Development of Gum-Acacia-Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles Gel of Rutin against Candida albicans

Development and Characterization of a Hand Rub Gel Produced with Artisan Alcohol (Puntas), Silver Nanoparticles, and Saponins from Quinoa

The emergence of the global pandemic (COVID-19) has directed global attention towards the importance of hygiene as the primary defense against various infections. In this sense, one of the frequent recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) is regular hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Ethanol is the most widely used alcohol due to its effectiveness in eliminating pathogens, ease of use, and widespread production. However, artisanal alcohol, generally used as a spirit drink, could be a viable alternative for developing sanitizing gels. In this study, the use of alcohol "Puntas", silver nanoparticles, and saponins from quinoa was evaluated to produce hand sanitizer gels. The rheological, physicochemical, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. In the previous assays, the formulations were adjusted to be similar in visual viscosity to the control gel. A clear decrease in the apparent viscosity was observed with increasing shear rate, and an inversely proportional relationship was observed with the amount of ethyl alcohol used in the formulations. The flow behavior index (n) values reflected a pseudoplastic behavior. Oscillatory dynamic tests were performed to analyze the viscoelastic behavior of gels. A decrease in storage modulus (G') and an increase in loss modulus (G″) as a function of the angular velocity (ω) was observed. The evaluation of pH showed that the gels complied with the requirements to be in contact with the skin of the people, and the textural parameters showed that the control gel was the hardest. The use of artisan alcohol could be an excellent alternative to produce sanitizer gel and contribute to the requirements of the population.

Synergistic Combination of Letrozole and Berberine in Ascorbic Acid-Stabilized AuNPs: A Promising Solution for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a deadly disease that affects countless women worldwide. The most conventional treatments for breast cancer, such as the administration of anticancer medications such as letrozole (LTZ), pose significant barriers due to the non-selective delivery and low bioavailability of cytotoxic drugs leading to serious adverse effects and multidrug resistance (MDR). Addressing these obstacles requires an innovative approach, and we propose a combined strategy that synergistically incorporates LTZ with berberine (BBR) into stabilised AuNPs coated with ascorbic acid (AA), known as LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs. The LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs, a novel combined drug delivery system, were carefully designed to maximise the entrapment of both LTZ and BBR. The resulting spherical nanoparticles exhibited remarkable efficiency in trapping these two compounds, with rates of 58% and 54%, respectively. In particular, the average hydrodynamic diameter of these nanoparticles was determined to be 81.23 ± 4.0 nm with a PDI value of only 0.286, indicating excellent uniformity between them. Furthermore, their zeta potential was observed to be -14.5 mV, suggesting high stability even under physiological conditions. The release profiles showed that after being incubated for about 24 h at pH levels ranging from acidic (pH = 5) to basic (pH = 7), the percentage released for both drugs ranged from 56-72%. This sustained and controlled drug release can reduce any negative side effects while improving therapeutic efficacy when administered directly to cancer. MDA-MB-231 cells treated with LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs for 48 h exhibited IC50 values of 2.04 ± 0.011 μg/mL, indicating potent cytotoxicity against cells. Furthermore, the nanoparticles demonstrated excellent stability throughout the duration of the treatment.

Metal Nanoparticles to Combat Candida albicans Infections: An Update

Candidiasis is an opportunistic mycosis with high annual incidence worldwide. In these infections, Candida albicans is the chief pathogen owing to its multiple virulence factors. C. albicans infections are usually treated with azoles, polyenes and echinocandins. However, these antifungals may have limitations regarding toxicity, relapse of infections, high cost, and emergence of antifungal resistance. Thus, the development of nanocarrier systems, such as metal nanoparticles, has been widely investigated. Metal nanoparticles are particulate dispersions or solid particles 10-100 nm in size, with unique physical and chemical properties that make them useful in biomedical applications. In this review, we focus on the activity of silver, gold, and iron nanoparticles against C. albicans. We discuss the use of metal nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for antifungal drugs or natural compounds to increase their biocompatibility and effectiveness. Promisingly, most of these nanoparticles exhibit potential antifungal activity through multi-target mechanisms in C. albicans cells and biofilms, which can minimize the emergence of antifungal resistance. The cytotoxicity of metal nanoparticles is a concern, and adjustments in synthesis approaches or coating techniques have been addressed to overcome these limitations, with great emphasis on green synthesis.

