Sharif Digital Repository

This work focused on the design of new pH-responsive nanoparticles for controlled delivery of anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox). Nanoparticles of poly(methacrylic acid)-polysorbate 80-grafted starch (PMAA-PS 80-g-St) were synthesized by using a one-pot method that enabled simultaneous grafting of PMAA and PS 80 onto starch and nanoparticle formation in an aqueous medium. The particles were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, TEM, DLS, and potentiometric titration. Dox loading and in vitro release from the nanoparticles were investigated. The FTIR and 1H NMR confirmed the chemical composition of the graft terpolymer. The nanoparticles were relatively spherical with narrow size distribution and... 

In this study, a semi-conductive nanocomposite for electrically controlled drug delivery is introduced. Hydrolyzed collagen known as a naturally abundant polypeptide was modified with polycaprolactone. This modification changed the mechanical properties of the hydrolyzed-collagen. A hydrogel compound was synthesized through radical co-polymerization of acrylic acid on the backbone of this biocompatible polymer in the presence of a crosslinker. The reaction parameters affecting the water absorbency of the hydrogel were optimized using Taguchi method. In situ polymerization of aniline, incorporated conductive nanofiber pathways throughout the hydrogel matrix. 1H NMR, TGA, AFM, SEM, FTIR,... 

In this study synthesis of a drug delivery system (DDS) is described which has several merits over its counterparts. In order to synthesize this nano-carrier, graphene oxide nano-sheets are used to accommodate MCM-41 nanoparticles. Furthermore Fe3O4 nanoparticles are introduced to this nano-material to produce a traceable nanoparticle. Since cancerous tissues have lower pH than healthy tissues, pH-sensitive oligomers are attached to this nano-material. Finally the nano-carrier is wrapped by a biocompatible shell (PEGylated sodium alginate); this polymeric shell makes the DDS capable of a more controllable drug release. By measuring in vitro situation, ‘loading content%’... 

A thermosensitive copolymer was synthesized by graft copolymerization of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) copolymers onto the surface of chitosan membranes. Acryloyl chloride was used as a coupling reagent for the covalent attachment of PLGA to the chitosan membranes. FTIR spectroscopy and DSC analysis were used to characterize the resulting graft copolymer. Thermosensitive swelling behaviors of the copolymer were investigated as well. The membranes exhibited reversible swelling-shrinking behavior; higher swelling ratios were obtained observed at higher temperatures. Drug permeation studies were carried out using vancomycin hydrochloride and betamethasone sodium phosphate as the model... 

This work was intended to develop a new cross-linked gelatinized starch-xanthan gum hydrogel system, to characterize the properties of the new material, and to explore its potential applications in controlled drug delivery. Cross-linked starch-xanthan gum polymers were synthesized with varying levels of xanthan gum and sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP). The reaction of starch-xanthan gum polymers with STMP was examined using solid 31P NMR spectroscopy and FTIR. Morphology of the films made from the new polymers was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The swelling properties and the network parameters such as gel mesh size of the films were investigated. The permeation of solutes with... 

The aim of this work was to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer-poly ethylene glycol-folic acid (MIP-PEG-FA) nanoparticles for use as a controlled release carrier for targeting delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) to cancer cells. MIP nanoparticles were synthesized by a mini-emulsion polymerization technique and then PEG-FA was conjugated to the surface of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles showed high drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, 15.6 ± 0.8 and 100%, respectively. The imprinting efficiency of MIPs was evaluated by binding experiments in human serum. Good selective binding and recognition were found in MIP nanoparticles. In vitro drug release studies showed that MIP-PEG-FA have a... 

