Crude plant extract versus single compounds for vitiligo treatment: Ex vivo intestinal permeability assessment on Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul

Biopharmaceutical profiling of anti-infective sanggenons from Morus alba root bark for inhalation administration

Mulberry Diels-Alder-type adducts (MDAAs), isolated from Morus alba root bark, exhibit dual activity against viral and bacterial pathogens but show sobering efficacy following oral administration. Inhalation administration may overcome issues with oral bioavailability and improve efficacy for the treatment of respiratory infections. To assess the suitability of MDAAs for inhalation administration, physicochemical (e.g. pH, pKa, logP, pH-dependent solubility) and biopharmaceutical (epithelial cytotoxicity, permeability, and uptake) properties of two bioactive MDAA stereoisomers sanggenon C (SGC) and sanggenon D (SGD) were evaluated as isolated natural compounds and within parent extracts (MA21, MA60). Despite their structural similarity, SGD exhibited a 10-fold higher solubility than SGC across pH 1.2-7.4, with slight increases at neutral pH. Both compounds were more soluble in isolated form than in the parent extracts. The more lipophilic SGC was found to be more cytotoxic when compared to SGD, indicating a better cellular penetration, which was confirmed by uptake studies. Nonetheless, SGC and SGD exhibited no measurable permeability across intact Calu-3 monolayers, highlighting their potential for increased lung retention and improved local anti-infective activity following inhalation administration. Results suggest that SGC and SGD in isolated form, rather than as extracts, are promising candidates for pulmonary drug delivery to treat lung infections.

A Review of Phototoxic Plants, Their Phototoxic Metabolites, and Possible Developments as Photosensitizers

This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding phototoxic terrestrial plants and their phototoxic and photosensitizing metabolites. Within the 435,000 land plant species, only around 250 vascular plants have been documented as phototoxic or implicated in phototoxic occurrences in humans and animals. This work compiles a comprehensive catalog of these phototoxic plant species, organized alphabetically based on their taxonomic family. The dataset encompasses meticulous details including taxonomy, geographical distribution, vernacular names, and information on the nature and structure of their phototoxic and photosensitizing molecule(s). Subsequently, this study undertook an in-depth investigation into phototoxic molecules, resulting in the compilation of a comprehensive and up-to-date list of phytochemicals exhibiting phototoxic or photosensitizing activity synthesized by terrestrial plants. For each identified molecule, an extensive review was conducted, encompassing discussions on its phototoxic activity, chemical family, occurrence in plant families or species, distribution within different plant tissues and organs, as well as the biogeographical locations of the producer species worldwide. The analysis also includes a thorough discussion on the potential use of these molecules for the development of new photosensitizers that could be used in topical or injectable formulations for antimicrobial and anticancer phototherapy as well as manufacturing of photoactive devices.

Improvement in Solubility-Permeability Interplay of Psoralens from Brosimum gaudichaudii Plant Extract upon Complexation with Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

Psoralen (PSO) and 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) are widely used drugs in oral photochemotherapy against vitiligo and major bioactive components of root bark extract of Brosimum gaudichaudii Trécul (EBGT), previously standardized by LC-MS. However, the exceptionally low water solubility of these psoralens can cause incomplete and variable bioavailability limiting their applications and patient adherence to treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) inclusion complex on the solubility and jejunal permeability of PSO and 5-MOP from EBGT. Characterization of inclusion complexes were evaluated by current methods in nuclear magnetic resonance studies on aqueous solution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopy in solid state. Ex vivo rat jejunal permeability was also investigated and compared for both pure psoralens and plant extract formulation over a wide HP-β-CD concentration range (2.5 to 70 mM). Phase solubility studies of the PSO- and 5-MOP-HP-β-CD inclusion complex showed 1:1 inclusion complex formation with small stability constants (Kc < 500 M−1). PSO and 5-MOP permeability rate decreased after adding HP-β-CD by 6- and 4-fold for pure standards and EBGT markers, respectively. Nevertheless, the complexation with HP-β-CD significantly improved solubility of PSO (until 10-fold) and 5-MOP (until 31-fold). As a result, the permeability drop could be overcome by solubility augmentation, implying that the HP-β-CD inclusion complexes with PSO, 5-MOP, or EBGT can be a valuable tool for designing and developing novel oral drug product formulation containing these psoralens for the treatment of vitiligo.

Design of nanoemulgel using Argania spinosa microfibrillated cellulose and natural emulsifiers foreseeing melanogenesis enhancement

Nanotechnology is a route of choice that improves administration and efficacy of bioactive compounds. In this study, nanoemulgels were prepared using microfibrillated cellulose from Argania spinosa shell (AS-MFC) and Argan shell (ASE) or Argan press cake extracts (APC) as natural emulsifiers. Oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions were prepared using different natural emulsifiers or synthetic emulsifiers and presented a nano size (d_3,2 < 140 nm). Following that, the nanoemulsions were incorporated within AS-MFC matrix and rheological properties confirmed a shear thinning behavior. Confocal micrographs of nanoemulgels confirmed the dispersion of nanoemulsions in the AS-MFC network without affecting the nanoemulsions stability. Finally, in vitro bioassay on B16F10 using ASE or APC nanoemulsions was conducted. This study confirmed cell permeation in B16F10 cells of formulated nanoemulsions and the upregulation of melanin content up to 30% more that the untreated cells. This study designed novel MFC nanoemulgel with high potential application in healthcare and cosmetic field.