Characterization of sustained release of Casearia sylvestris Swartz extract associated with ciprofloxacin employing natural latex films as a carrier

• Grant number: 12/14518-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Medical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano
• Grantee: Luis Felipe Cesar Bolognesi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The film of natural rubber latex (NRL - Natural Rubber Latex), manipulated from latex extracted from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, has shown great potential for application in biomedicine and biomaterials areas. Based on this biocompatibility and low rejection rate, it has been used for implants and grafts, acting as a stimulant of angiogenesis, cell adhesion, and extracellular matrix, besides acting as a barrier against infectious agents. The objective of this project is to incorporate the antimicrobial ciprofloxacin along the Casearia sylvestris extract in the latex film with the purpose of studying their behavior and their release in a sustained way. The complex drug-extract-film has as its object of study a new approach to these substances with the aim of wound healing and tissue regeneration. The Casearia sylvestris Sw, popularly known as "guaçatonga" belongs to the family Salicaceae, known in folk medicine for its effects anti-ulcerogenic, healing, anti-ophidian, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anticancer properties, all of them already proven by studies. Preliminary tests conducted by our research group have shown that the film releases the natural latex extract of Casearia sylvestris Sw for up to 10 days. Recent studies have also shown that the controlled release of drugs and extracts using natural latex film is interesting and promising for biomedical applications. The release rates of ciprofloxacin and extract of the complex drug-extract-film will be monitored and analyzed, using the method of optical spectroscopy (UV-VIS), and characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy technique associated with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDS).(AU)