Evaluation of potential of mucoadhesive nanostructured systems for bucal administration of peptide p1025

• Grant number: 11/19066-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Marlus Chorilli
• Grantee: Matheus Henrique Garcia
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases in the world and is potentiated by factors that promote the colonization of the bacterium Streptococcus mutans in the oral cavity. This project aims to evaluate the potential of mucoadhesive nanostructured systems for buccal administration of the synthetic peptide p1025, potentially active against dental caries. This peptide, analogous to the fragments of 1025-1044 cell adhesin of Streptococcus mutans has been shown, in recent studies, effective against the pathogen adherence on the surface of bacterial biofilms. It is believed that, if incorporated in mucoadhesive nanostructured systems, especially liquid-crystalline systems, its action can be modulated by the fact that these systems can adhere to the oral mucosa, in order to protect the peptide from enzymatic degradation, in addition to prolonging the contact time with the oral mucosa, thus decreasing the frequency of administration. Controlled- release nanostructured systems will be structurally analyzed by polarized light microscopy, determination of rheological behavior, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and in vitro bioadhesion evaluation. Adding to this, release tests of peptides in vitro will be performed, beyond microbiological in vitro tests, in order to obtain effective and safe systems for possible therapeutic use.(AU)