Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-09-26"
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- Nanocarriers in Tuberculosis treatment: Challenges and delivery strategiesPublication . Kumar, Mahesh; Virmani, Tarun; Kumar, Girish; Deshmukh, Rohitas; Sharma, Ashwani; Duarte, Sofia; Brandão, Pedro; Fonte, PedroThe World Health Organization identifies tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as a leading infectious killer. Although conventional treatments for TB exist, they come with challenges such as a heavy pill regimen, prolonged treatment duration, and a strict schedule, leading to multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. The rise of MDR strains endangers future TB control. Despite these concerns, the hunt for an efficient treatment continues. One breakthrough has been the use of nanotechnology in medicines, presenting a novel approach for TB treatment. Nanocarriers, such as lipid nanoparticles, nanosuspensions, liposomes, and polymeric micelles, facilitate targeted delivery of anti-TB drugs. The benefits of nanocarriers include reduced drug doses, fewer side effects, improved drug solubility, better bioavailability, and improved patient compliance, speeding up recovery. Additionally, nanocarriers can be made even more targeted by linking them with ligands such as mannose or hyaluronic acid. This review explores these innovative TB treatments, including studies on nanocarriers containing anti-TB drugs and related patents.
- Harnessing the bioactive potential of Limonium spathulatum (Desf.) Kuntze: insights into enzyme inhibition and phytochemical profilePublication . Youssef, Seria; Custódio, Luísa; Rodrigues, Maria João; Pereira, Catarina; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Jekő, József; Cziáky, Zoltán; Ben Hamed, KarimThis study assessed the halophyte species Limonium spathulatum (Desf.) as a possible source of natural ingredients with the capacity to inhibit enzymes related to relevant human health disorders and food browning. Extracts using food-grade solvents such as water and ethanol were prepared by maceration from dried L. spathulatum leaves. They were evaluated for in vitro inhibition activity of enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-glucosidase, tyrosinase and lipase, related to Alzheimer’s disease, type-2-diabetes mellitus, skin hyperpigmentation, and obesity, respectively. These extracts were also appraised for in vitro acute toxicity on tumoral and non-tumoral cell lines and their chemical composition by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The extracts were more effective towards BChE than AChE. The best results were obtained with the hydroethanolic and water extracts, with IC50 values of 0.03 mg/mL and 0.06 mg/mL, respectively. The hydroethanolic extract had the highest capacity to inhibit α-glucosidase (IC50: 0.04 mg/mL), higher than the positive control used (acarbose, IC50 = 3.14 mg/mL). The ethanol extract displayed the best inhibitory activity against tyrosinase (IC50 = 0.34 mg/mL). The tested samples did not inhibit lipase and exhibited low to moderate cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines. The hydroethanolic extract had a higher diversity of compounds, followed by the ethanol and water samples. Similar molecules were identified in all the extracts and were mainly hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids. Taken together, these results suggest that L. spathulatum should be further explored as a source of bioactive ingredients for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
- Adesão ao Padrão Alimentar MediterrânicoPublication . Mateus, Maria PalmaConferência apresentada no âmbito do Seminário Internacional Experiences on Hospitality, Sustainability and Tourism Innovation, organizado no âmbito do projeto Hostlab, integrado no Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being (CINTURS), onde se apresentaram os benefícios e desafios atuais da adesão ao Padrão Alimentar Mediterrânico.