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Gomes DC, Medeiros TS, Alves Pereira EL, da Silva JFO, de Freitas Oliveira JW, Fernandes-Pedrosa MDF, de Sousa da Silva M, da Silva-Júnior AA. From Benznidazole to New Drugs: Nanotechnology Contribution in Chagas Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13778. [PMID: 37762080 PMCID: PMC10530915 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Benznidazole and nifurtimox are the two approved drugs for their treatment, but both drugs present side effects and efficacy problems, especially in the chronic phase of this disease. Therefore, new molecules have been tested with promising results aiming for strategic targeting action against T. cruzi. Several studies involve in vitro screening, but a considerable number of in vivo studies describe drug bioavailability increment, drug stability, toxicity assessment, and mainly the efficacy of new drugs and formulations. In this context, new drug delivery systems, such as nanotechnology systems, have been developed for these purposes. Some nanocarriers are able to interact with the immune system of the vertebrate host, modulating the immune response to the elimination of pathogenic microorganisms. In this overview of nanotechnology-based delivery strategies for established and new antichagasic agents, different strategies, and limitations of a wide class of nanocarriers are explored, as new perspectives in the treatment and monitoring of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Cavalcante Gomes
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
| | - Thayse Silva Medeiros
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
| | - Eron Lincoln Alves Pereira
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
| | - João Felipe Oliveira da Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
| | - Johny W. de Freitas Oliveira
- Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Centre of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (J.W.d.F.O.); (M.d.S.d.S.)
| | - Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
| | - Marcelo de Sousa da Silva
- Immunoparasitology Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Centre of Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (J.W.d.F.O.); (M.d.S.d.S.)
| | - Arnóbio Antônio da Silva-Júnior
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-UFRN, Natal 59012-570, Brazil; (D.C.G.); (T.S.M.); (E.L.A.P.); (J.F.O.d.S.); (M.d.F.F.-P.)
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Arrua EC, Hartwig O, Loretz B, Murgia X, Ho DK, Bastiat G, Lehr CM, Salomón CJ. Formulation of benznidazole-lipid nanocapsules: Drug release, permeability, biocompatibility, and stability studies. Int J Pharm 2023:123120. [PMID: 37307960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Benznidazole, a poorly soluble in water drug, is the first-line medication for the treatment of Chagas disease, but long treatment periods at high dosages cause several adverse effects with insufficient activity in the chronic phase. According to these facts, there is a serious need for novel benznidazole formulations for improving the chemotherapy of Chagas disease. Thus, this work aimed to incorporate benznidazole into lipid nanocapsules for improving its solubility, dissolution rate in different media, and permeability. Lipid nanocapsules were prepared by the phase inversion technique and were fully characterized. Three formulations were obtained with a diameter of 30, 50, and 100 nm and monomodal size distribution with a low polydispersity index and almost neutral zeta potential. Drug encapsulation efficiency was between 83 and 92% and the drug loading was between 0.66 and 1.04%. Loaded formulations were stable under storage for one year at 4 °C. Lipid nanocapsules were found to protect benznidazole in simulated gastric fluid and provide a sustained release platform for the drug in a simulated intestinal fluid containing pancreatic enzymes. The small size and the almost neutral surface charge of these lipid nanocarriers improved their penetration through mucus and such formulations showed a reduced chemical interaction with gastric mucin glycoproteins. LNCs. The incorporation of benznidazole in lipid nanocapsules improved the drug permeability across intestinal epithelium by 10-fold compared with the non-encapsulated drug while the exposure of the cell monolayers to these nanoformulations did not affect the integrity of the epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Arrua
- Institute of Chemistry, IQUIR-CONICET, National Council Research, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Olga Hartwig
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany; Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Biochemical Sciences, National University of Rosario, Suipacha, 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Brigitta Loretz
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Xabier Murgia
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Duy-Khiet Ho
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Guillaume Bastiat
- LUNAM Université, Micro et Nanomédecines Biomimétiques, F-49933, Angers, France and Inserm, U1066 IBS-CHU, 4 rue Larrey, F-49933 Angers Cédex 9, France
| | - Claus-Michael Lehr
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany; Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Claudio J Salomón
- Institute of Chemistry, IQUIR-CONICET, National Council Research, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina; Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Biochemical Sciences, National University of Rosario, Suipacha, 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina.
