Boron nitride nanostructures as effective adsorbents for melphalan anti-ovarian cancer drug. Preliminary MTT assay and in vitro cellular toxicity

Incrimination and impact on recovery times and effects of BN nanostructures on antineoplastic drug-electronic density study

CONTEXT

By delivering the drug to the intended cell location, the use of nanomaterials in the drug delivery system may influence how the patient receives the medication and may assist in mitigating severe side effects. Density functional theory was used to assess the use of boron carbon nitride nanocages (BNCNCs), boron nitride (BNNSs), and boron carbon nitride nanosheets (BNCNSs) as melphalan (Mln) drug carriers in both the gaseous and fluid phases. We systematically examined the dipole moment, density of states, frontier molecular orbital, and optimal adsorption energy to understand the targeted drug delivery potential of these nanostructures. Adsorption energy analysis revealed that in both gas and water media, Mln drug adsorption takes place spontaneously on all the conjugated structures. The occurrence of adsorption energy as physisorbed energy suggests that the process is reversible, and desorption can take place with a much lower energy input. This physical contact is appropriate for the unquestionable unloading of Mln medications to the intended location. The reactivity is higher in BNNSs and BNCNSs, while the stability is higher in BNCNCs. The recovery time shows a shorter time for BNNSs and BNCNSs, while BNCNC shows a potential desorption time in higher temperature. These conclusions are corroborated by the results of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). After the interaction analysis, it was observed that the BNCNCs can act as potential carriers for the melphalan. From dipole moment analysis, all three nanostructures show a high hydrophilic nature but quite higher in BNCNCs after doping in both media. Overall, all the structures show the potential carrier for melphalan drug.

METHODS

The quantum mechanical approach, or DFT, has been used to study the fundamental structural, electrical, thermodynamic, and other aspects of proposed structures to develop an acceptable Mln drug detector. The adsorbate and all adsorbents were optimized via the hybrid B3LYP functional and the 6-311G +  + (2d, p) basis set approach prior to the adsorption process. The Gaussian 09 package was used at 298 K as the constant temperature and 1 atm as the constant pressure. The structures are examined using the same functional models for solvation analysis-6-311 G +  + (2d, p) and B3LYP-as well as the polarized continuum model (PCM) model as the foundation set. Density of states was studied using GaussSum 3.0 software. The interaction studies QTAIM and RDG were studied using VMD and Multiwfn software.

Molecular engineering of BODIPY-bridged fluorescent probes for lysosome imaging - a computational study

Lysosome imaging plays an important role in diagnosing many diseases and understanding various intracellular processes. Recently, B0 was reported as a fluorescent probe capable of detecting lysosomal viscosity changes. BODIPY is fused into the molecule as a bridge between the acceptor and donor components of B0, yielding nine new B molecules. Computational design and analysis of their optoelectronic properties were conducted to evaluate their effectiveness as fluorescent probes for lysosome imaging, with a specific target of HSA inside lysosomes. Optimized geometries reveal excellent π electron delocalization, resulting in nearly planar molecular structures. Frontier molecular orbital analysis suggests intramolecular charge transfer, along with π-π* transitions, from donor to bridge. TD-DFT calculations were performed to study absorption properties in the solvent phase, with B3PW91 showing good agreement with experiments. Molecular docking studies indicate that B derivatives can bind with HSA, and molecular dynamics simulations confirm their HSA targeting ability. This investigation highlights the introduction of BODIPY as a bridge for developing new probes capable of producing NIR fluorescence for bio-imaging, aiding in disease diagnosis.

Supported of gold nanoparticles on carboxymethyl lignin modified magnetic nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst for reduction of nitroarenes and treatment of human melanoma

This article represents the synthesis and characterizations of Au NPs immobilized and carboxymethyl lignin (CML) modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs) following a bio-inspired protocol without the participation of any toxic and harmful reductant or stabilizers. Following various physicochemical methodologies, such as FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, VSM, and ICP-OES, the textural characteristics and different structural aspects were evaluated. The Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite was subsequently explored towards the catalytic reduction of diverse aromatic nitro functions using green conditions. An excellent yield were achieved within very short reaction time. Nine recycling runs of the nanocatalyst were completed without a discernible loss of catalytic activity, thanks to its easy magnetic recovery. The DPPH assay was carried out to examine the antioxidant effectiveness. The Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite inhibited half of the DPPH in a 250 μg/mL solution. To measure the anti-human melanoma efficacy of Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite, MTT assay was applied on HT144, MUM2C, IPC-298 and SKMEL24 cell lines. Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite had high anti-human melanoma efficacy on above tumor cells. The best finding of anti-human melanoma properties of Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite was seen in the case of the SKMEL24 cell line. The IC50 of Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite was 137, 145, 185, and 125 μg/mL against HT144, MUM2C, IPC-298 and SKMEL24 cells, respectively. This research exhibited remarkable anti-human melanoma and antioxidant efficacies of Fe3O4@CML/Au NPs nanocomposite in the in vitro condition.