Stimuli-responsive controlled-release nanocarriers are promising vehicles for delivery of bioactive molecules that can minimize side effects and maximize efficiency. The release of the drug occurs when the nanocarrier is triggered by an internal or external stimulus. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) can have drugs and bioactive cargos loaded into the high-capacity pores, and their release can be triggered by activation of a variety of stimulus-responsive molecular "gatekeepers" or "nanovalves." In this mini-review, we discuss the basic concepts of MSN in targeted drug-release systems and cover different stimulus-responsive gatekeepers. Internal stimuli include redox, enzymes, and pH,... 

Novel bilayer coated mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MCM-41) based on pH sensitive poly(acrylic acid-co-itaconic acid) and human serum albumin (HSA) was designed for controlled delivery of gemcitabine (anticancer drug) to cancer cells. The shell around the mesoporous silica has bilayer structure. Poly(acrylic acid-co-itaconic acid) was used as pH-sensitive inner shell and human serum albumin, HSA, was used as outer shell. The core-shell structure was formed due to electrostatic interaction between ammonium groups of modified MCM-41 and carboxylate groups of copolymer. Also, the albumin layer was wrapped around the copolymer coated nanoparticle by electrostatic interaction between ammonium... 

A switchable dual light- and temperature-responsive drug carrier using gold nanoparticles (Au NPs)-grafted poly(dimethylacrylamide-co-acrylamide)/poly acrylic acid [P(DMA-co-AAm)/PAAc] hydrogel was prepared by free radical polymerization procedure using N,N-methylenebisacrylamide as cross-linker and ammonium persulfate as initiator. Initial P(DMA-co-AAm) hydrogel and uniformly-distributed stable Au NPs, prepared by reduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaureate (III) hydrate in the presence of trisodium citrate, were synthesized separately. Then, the prepared P(DMA-co-AAm) and Au NPs were added to an acrylic acid solution along with the cross-linker and initiator to prepare PAAc hydrogel within... 

In this research a novel controlled anticancer drug delivery system with dual pH and thermal responses was designed based on magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles that were anchored by β-cyclodextrin and coated by poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). Results demonstrated that the behavior of doxorubicin (anticancer drug) release depended on pH and temperature conditions. At endosomal pH (pH 5.5) the amount of drug release enhanced because the cap was removed from the pores. Furthermore, PNIPAM shell collapsed above the lower critical solution temperature and the releasing of drug increased. Thus, this nanocarrier would have the potential to be applied in the tumor therapy. © 2017 Taylor... 

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a biocompatible polymer which can be physically crosslinked by Borax to form hydrogel. PVA-Borax (PB) hydrogel is a promising candidate for drug delivery system. Therefore, it is necessary to find the quantitative relationship between drug release rate and network structure of PB hydrogels to predict and control drug release rate. In this work, at first step the optimum ratio of Borax: PVA was determined by studying the interactions between PVA chains and Borax molecules by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while viscoelastic properties of prepared PB hydrogels were measured in the oscillatory shear flow field. In the following, curcumin as a... 

Spontaneous generation of nanobubbles (NBs) was developed by using a controllable platform of superfast microvortices, based on turbulent jet flows in the presence of graphene oxide (GO) sheets. Very high energy dissipation rates through discharging warm water into cold N2 aqueous solutions resulted in creation of micro/submicro-vortices. Shear stresses in these domains generated gas local supersaturations, leading to the formation of high concentration (∼109 mL−1) of stable NBs. Introducing GO sheets into the microvortex system resulted in effective manipulation of NBs by providing energetically favorable sites for prompt heterogeneous nucleation as well as stronger shear rate fluctuations.... 

In this research, we report a magnetic pH-sensitive polymeric micelle designed for hydrophobic drug carrier in cancer treatment. This carrier was prepared by self-assembly of biodegradable triblock copolymer PEG-PCL-PEG coated on oleate-modified magnetic nanoparticles. The amphiphilic triblock copolymer was synthesized via reaction between the aldehyde group from the hydrophilic component with the amine group of the hydrophobic component. The resulting Schiff base linkage was sensitive to pH. The structure of nanocarrier was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR). Morphology and size of the magnetic... 

