Dispersed liquid-crystal devices for controlled drug release kinetics by biochemical trigger.

• Grant number: 12/12340-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Watson Loh
• Grantee: Fernanda Poletto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/13153-0 - Investigation of the effect of enzymes on the structure of liquid crystalline dispersed systems, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The controlled drug release kinetics in biochemically-triggered devices is a promising research area. These devices can act in response to specific demands from the organism, increasing therapeutic efficacy and reducing adverse effects. In this project, such strategy is proposed to obtain drug delivery devices triggered by the enzimes tyrosine hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase which are produced in higher concentration inside brains infected by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The proposed devices are liquid-crystals composed by water, phytantriol - an alcohol which is not affected by esterases (allowing oral administration) and that can form reverse cubic bicontinuous phase at dilute regime and physiological temperature -, and L-tyrosine-based surfactant. L-Tyrosine is converted to dopamine by tyrosine hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase. This enzymatic conversion from L-tyrosine-based to dopamine-based polar head in the surfactant chemical structure probably can induce phase transitions in the disperse systems, modifying the drug release kinetics in a controlled way. Correlations between kinetic parameters and the structural characteristics of these devices could demonstrate their potentiality to treat toxoplasmosis.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

POLETTO, F. S.; LIMA, F. S.; LUNDBERG, D.; NYLANDER, T.; LOH, W.. Tailoring the internal structure of liquid crystalline nanoparticles responsive to fungal lipases: A potential platform for sustained drug release. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES, v. 147, p. 210-216, NOV 1 2016. (12/12340-8, 13/13153-0)