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Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems
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Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 24 January 2025 | Viewed by 13236

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luís Alexandre Muehlmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Interests: nanotechnology; biochemistry; cancer; funghi
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. João Paulo Longo

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biological Science, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
Interests: nanomedicine; lipid nanocarriers; oral administration; metastasis prevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanotechnology has presented innovative solutions to many of humanity’s needs over the last few decades. Medicine, environmental sanitation, engineering, power generation, agriculture, and many other fields have benefited from nano-based solutions. However, the continuous development of nanotechnology depends on high-performance materials. In this regard, nature is an incredibly rich source of chemical compounds, many of which can be used either to design new products or to replace non-sustainable materials in products and processes. Natural compounds are not only intrinsically sustainable but can also present superior biocompatibility, enhanced effectiveness and better safety. The use of these compounds in nanotechnology can be also inspired by their in situ role in the organisms from which they are derived. Indeed, many naturally occurring nanostructures, such as films, membranes, vesicles, and viruses, are based on biomolecules specially selected over millions of years of biological evolution for performing their function at the nanoscale. Moreover, many drugs and other bioactive compounds derived from natural sources can be loaded into nanosystems in order to achieve enhanced effectiveness and safety. Therefore, this Special Issue entitled "Recent Advances in Natural Product-Based Nanostructured Systems" is dedicated to collecting works on: 1) biomimetic and bioinspired nanostructures; 2) green nanotechnology; and 3) nanocarriers for bioactive compounds.

Dr. Luís Alexandre Muehlmann
Dr. João Paulo Longo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7150 KiB  
Article
Biologically Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles with Enhanced Antioxidant and Catalytic Properties
by Melinda David, Teodor A. Enache, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Camelia Bala and Monica Florescu
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(9), 1105; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17091105 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 848
Abstract
Increasing levels of reactive oxygen species generate oxidative stress in the human body that can lead to various medical conditions. The use of nanomaterials exhibiting antioxidant properties may prevent these effects. The biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using plant extracts with antioxidant properties [...] Read more.
Increasing levels of reactive oxygen species generate oxidative stress in the human body that can lead to various medical conditions. The use of nanomaterials exhibiting antioxidant properties may prevent these effects. The biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using plant extracts with antioxidant properties can offer benefits due to their active compounds. The used extracts contained reducing and stabilizing agents, which were shown to be transferred onto the gold nanoparticles, functionalizing them. Herin, we report a gold nanoparticle synthesis by eco-friendly biological methods (b-AuNPs) using extracts of sea buckthorn, lavender, walnuts, and grapes, obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction and pressure-enhanced extraction. The obtained b-AuNPs were characterized by UV–Vis and FTIR spectroscopies and visualized using transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic and scavenging effect of the b-AuNPs towards H2O2 (as reactive oxygen species) was evaluated electrochemically, highlighting the protective behavior of b-AuNPs towards lipid peroxidation. All experiments demonstrated the stability and reproducibility of prepared b-AuNPs with enhanced antioxidant and catalytic properties, opening a new perspective for their use in biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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16 pages, 2278 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Poly-ε-Caprolactone Nanofibers Incorporating Keratin Hydrolysates as Innovative Antioxidant Scaffolds
by Naiara Jacinta Clerici, Aline Aniele Vencato, Rafael Helm Júnior, Daniel Joner Daroit and Adriano Brandelli
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(8), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17081016 - 1 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 978
Abstract
This manuscript describes the development and characterization of electrospun nanofibers incorporating bioactive hydrolysates obtained from the microbial bioconversion of feathers, a highly available agro-industrial byproduct. The electrospun nanofibers were characterized using different instrumental methods, and their antioxidant properties and toxicological potential were evaluated. [...] Read more.
This manuscript describes the development and characterization of electrospun nanofibers incorporating bioactive hydrolysates obtained from the microbial bioconversion of feathers, a highly available agro-industrial byproduct. The electrospun nanofibers were characterized using different instrumental methods, and their antioxidant properties and toxicological potential were evaluated. Keratin hydrolysates (KHs) produced by Bacillus velezensis P45 were incorporated at 1, 2.5, and 5% (w/w) into poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL; 10 and 15%, w/v solutions) before electrospinning. The obtained nanofibers were between 296 and 363 nm in diameter, showing a string-like morphology and adequate structural continuity. Thermogravimetric analysis showed three weight loss events, with 5% of the mass lost up to 330 °C and 90% from 350 to 450 °C. Infrared spectroscopy showed typical peaks of PCL and amide bands corresponding to keratin peptides. The biological activity was preserved after electrospinning and the hemolytic activity was below 1% as expected for biocompatible materials. In addition, the antioxidant capacity released from the nanofibers was confirmed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. The DPPH scavenging activity observed for the nanofibers was greater than 30% after 24 h of incubation, ranging from 845 to 1080 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity). The antioxidant activity for the ABTS radical assay was 44.19, 49.61, and 56.21% (corresponding to 972.0, 1153.3, and 1228.7 µM TEAC) for nanofibers made using 15% PCL with 1, 2.5, and 5% KH, respectively. These nanostructures may represent interesting antioxidant biocompatible materials for various pharmaceutical applications, including wound dressings, topical drug delivery, cosmetics, and packaging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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24 pages, 5202 KiB  
Article
Chitosan/Hesperidin Nanoparticles for Sufficient, Compatible, Antioxidant, and Antitumor Drug Delivery Systems
by May Almukainzi, Thanaa A. El-Masry, Enas I. El Zahaby and Maysa M. F. El-Nagar
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(8), 999; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17080999 - 29 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1037
Abstract
One flavonoid glycoside with demonstrated therapeutic potential for several illnesses, including cancer, is hesperidin. However, because of its limited bioavailability and solubility, it is only marginally absorbed, necessitating a delivery mechanism to reach the intended therapeutic target. Additionally, the cytoskeleton of crustaceans yields [...] Read more.