Theoretical and experimental studies on sulfasalazine interactions with poly (lactic acid): Impact of hydrogen bonding and charge transfer interactions on molecular structure, electronic and optical properties

The interaction between sulfasalazine (SSZ) through different functional groups and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) in the chloroform phase was investigated in this study using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. The binding energy and thermodynamic parameters show that the hydrogen double bond interaction between SSZ and PLA in state I (-0.71 eV) is stronger than in states II (-0.64 eV) and III (-0.51 eV). The SSZ and PLA interaction results in an enhanced dipole moment, greater solubility, and more negative values for Gibbs free energy (ΔGsolv) and energy gap (Eg). Considerable changes in absorption peaks of SSZ and PLA indicate surface adsorption of the drug (SSZ) into the carrier (PLA) in UV-Vis spectra. Theoretical UV-Vis analysis demonstrates SSZ interaction with PLA happens in the ultraviolet region with a maximum absorption peak at 380 nm, which is close to experimental UV-Vis analysis. The experimental spectra showed minimal variations in the maximum absorption wavelength, with respect to theoretical calculations. The presence of SSZ was found to cause a modification in the structure of PLA, as evidenced by both experimental and theoretical Infrared (IR) spectra.

Anticancer and Biological Effects of Some Natural Compounds and Theoretical Investigation of them Against RdRP of SARS-COV-2: In Silico and In Vitro Studies

In this study, Skullcapflavone I and Skullcapflavone II molecules showed good inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase and sorbitol dehydrogenase enzymes with IC50 values of 102.66 ± 8.43 and 95.04 ± 11.52 nM for α-glucosidase and 38.42 ± 3.82 and 28.81 ± 3.26 µM for sorbitol dehydrogenase. The chemical activities of Skullcapflavone I and Skullcapflavone II against α-glucosidase and sorbitol dehydrogenase were assessed by conducting the molecular docking study. The anticancer activities of the compounds were examined against SW-626, SK-OV-3, OVCAR3, and Caov-3 cell lines. The chemical activities of Skullcapflavone I and Skullcapflavone II against some of the expressed surface receptor proteins (estrogen receptor, EGFR, androgen receptor, and GnRH receptor) in the mentioned cell lines were investigated using in silico calculations. Moreover, the activity of the compounds against RNA polymerase of SARS-COVE-2 was also assessed using the molecular modeling study. These compounds created strong contacts with the enzymes and receptors. The considerable binding affinity of the compounds to the enzymes and proteins showed their ability as inhibitors. Furthermore, even at modest dosages, these substances markedly reduced the viability of ovarian cancer cells. Additionally, the viability of ovarian cancer cells was significantly decreased by a 300 μM dosage of all compounds. Antiovarian cancer results of Skullcapflavone I on SK-OV-3, SW-626, OVCAR3, and Caov-3 were 63.14, 1.55, 19.42, and 52.04 µM, respectively. Also, cytotoxicity results of Skullcapflavone II on SK-OV-3, SW-626, OVCAR3, and Caov-3 were 5.18, 21.44, 33.87, and 72.66 µM, respectively.

Deciphering the electrochemical sensing capability of novel Ga12As12 nanocluster towards chemical warfare phosgene gas: insights from DFT