Biofabrication of nanoparticles: sources, synthesis, and biomedical applications

Nanotechnology is an emerging applied science delivering crucial human interventions. Biogenic nanoparticles produced from natural sources have received attraction in recent times due to their positive attributes in both health and the environment. It is possible to produce nanoparticles using various microorganisms, plants, and marine sources. The bioreduction mechanism is generally employed for intra/extracellular synthesis of biogenic nanoparticles. Various biogenic sources have tremendous bioreduction potential, and capping agents impart stability. The obtained nanoparticles are typically characterized by conventional physical and chemical analysis techniques. Various process parameters, such as sources, ions, and temperature incubation periods, affect the production process. Unit operations such as filtration, purification, and drying play a role in the scale-up setup. Biogenic nanoparticles have extensive biomedical and healthcare applications. In this review, we summarized various sources, synthetic processes, and biomedical applications of metal nanoparticles produced by biogenic synthesis. We highlighted some of the patented inventions and their applications. The applications range from drug delivery to biosensing in various therapeutics and diagnostics. Although biogenic nanoparticles appear to be superior to their counterparts, the molecular mechanism degradation pathways, kinetics, and biodistribution are often missing in the published literature, and scientists should focus more on these aspects to move them from the bench side to clinics.

Babchi Oil-Based Nanoemulsion Hydrogel for the Management of Psoriasis: A Novel Energy Economic Approach Employing Biosurfactants

The current research aimed to assess the Babchi oil nanoemulsion-based hydrogel prepared using biosurfactants through a low-energy emulsification process for the topical management of psoriasis. The emulsification capacity and solubilities of many nanoemulsion constituents such as surfactants, co-surfactants, and oil were considered to determine the range of concentration of the constituents. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were created using the method of titration. Nanoemulgel structure, morphology, micromeritics, conductivity, and viscosity were all optimized. The assessment of the Babchi oil nanoemulgel included particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), drug content, pH, spreadability, rheological management, ex vivo drug study, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability, in vitro drug release, release kinetics, and dermatokinetics. The selected ratios of the surfactant mixture (Smix) taken were 3:1. The entrapment efficiency estimated was 91.298%. The zeta potential of Babchi oil was observed to be -24.93 mV at 25 °C with water as a dispersant, viscosity as 0.887 cP, and material absorption as 0.01 nm. The size distribution of the particle was 108 nm by the intensity and the conductivity observed was 0.03359 mS/cm. The cumulative amount of Babchi oil penetrated and fluxed by nanoemulgel was considered larger (p ≤ 0.05) than the conventional formulations. Skin retention was observed to be good with decreased lag time. The formulation followed the Higuchi Korsmeyer for Fickian Peppas model for in vitro drug release studies. The oil was most effective on the epidermal layer of the skin for treatment. It was established that the Babchi oil nanoemulgel formulation had superior permeability capabilities for topical and transdermal administration and is a viable alternative to traditional formulations.

Herbal Fennel Essential Oil Nanogel: Formulation, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to humanity in the world. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread easily in communities and hospitals. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a serious human infectious agent with threatening broad-spectrum resistance to many commonly used antibiotics. To prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms, alternative strategies based on nature have been developed. Essential oils (EOs) are derived from numerous plant parts and have been described as antibacterial agents against S. aureus. Fennel essential oils were selected as antibacterial agents encapsulated in nanoparticles of polylactic acid and glycolic acid (PLGA). The optimum size of the formulation after loading with the active ingredient was 123.19 ± 6.1595 nm with a zeta potential of 0.051 ± 0.002 (23 ± 1.15 mV). The results of the encapsulation efficiency analysis showed high encapsulation of EOs, i.e., 66.4 ± 3.127. To obtain promising carrier materials for the delivery of fennel EOs, they were incorporated in the form of nanogels. The newly developed fennel oils in PLGANPs nanogels have good drug release and MIC against S. aureus. These results indicate the potential of this novel delivery system for antimicrobial therapy.