One flavonoid glycoside with demonstrated therapeutic potential for several illnesses, including cancer, is hesperidin. However, because of its limited bioavailability and solubility, it is only marginally absorbed, necessitating a delivery mechanism to reach the intended therapeutic target. Additionally, the cytoskeleton of crustaceans yields chitosan, a naturally occurring biopolymer with mucoadhesive properties that has been used to improve the absorption of advantageous chemical substances like flavonoids. Chitosan/hesperidin nanoparticles (Hes-Nanoparticles) were made using the ion gelation technique. The synthesis of Hes-Nanoparticles was confirmed by several characterization methods, including the swelling test, zeta potential, particle size, FTIR, XRD, TEM, and SEM. DPPH and ABTS were used to demonstrate radical scavenging activity in antioxidant assays of chitosan, hesperidin, and the synthesized Hes-Nanoparticles. In addition, by a viability assay against MDA-MB-231, the anticancer efficacies of chitosan, hesperidin, and the synthesized Hes-Nanoparticles were assessed. Furthermore, annexin-V/PI double staining and the cycle of cell analysis were determined by flow cytometry. The results displayed that Hes-Nanoparticles have higher antioxidant activity than chitosan and hesperidin alone. Also, it has been demonstrated that Hes-Nanoparticles are more effective in early cell cycle arrest, suppressing the viability of cancer cells, and increasing cell apoptosis than chitosan and hesperidin alone. In conclusion, Hes-Nanoparticles demonstrated more antioxidant and antitumor activities than chitosan and hesperidin alone. Moreover, it has been established that Hes-Nanoparticles, in a highly soluble form, increase activity in contrast to the poorly soluble form of hesperidin alone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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36 pages, 13082 KiB  
Article
Bioactive-Loaded Hydrogels Based on Bacterial Nanocellulose, Chitosan, and Poloxamer for Rebalancing Vaginal Microbiota
by Angela Moraru, Ștefan-Ovidiu Dima, Naomi Tritean, Elena-Iulia Oprița, Ana-Maria Prelipcean, Bogdan Trică, Anca Oancea, Ionuț Moraru, Diana Constantinescu-Aruxandei and Florin Oancea
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(12), 1671; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16121671 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2094
Abstract
Biocompatible drug-delivery systems for soft tissue applications are of high interest for the medical and pharmaceutical fields. The subject of this research is the development of hydrogels loaded with bioactive compounds (inulin, thyme essential oil, hydro-glycero-alcoholic extract of Vitis vinifera, Opuntia ficus-indica [...] Read more.
Biocompatible drug-delivery systems for soft tissue applications are of high interest for the medical and pharmaceutical fields. The subject of this research is the development of hydrogels loaded with bioactive compounds (inulin, thyme essential oil, hydro-glycero-alcoholic extract of Vitis vinifera, Opuntia ficus-indica powder, lactic acid, citric acid) in order to support the vaginal microbiota homeostasis. The nanofibrillar phyto-hydrogel systems developed using the biocompatible polymers chitosan (CS), never-dried bacterial nanocellulose (NDBNC), and Poloxamer 407 (PX) incorporated the water-soluble bioactive components in the NDBNC hydrophilic fraction and the hydrophobic components in the hydrophobic core of the PX fraction. Two NDBNC-PX hydrogels and one NDBNC-PX-CS hydrogel were structurally and physical-chemically characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and rheology. The hydrogels were also evaluated in terms of thermo-responsive properties, mucoadhesion, biocompatibility, and prebiotic and antimicrobial effects. The mucin binding efficiency of hydrogel base systems was determined by the periodic acid/Schiff base (PAS) assay. Biocompatibility of hydrogel systems was determined by the MTT test using mouse fibroblasts. The prebiotic activity was determined using the probiotic strains Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum. Antimicrobial activity was also assessed using relevant microbial strains, respectively, E. coli and C. albicans. TEM evidenced PX micelles of around 20 nm on NDBNC nanofibrils. The FTIR and XRD analyses revealed that the binary hydrogels are dominated by PX signals, and that the ternary hydrogel is dominated by CS, with additional particular fingerprints for the biocompounds and the hydrogel interaction with mucin. Rheology evidenced the gel transition temperatures of 18–22 °C for the binary hydrogels with thixotropic behavior and, respectively, no gel transition, with rheopectic behavior for the ternary hydrogel. The adhesion energies of the binary and ternary hydrogels were evaluated to be around 1.2 J/m2 and 9.1 J/m2, respectively. The hydrogels exhibited a high degree of biocompatibility, with the potential to support cell proliferation and also to promote the growth of lactobacilli. The hydrogel systems also presented significant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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15 pages, 4153 KiB  
Article
Photodynamic Therapy Directed to Melanoma Skin Cancer by Thermosensitive Hydrogel Containing Chlorophyll A
by Joabe Lima Araújo, Patrícia Bento da Silva, Bruno Fonseca-Santos, Sônia Nair Báo, Marlus Chorilli, Paulo Eduardo Narcizo de Souza, Luis Alexandre Muehlmann and Ricardo Bentes Azevedo
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(12), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16121659 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1859
Abstract
Melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer intricately linked to genetic and environmental factors, is predicted to reach 100,000 new cases worldwide by 2040, underscoring the need for effective and safe treatment options. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of a photosensitizer [...] Read more.
Melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer intricately linked to genetic and environmental factors, is predicted to reach 100,000 new cases worldwide by 2040, underscoring the need for effective and safe treatment options. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of a photosensitizer called Chlorophyll A (Chl-A) incorporated into hydrogels (HGs) made of chitosan (CS) and poloxamer 407 (P407) for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) against the murine melanoma cell line B16-F10. The HG was evaluated through various tests, including rheological studies, SEM, and ATR-FTIR, along with cell viability assays. The CS- and P407-based HGs effectively released Chl-A and possessed the necessary properties for topical application. The photodynamic activity of the HG containing Chl-A was evaluated in vitro, demonstrating high therapeutic potential, with an IC50 of 25.99 µM—an appealing result when compared to studies in the literature reporting an IC50 of 173.8 µM for cisplatin, used as a positive control drug. The developed formulation of CS and P407-based HG, serving as a thermosensitive system for topical applications, successfully controlled the release of Chl-A. In vitro cell studies associated with PDT exhibited potential against the melanoma cell line. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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Review

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16 pages, 1061 KiB  
Review
Nanoformulations for the Delivery of Dietary Anthocyanins for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications
by Ana R. Nunes, Elisabete C. Costa, Gilberto Alves and Luís R. Silva
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(5), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16050736 - 12 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2663
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by abnormal blood glucose levels-hyperglycemia, caused by a lack of insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or a combination of both. The incidence of DM is increasing, resulting in billions of dollars in annual healthcare costs [...] Read more.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by abnormal blood glucose levels-hyperglycemia, caused by a lack of insulin secretion, impaired insulin action, or a combination of both. The incidence of DM is increasing, resulting in billions of dollars in annual healthcare costs worldwide. Current therapeutics aim to control hyperglycemia and reduce blood glucose levels to normal. However, most modern drugs have numerous side effects, some of which cause severe kidney and liver problems. On the other hand, natural compounds rich in anthocyanidins (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and petunidin) have also been used for the prevention and treatment of DM. However, lack of standardization, poor stability, unpleasant taste, and decreased absorption leading to low bioavailability have hindered the application of anthocyanins as therapeutics. Therefore, nanotechnology has been used for more successful delivery of these bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the potential of anthocyanins for the prevention and treatment of DM and its complications, as well as the strategies and advances in the delivery of anthocyanins using nanoformulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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19 pages, 2092 KiB  
Review
Research Progress of Bioinspired Nanostructured Systems for the Treatment of Ocular Disorders
by Xuan Chen, Rui Yang, Jinyan Shen, Qingyu Huang and Zhifeng Wu
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16010096 - 10 Jan 2023
Viewed by 2629
Abstract
How to enhance the bioavailability and prolong the residence time of drugs in the eye present the major barriers to traditional eye delivery. Nanotechnology has been widely used in ocular drug delivery systems because of its advantages of minimizing adverse reactions, decreasing the [...] Read more.
How to enhance the bioavailability and prolong the residence time of drugs in the eye present the major barriers to traditional eye delivery. Nanotechnology has been widely used in ocular drug delivery systems because of its advantages of minimizing adverse reactions, decreasing the frequency of administration, prolonging the release time, and improving the bioavailability of the drug in the eye. As natural product-based nanostructured systems, bioinspired nanostructured systems have presented as less toxic, easy to prepare, and cost-effective and have potential application value in the field of nanotechnology. A systematic classification of bioinspired nanostructured systems based on their inspiration source and formulation and their brief applications in disease are presented here. A review of recent research progress of the bioinspired nanostructured systems for the treatment of the anterior and posterior segment of ocular disorders is then presented in detail. Finally, current challenges and future directions with regard to manufacturing bioinspired nanomaterials are provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Product Based Nanostructured Systems)
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