Drug delivery is a rapidly growing area of research motivated by the nanotechnology revolution, the ideal of personalized medicine, and the desire to reduce the side effects of toxic anti-cancer drugs. Amongst a bewildering array of different nanostructures and nanocarriers, those examples that are fundamentally bio-inspired and derived from natural sources are particularly preferred. Delivery of vaccines is also an active area of research in this field. Bacterial cells and their components that have been used for drug delivery, include the crystalline cell-surface layer known as “S-layer” bacterial ghosts, bacterial outer membrane vesicles, and bacterial products or derivatives (e.g.... 

In this study, novel hydrogel nanoparticles with dual triggerable release properties based on fibrous structural proteins (keratin) and thermoresponsive copolymers (Pluronic) are introduced. Nanoparticles were used for curcumin delivery as effective and safe anticancer agents, the hydrophobicity of which has limited their clinical applications. A drug was loaded into hydrogel nanoparticles by a single-step nanoprecipitation method. The drug-loaded nanoparticles had an average diameter of 165 and 66 nm at 25 and 37 °C, respectively. It was shown that the drug loading efficiency could be enhanced through crosslinking of the disulfide bonds in keratin. Crosslinking provided a targeted release... 

Obstruction of left anterior descending artery (LAD) due to the thrombosis or atherosclerotic plaques is the leading cause of death worldwide. Targeted delivery of drugs through micro- and nanoparticles is a very promising approach for developing new strategies in clot-busting or treating restenosis. In this work, we modelled the blood flow characteristics in a patient-specific reconstructed LAD artery by the fluid–solid interaction method and based on physiological boundary conditions. Next, we provided a Lagrangian description of micro- and nanoparticles dynamics in the blood flow considering their Brownian motion and the particle–particle interactions. Our results state that the number of... 

Arrayed Ti6Al4V nanotubes (TNT) coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) were synthesized via electrochemical anodization method. Paracetamol was loaded onto TNT-HA electrode. Effects of anodization, nanotube formation and hydroxyapatite deposition on sorption and release of the drug were investigated. Saturation time of paracetamol on the anodized samples was 30% shorter than the hydroxyapatite-coated samples. Release behavior of the loaded drug was studied by (a) plunging the probe into phosphate buffered saline (PBS), (b) sampling the drug-loaded PBS at different times and (c) analyzing the solution via ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Results showed that HA electrodes hold higher... 

A new robust adaptive controller is developed for the control of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection inside the body. The non-linear HBV model has three state variables: uninfected cells, infected cells and free viruses. A control law is designed for the antiviral therapy such that the volume of infected cells and the volume of free viruses are decreased to their desired values which are zero. One control input represents the efficiency of drug therapy in inhibiting viral production and the other control input represents the efficiency of drug therapy in blocking new infection. The proposed controller ensures the stability and robust performance in the presence of parametric and... 

Magnetic micelle nanoparticles with thermoresponsive behavior were designed for thermo-triggered paclitaxel delivery. For this purpose, thermoresponsive triblock copolymer poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-b-polycaprolactone-b-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) was prepared. The magnetic micelle was formed by self-assembly of triblock copolymer on the magnetite which was coated by oleic acid. The size of the magnetic micelle was between 30–40 nm reported by transmission electron microscopy. Also, dynamic light scattering indicated the hydrodynamic diameter was thermal dependent. Moreover, the drug release profile showed thermo-triggered release of paclitaxel. Thus, the smart nanocarrier has potential... 

Chronic, non-healing wounds place a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems, resulting in impaired mobility, limb amputation, or even death. Chronic wounds result from a disruption in the highly orchestrated cascade of events involved in wound closure. Significant advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic wounds have resulted in the development of drugs designed to target different aspects of the impaired processes. However, the hostility of the wound environment rich in degradative enzymes and its elevated pH, combined with differences in the time scales of different physiological processes involved in tissue regeneration require the use of effective drug...