting nanocomposite material and nanocomposite CTX drug carrier were characterized by different techniques. Antibacterial activity of the nanocomposite drug carrier was investigated against E.coli and S. aureus bacteria, and compared with that of commercial CTX drug. It was found that the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the nanocomposite drug carrier (1.25 and 5 μg/mL) were significantly less than those of the commercial drug (10 and 80 μg/mL) against the bacteria. Furthermore, enhanced performance of the nanocomposite CTX carrier for both the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was evidenced.

Silver-coated magnetic nanoparticles as an efficient delivery system for the antibiotics trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole against E. Coli and S. aureus: release kinetics and antimicrobial activity

Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole are prescribed for a broad spectrum of bacteria. However, the use of these medicines is restricted due to the risk of microbial resistance in the body. Nanotechnology is a strategy for overcoming this problem by helping develop novel drug delivery systems. This study aims to assess the ability of Fe₃O₄/Ag and Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/Ag nanoparticles to improve efficiency of the traditional formulation of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. Fe₃O₄/Ag and Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/Ag were found to have sphere-like morphologies with average sizes of 33.2 and 35.1 nm, respectively. The values of the zeta potential for the pure sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim were -30.6 and -10.0 mV, respectively, which increased to zero or even larger positive values after being conjugated with the NPs. The study of the release kinetics showed that 64.7% of the medicines were released from the carriers within 40 days. The values of MIC for sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, Fe₃O₄/Ag/sulfamethoxazole, Fe₃O₄/Ag/trimethoprim, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/Ag/sulfamethoxazole, and Fe₃O₄@SiO₂/Ag/trimethoprim against Escherichia coli were calculated to be 12, 9, 4, 4, 4, and 4 μg/mL, respectively. Besides, the relevant values against Staphylococcus aureus were measured to be 12, 9, 4, 4, 3, and 2 μg/mL, respectively. The use of synthesized nanomaterials for the delivery of these antibiotics leads to smaller doses compared to their traditional forms.

In situ dual crosslinking strategy to improve the physico-chemical properties of thermoplastic starch

This study is focused on enhancing the stability of mechanical and chemical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) by dual crosslinking strategy through melt processing conditions. The dually crosslinked TPS was prepared by in situ reaction of starch, glycerol, and epichlorohydrin (ECH), resulting in both noncovalent and covalent bond formation. The TPS was characterized by tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA), rheology, and solubility in water. A substantial increase in tensile strength, Young's modulus, insoluble portion, and stability in water for dually crosslinked TPS was observed in comparison with conventional TPS. The rheology results indicated that the ECH induced the formation of 3D networks and significantly limited the chain mobility of the melted TPS, resulting in an extended relaxation process, which was also verified by DMTA. The suggested strategy avoids any chemical modification pretreatment of starch for introducing covalent bonds into TPS before one-step mixing using the melt processing technique.

Polymer-free cyclodextrin and natural polymer-cyclodextrin electrospun nanofibers: A comprehensive review on current applications and future perspectives

The present review discusses the use of cyclodextrins and their derivatives to prepare electrospun nanofibers with specific features. Cyclodextrins, owing to their unique capability to form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic and volatile molecules, can indeed facilitate the encapsulation of bioactive compounds in electrospun nanofibers allowing fast-dissolving products for food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical purposes, filtering materials for wastewater and air purification, as well as a variety of other technological applications. Additionally, cyclodextrins can improve the processability of naturally occurring biopolymers helping the fabrication of "green" materials with a strong industrial relevance. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art of different cyclodextrins-based nanofibers including those made of pure cyclodextrins, of polycyclodextrins, and those made of natural biopolymer functionalized with cyclodextrins. To this end, the advantages and disadvantages of such approaches and their possible applications are investigated along with the current limitations in the exploitation of electrospinning at the industrial level.

Electrospinning of Cyclodextrin Functional Nanofibers for Drug Delivery Applications

Electrospun nanofibers have sparked tremendous attention in drug delivery since they can offer high specific surface area, tailored release of drugs, controlled surface chemistry for preferred protein adsorption, and tunable porosity. Several functional motifs were incorporated into electrospun nanofibers to greatly expand their drug loading capacity or to provide the sustained release of the embedded drug molecules. In this regard, cyclodextrins (CyD) are considered as ideal drug carrier molecules as they are natural, edible, and biocompatible compounds with a truncated cone-shape with a relatively hydrophobic cavity interior for complexation with hydrophobic drugs and a hydrophilic exterior to increase the water-solubility of drugs. Further, the formation of CyD-drug inclusion complexes can protect drug molecules from physiological degradation, or elimination and thus increases the stability and bioavailability of drugs, of which the release takes place with time, accompanied by fiber degradation. In this review, we summarize studies related to CyD-functional electrospun nanofibers for drug delivery applications. The review begins with an introductory description of electrospinning; the structure, properties, and toxicology of CyD; and CyD-drug complexation. Thereafter, the release of various drug molecules from CyD-functional electrospun nanofibers is provided in subsequent sections. The review concludes with a summary and outlook on material strategies.