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Bioactive Materials: State-of-the-Art Research and Development Prospects

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 1011

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
2. The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, 060023 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: microbiology; immunology; new antimicrobial agents; host-pathogen signaling; infection control; antimicrobial nanomaterials; bacterial pathogenesis; virulence factors; quorum sensing; biofilms; antibacterial activity; antibiotic resistance; Staphylococcus aureus; Escherichia coli; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; microbial molecular biology; bioactive materials; nanotechnology; nanoengineering
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Annually, millions of people suffer from severe and debilitating diseases caused by various traumas, infections, cancers, and chronic illnesses. As the biomedical applications of bioactive materials have increased in recent years, studies show that they could offer optimal support in the design of the therapy, diagnosis, and management of such diseases. Starting with polymeric bioactive materials for tissue engineering, dressings, and hard tissue implants and ending with bio-responsible particles and sensors, such materials have provided unlimited options for biomedical research. Despite huge progress being made in the development of bioactive materials for various applications, their interactions with living cells and organisms are far from understood. The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together the most recent and innovative studies aiming to decipher the interactions between bioactive materials, cells, tissues, and organisms, empathizing their relations at the molecular level.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Biological activities of bioactive materials at the molecular level;
  • Cellular processes which could be influenced by bioactive materials;
  • Bioactive materials utilized for the design of sensors and detection kits;
  • Bioactive materials in cell/tissue imaging;
  • Bioactive materials in the design of smart dressings;
  • Bioactive materials in tissue engineering;
  • Bioactive materials as coatings for improved implants;
  • Bioactive materials in cancer therapy;
  • Bioactive materials in infection control;
  • Bioactive materials in the design of targeted delivery and controlled release agents.

Dr. Alina Maria Holban
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nanobiomaterials
  • antibacterial materials
  • anticancer nanomaterials
  • wound dressings
  • coatings for bioactive implants
  • molecular imaging
  • nanosensors

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 4053 KiB  
Article
Polyethylene Glycol/Pullulan-Based Carrier for Silymarin Delivery and Its Potential in Biomedical Applications
by Julia Iwaniec, Karina Niziołek, Patryk Polanowski, Dagmara Słota, Edyta Kosińska, Julia Sadlik, Krzysztof Miernik, Josef Jampilek and Agnieszka Sobczak-Kupiec
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 9972; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25189972 - 16 Sep 2024
Viewed by 734
Abstract
Restoring the structures and functions of tissues along with organs in human bodies is a topic gathering attention nowadays. These issues are widely discussed in the context of regenerative medicine. Excipients/delivery systems play a key role in this topic, guaranteeing a positive impact [...] Read more.
Restoring the structures and functions of tissues along with organs in human bodies is a topic gathering attention nowadays. These issues are widely discussed in the context of regenerative medicine. Excipients/delivery systems play a key role in this topic, guaranteeing a positive impact on the effectiveness of the drugs or therapeutic substances supplied. Advances in materials engineering, particularly in the development of hydrogel biomaterials, have influenced the idea of creating an innovative material that could serve as a carrier for active substances while ensuring biocompatibility and meeting all the stringent requirements imposed on medical materials. This work presents the preparation of a natural polymeric material based on pullulan modified with silymarin, which belongs to the group of flavonoids and derives from a plant called Silybum marianum. Under UV light, matrices with a previously prepared composition were crosslinked. Before proceeding to the next stage of the research, the purity of the composition of the matrices was checked using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Incubation tests lasting 19 days were carried out using incubation fluids such as simulated body fluid (SBF), Ringer’s solution, and artificial saliva. Changes in pH, electrolytic conductivity, and weight were observed and then used to determine the sorption capacity. During incubation, SBF proved to be the most stable fluid, with a pH level of 7.6–7.8. Sorption tests showed a high sorption capacity of samples incubated in both Ringer’s solution and artificial saliva (approximately 350%) and SBF (approximately 300%). After incubation, the surface morphology was analyzed using an optical microscope for samples demonstrating the greatest changes over time. The active substance, silymarin, was released using a water bath, and then the antioxidant capacity was determined using the Folin–Ciocâlteu test. The tests carried out proved that the material produced is active and harmless, which was shown by the incubation analysis. The continuous release of the active ingredient increases the biological value of the biomaterial. The material requires further research, including a more detailed assessment of its balance; however, it demonstrates promising potential for further experiments. Full article
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