The applications of 3D inorganic nanomaterials in environmental and agriculture monitoring have been exploited continuously; however, the utilization of semiconductor nanoclusters, especially for detecting warfare agents, has not been fully investigated yet. To fill this gap, the molecular modelling of novel inorganic semiconductor nanocluster Ga12As12 as a sensor for phosgene gas (highly toxic for living things and the environment) is accomplished employing benchmark DFT and TD-DFT investigations. Computational tools have been applied to explore different adsorption sites and the potential sensing capability of the Ga12As12 nanoclusters. The calculated adsorption energy (-21.34 ± 2.7 kcal mol-1) for ten selected complexes, namely, Pgn-Cl@4m-ring (MS1), Pgn-Cl@6m-ring (MS2), Pgn-Cl@XY66 (MS3), Pgn-O@4m-ring (MS4), Pgn-O@XY66 (MS5), Pgn-O@XY64 (MS6), Pgn-O@Y (MS7), Pgn-planar@Y (MS8), Pgn-planar@X (MS9), and Pgn-planar@4m-ring (MS10), manifest the remarkable and excessive adsorption response of the studied nanoclusters. The explored molecular electronic properties, such as interaction distance (3.05 ± 0.5 Å), energy gap (∼2.17 eV), softness (∼0.46 eV), hardness (1.10 ± 0.01 eV), electrophilicity index (10.27 ± 0.45 eV), electrical conductivity (∼1.98 × 109), and recovery time (∼3 × 10-12 s-1) values, ascertain the elevated reactivity and an imperishable sensitivity of the Ga12As12 nanocluster, particularly for its complex MS8. QTAIM analysis exhibits the presence of a strong electrostatic bond (positive ∇2ρ(r) values), electron delocalization (ELF < 0.5), and a strong chemical bond (because of high all-electron density values). In addition, NBO analysis explores the lone pair electron delocalization of phosgene to the nanocluster stabilized by intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) and different kinds of non-covalent interactions. Also, the green region existence expressed by NCI analysis (between the nanocluster and adsorbate) stipulate the energetic and dominant interactions. Furthermore, the UV-Vis, thermodynamic analysis, and density of state (DOS) demonstrate the maximum absorbance (562.11 nm) and least excitation energy (2.21 eV) by the complex MS8, the spontaneity of the interaction process, and the significant changes in HOMO and LUMO energies, respectively. Thus, the Ga12As12 nanocluster has proven to be a promising influential sensing material to monitor phosgene gas in the real world, and this study will emphasize the informative knowledge for experimental researchers to use Ga12As12 as a sensor for the warfare agent (phosgene).

Formulation, optimization and characterization of raloxifene hydrochloride loaded PLGA nanoparticles by using Taguchi design for breast cancer application

Multidrug resistance in breast cancer and the associated side-effects of anticancer therapies are significant hurdles in chemotherapy-based treatment. Biodegradable polymeric nano-based targeted drug delivery technologies showed tremendous advantages in targeted local delivery with limited off-targeted side effects. Therefore, there is a persistent need to develop targeted nanomedicine systems for treatment of breast cancer. The current research attempted to develop poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles loaded with raloxifene by modified emulsification solvent diffusion evaporation method to improve oral bioavailability by using Taguchi design. It was observed that the optimized formulation (1:4 drug to polymer ratio) poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) showed a mean particle size and Polydispersity index of 218 ± 23.7 nm and 0.231 ± 0.04, respectively. The entrapment efficiency was found to be 82.30% ± 1.02%. In vitro drug delivery was found to be 92.5% ± 1.48% in 40 h. The nanoparticles were to remain stable at 2°C-8°C even after 30 days. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy characterization techniques showed that there was no interaction between the drug and excipient. Stability studies indicate that polymeric nanoparticles were stable at 2°C-8°C after 6 months. Raloxifene nanoparticles may be the most potent targeting moieties to treat highly invasive and metastatic MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Preparation and evaluation of astaxanthin-loaded 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® nanoparticles based on electrospray technology

BACKGROUND

Astaxanthin is a type of food-derived active ingredient with antioxidant, antidiabetic and non-toxicity functions, but its poor solubility and low bioavailability hinder further application in food industry. In the present study, through inclusion technologies, micellar solubilization and electrospray techniques, we prepared astaxanthin nanoparticles before optimizing the formulation to regulate the physical and chemical properties of micelles. We accomplished the preparation of astaxanthin nanoparticle delivery system based on single needle electrospray technology through use of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® to improveme the release behavior of the nanocarrier.

RESULTS

Through this experiment, we successfully prepared astaxanthin nanoparticles with a particle size of approximately 80 nm, which was further verified with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the encapsulation of astaxanthin molecules into the carrier nanoparticles was verified via the results of attenuated total reflectance intensity and X-ray powder diffraction techniques. The in vitro release behavior of astaxanthin nanoparticles was different in media that contained 0.5% Tween 80 (pH 1.2, 4.5 and 6.8) buffer solution and distilled water. Also, we carried out a pharmacokinetic study of astaxanthin nanoparticles, in which it was observed that astaxanthin nanoparticle showed an effect of immediate release and significant improved bioavailability.

CONCLUSION

2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and Soluplus® were used in the present study as a hydrophilic nanocarrier that could provide a simple way of encapsulating natural function food with repsect to improving the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble ingredients. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.