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Arrua EC, Hartwig O, Loretz B, Goicoechea H, Murgia X, Lehr CM, Salomon CJ. Improving the oral delivery of benznidazole nanoparticles by optimizing the formulation parameters through a design of experiment and optimization strategy. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 217:112678. [PMID: 35816885 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease affecting the American continent and also some regions of Europe. Benznidazole, approved by FDA, is a drug of choice but its poor aqueous solubility may lead to a low bioavailability and efficacy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to formulate nanoparticles of benznidazole for improving its solubility, dissolution and permeability. A Plackett-Burman design was applied to identify the effect of 5 factors over 4 responses. Then, a Central Composite design was applied to estimate the values of the most important factors leading to the best compromise between highest nanoprecipitation efficiency, drug solubility and lower particle size. The optimized nanoparticles were evaluated for in vitro drug release in biorelevant media, stability studies and transmission electron microscopy. Biocompatibility and permeability of nanoparticles were evaluated on the Caco-2 cell line. The findings of the optimization process indicated that concentration of drug and stabilizer influenced significantly the particle size while concentration of stabilizer and organic/water phase volume ratio mainly influenced the drug solubility. Stability studies suggested that benznidazole nanoparticles were stable after 12 months at different temperatures. Minimal interactions of those nanoparticles and mucin glycoproteins suggested favorable properties to address the intestinal mucus barrier. Cell viability studies confirmed the safety profile of the optimized formulation and showed an increased permeation through the Caco-2 cells. Thus, this study confirmed the suitability of the design of experiment and optimization approach to elucidate critical parameters influencing the quality of benznidazole nanoparticles, which could lead to a more efficient management of Chagas disease by oral route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva C Arrua
- Instituto de Química de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Suipacha 570, 2000 Rosario, Argentina
| | - Olga Hartwig
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Brigitta Loretz
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Héctor Goicoechea
- Laboratorio de Desarrollo Analítico y Quimiometría (LADAQ), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Godoy Cruz 2290, C1425FQB Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Xabier Murgia
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Claus-Michael Lehr
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Claudio J Salomon
- Instituto de Química de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Suipacha 570, 2000 Rosario, Argentina; Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, 2000 Rosario, Argentina.
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Mazzeti AL, Capelari-Oliveira P, Bahia MT, Mosqueira VCF. Review on Experimental Treatment Strategies Against Trypanosoma cruzi. J Exp Pharmacol 2021; 13:409-432. [PMID: 33833592 PMCID: PMC8020333 DOI: 10.2147/jep.s267378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Currently, only nitroheterocyclic nifurtimox (NFX) and benznidazole (BNZ) are available for the treatment of Chagas disease, with limitations such as variable efficacy, long treatment regimens and toxicity. Different strategies have been used to discover new active molecules for the treatment of Chagas disease. Target-based and phenotypic screening led to thousands of compounds with anti-T. cruzi activity, notably the nitroheterocyclic compounds, fexinidazole and its metabolites. In addition, drug repurposing, drug combinations, re-dosing regimens and the development of new formulations have been evaluated. The CYP51 antifungal azoles, as posaconazole, ravuconazole and its prodrug fosravuconazole presented promising results in experimental Chagas disease. Drug combinations of nitroheterocyclic and azoles were able to induce cure in murine infection. New treatment schemes using BNZ showed efficacy in the experimental chronic stage, including against dormant forms of T. cruzi. And finally, sesquiterpene lactone formulated in nanocarriers displayed outstanding efficacy against different strains of T. cruzi, susceptible or resistant to BNZ, the reference drug. These pre-clinical results are encouraging and provide interesting evidence to improve the treatment of patients with Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lia Mazzeti
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Galênico e Nanotecnologia, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil.,Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil.,Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Patricia Capelari-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Galênico e Nanotecnologia, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Maria Terezinha Bahia
- Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Escola de Medicina & Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento Galênico e Nanotecnologia, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 35400-000, Brazil
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