Recent Patents on Nanotechnology - Volume 17, Issue 1, 2023

Background: Polymeric nanoparticles have a wide diversity, and due to their toxicity and biodegradability, they have been widely used in the health area. Its use allows stability of some compounds, targeted delivery, and increased half-life, in this context, making some treatment proposals more effective. Prostate cancer, in turn, is among the types of cancer with the highest mortality, and the lack of effective treatment causes several strategies to meet this need. Objective: The objective of this work was to verify patents that use polymeric nanoparticles for the treatment of prostate cancer. Methods: For that, specific keywords to direct the search were applied in Patent Scope. After obtaining the patents, one was selected for the development of critical analysis in relation to its chemistry and biology. Results: A total of five patents were found and, of these, an invention that used PCL-PLGA-PEGCOOH polymeric nanoparticles with two natural compounds, resveratrol and celastrol, providing an alternative method to traditional monotherapies. Conclusion: The prospective analysis serves to direct us in relation to the technologies currently used in certain fields. Based on several cases of cancer and specifically the countless cases of prostate cancer, five recent patents were found using polymeric nanoparticles. However, only one brought a different aspect of all the treatments used lately. It brought an invention containing two natural compounds being carried with polymeric nanoparticles with promising results.

Background: The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection has caused the global emergence of coronavirus in humans during the last 12 months. Till May 11, 2021, the confirmed global COVID-19 cases and deaths reached 158551526 and 3296855, respectively. Methods: Goblet cells and ciliated cells in the nose act as the initial infection site of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, mucus immunity is important to protect from infection. The outburst of SARS-CoV-2 infection can be halted only when an effective vaccine will be developed. Results: Globally, over 100 different vaccines are under investigation, including DNA vaccines, RNA vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, adenovirus-based vaccines, recombinant/subunit protein vaccines, peptide vaccines, virus-like particles, etc. Inactivated virus vaccines and mRNA, and adenovirus-based vaccines have moved fast into patent clinical trials. Conclusion: Vaccines containing spike protein of SARS-CoV as subunit could effectively prevent binding of coronavirus to the host cell and membrane fusion. Thus, spike protein can be used as a major target for subunit vaccine preparation.

Background: Colloidal dispersions, also known as vesicular drug delivery systems (VDDSs), are highly ordered assemblies composed of one or more concentric bilayers formed by the self-assembly of amphiphilic building blocks in the presence of water. Objective: VDDSs are important to target the entrapped drugs at specific sites inside the body, control the drug release, enhance the drug bioavailability, and reduce undesired side effects. Methods: There are different types of VDDSs suitable for the entrapment of both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. According to the patent composition, VDDSs are classified into lipid-based and nonlipid- based VDDSs. Results: There are different types of VDDSs which include liposomes, ethosomes, transferosomes, ufasomes, colloidosomes, cubosomes, niosomes, bilosomes, aquasomes, etc. Conclusion: This review article aims to address the different types of VDDSs, their advantages and disadvantages, and their therapeutic applications.

Background: The term homogenise means "to force or provide coalesce". Homogenisation is a process to attain homogenous particle size. The objective of the homogenisation process is to use fluid force to split the fragments or tiny particles contained in the fluids into very small dimensions and form a sustainable dispersion suitable for further production. Methods: The databases were collected through Scopus, google patent, science web, google scholar, PubMed on the concept of homogenisation. The data obtained were systematically investigated. Results: The present study focus on the use of the homogenisation in drug delivery system. The aim of homogenisation process is to achieve the particle size in micro-and nano- range as it affects the different parameters in the formulation and biopharmaceutical profile of the drug. The particle size reduction plays a key role in influencing drug dissolution and absorption. The reduced particle size enhances the stability and therapeutic efficacy of the drug. Homogenization technology ensures to achieve effective, clinically efficient and targeted drug delivery with the minimal side effect. Conclusion: Homogenization technology has been shown to be an efficient and easy method of size reduction to increase solubility and bioavailability, stability of drug carriers. This article gives an overview of the process attributes affecting the homogenization process, the patenting of homogeniser types, design, the geometry of valves and nozzles and its role in drug delivery.

