Lychnopholide, a lipophilic sesquiterpene lactone, is efficacious in mice at the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease. Conventional poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) and long-circulating poly(D,L-lactide)-block-polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) nanocapsules containing lychnopholide were developed and characterized. Lychnopholide presented high association efficiency (>90%) with the nanocapsules. A new, fast and simpl...
Background: Nanocapsules, as a delivery system, are able to target drugs and other biologically sensitive molecules to specific cells or organs. This system has been intensively investigated as a way to protect bioactives drugs from inactivation upon interaction with the body and to ensure the release to the target. However, the mechanism of improved activity of the nanoencapsulated molecules is far from being ...
Wereport the in vitro release profile and comparative pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of a newperoxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist and cyclooxygenase inhibitor (Lyso-7) free or associated to poly(D,Llactic acid) nanocapsules (NC) after intravenous administration in mice. Lyso-7 pertains to the class of insulinsensitizing agents that shows potential beneficial effects in diabetes therapy. Mo...
Nanoparticles of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), poly(D,L-lactide) and polyethylene glycol-blockpoly (D,L-lactide) were developed to encapsulate chloroaluminium phthalocyanine (AlClPc), a new hydrophobic photosensitiser used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The mean nanoparticle size varied from 115 to 274 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency ranged from 57% to 96% due to drug precipitation induced by different t...
The present work describes the preparation, characterization and labelling of conventional and surface-modified nanocapsules (NC) with 99mTc-HMPAO. The size, size distribution and homogeneity were determined by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and zeta potential by laser doppler anemometry. The morphology and the structural organization were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The stability and rel...
Several classes of antifungal have been employed in candidiasis treatment, but patients with advanced immunodeficiency can present unsatisfactory results after therapy. In these cases, high doses of drugs or the use of multiple agents are sometimes used, and hence increasing the risk of serious side effects. Considering theses difficulties, the encapsulation of antifungal agents in nanoparticulate carriers has ...
The kinetics and microstructural evolution of austenite formation in a low carbon steel, with initial microstructure composed of ferrite and pearlite, were studied during continuous heating, by using dilatometric analysis and measurements of microstructural parameters. The formation of austenite was observed to occur in two stages: (a) pearlite dissolution and (b) ferrite to austenite transformation. The critic...