Introduction: The application of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a filtration membrane is limited due to its hydrophobicity. This paper elaborated on the fabrication process of nanofiltration PVDF membrane incorporating various quantities of hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) using a wet phase inversion method to improve its hydrophilicity. Methods: The membrane was fabricated by using the wet phase inversion method. It was then characterized in terms of water permeability, water contact angle, water content, surface energy, and surface porosity. Bacteria and Fe ions filtration was conducted to investigate the membrane filtration performance. Results: The PVDF/PVP/HA-blended membrane showed the highest water permeability (6,165 LMH/Bar), water content (45.2 %), and surface energy (104.1 mN/m) when 2 wt.% of PVP was introduced into the base polymer PVDF. This fabricated membrane, labeled as PVP 2.0, also showed the lowest contact angle (64°) and the highest surface porosity (42%). Conclusion: Overall, the PVP introduction patents into the polymeric membrane doping solution potentially improves membrane hydrophilicity and permeability.

Background: Intracellular biosynthesis of Quantum Dots (QDs) based on microorganisms offers a green alternative and eco-friendly for the production of nanocrystals with superior properties. This study focused on the production of intracellular CdS QDs by stimulating the detoxification metabolism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods: For this aim, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 strain was incubated in a solution of 1mM cadmium sulphate (CdSO4) to manipulate the detoxification mechanism. The intracellularly formed Cd-based material was extracted, and its characterization was carried out by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses and absorption-emission spectra. Results: The obtained material showed absorption peaks at 385 nm and a luminescence peak at 411 nm, and the particle sizes were measured in the range 4.63-17.54 nm. It was determined that the material was sphere-shaped, with a cubic crystalline structure, including Cd and S elements. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of CdS QDs against patent eleven bacterial (four Grampositive and seven Gram-negative) and one fungal strains were investigated by the agar disk diffusion method. It was revealed that the obtained material has antibacterial effects on both Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, cleavage activity of CdS QDs on pBR322 DNA was not detected. Conclusion: As a result, it has been proposed that the stimulation of the detoxification mechanism can be an easy and effective way of producing green and cheap luminescent QDs or nanomaterial.

Background: Green synthesis method of nanoparticles has been developed for several years. Besides providing environmental-friendly process, green synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extract provides synergistic effect of the secondary metabolite in such antibiotic activity. The study with an intensification process in nanoparticles formation is also gaining great attention. This research deals with the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Datura metel flower extract for the antibacterial agent. The use of ultrasound-assisted method for the synthesis was investigated. Methods: Synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Datura metel flower extract under ultrasound- assisted method has been conducted. Evaluation of the successful synthesis was done using UV-visible spectrophotometry, particle size analyzer, x-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared AgNPs were tested as an antibacterial against S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, and E. coli. Results: The ultrasound-assisted synthesis of AgNPs produces particles ranging from 25-70 nm in size; meanwhile, the reflux method demonstrated the size of 50-170 nm. These particles size represents the effect on the antibacterial activity as the ultrasound-assisted synthesized Ag NPs have higher inhibition zone towards all tested bacteria. Subsequently, these data presented the applicability of Ag NPs synthesis using an ultrasound method as a potential candidate for biomedical applications. Conclusion: The profile of UV-Visible spectra and particle size analyses demonstrated the applicability of the ultrasound technique to produce a smaller size of the nanoparticles with higher antibacterial activity.

Objective: The present article aimed to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of carboplatin (CP) using the formulation of chitosan-poly (lactic glycolic acid) nanoparticles (CS-PLGA NPs). Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized by an ionic gelation method and were characterized for their morphology, particle size, and surface potential measurements by TEM and zeta sizer. This study was highlighted for the evaluation of drug entrapment, loading and in vitro drug release capabilities of the prepared nanoparticles by spectrophotometric analysis. The stability study was also conducted after 3 months for their particle size, zeta potential, drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies. Further, ovarian cancer cell line PEO1 was used to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of nano-formulation by MTT assay. Additionally, the study was evaluated for apoptosis using flow cytometric analysis. Results: The CS-PLGA-CP NPs were uniform and spherical in shape. The particle size and zeta potential of CS-PLGA-CP NPs were measured to be 156 ±6.8 nm and +52 ±2.4 mV, respectively. High encapsulation (87.4 ± 4.5%) and controlled retention capacities confirmed the efficiency of the prepared nanoparticles in a time and dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxicity assay results also showed that CS-PLGA-CP NPs have a high efficiency on PEO1 cells compared to the free drug. The flow cytometric result showed 64.25% of the PEO1 cells were apoptotic, and 8.42% were necrotic when treated with CS-PLGA-CP NPs. Conclusion: Chitosan-PLGA combinational polymeric nanoparticles were not only steady but also non-toxic. Our experiments revealed that the chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles could be used as a challenging vehicle candidate for drug delivery for the therapeutic treatment of ovarian cancer.