pH responsive nanoparticles for optimization of oral delivery of antiparasite drugs in the treatment of ornamental fish

• Grant number: 17/16722-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Inland Water Fishery Resources
• Principal Investigator: Omar Mertins
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Monge Fernandes Patta
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/13368-4 - Nanostructured systems: from membrane biomimetic models to carriers of bioactives, AP.TEM

Abstract

This project aims to develop a strategy of innovative aspects in the treatment of endoparasites in ornamental fish, producing and evaluating the application of nanoparticles with specific molecular characteristics and biological interaction. These composite nanoparticles of chitosan-N-arginine and alginate will be developed as a carrier system of antihelminthic drugs, ivermectin and mebendazole, and with response characteristics as a function of pH of the application medium. To this end, the nanoparticles will be produced with a structure that maintains a negative surface charge in the route of administration, in order to maintain stability and minimal interaction with non-specific regions, while upon reaching the target of application, the gastrointestinal system, surface charge is reversed favoring biological interaction which should enable an attenuated release of the drugs and potentiate the treatment. For development and study of nanoparticles, physicochemical techniques of characterization will be used, such as light scattering, zeta potential, isothermal titration calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy. Application studies of composites containing drugs will be carried out via oral administration in adult ornamental fish Corydoras spp., parasitized with nematodes and digenetic trematodes, to evaluate endoparasitary treatment. The evaluation of the potential application of the nanoparticles will occur in a systematic way, determining the parasite prevalence, intensities, abundance and morphological analyzes of the parasites. It is intended to contribute to the development of new nanoparticulate composite systems with biological application for optimization of the loading and release of drugs aiming at optimization of treatments, as well as to contribute to the treatment of endoparasites in ornamental fish of economic importance. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(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)

MATHEWS, PATRICK D.; PATTA, ANA C. M. FERNANDES; GONCALVES, JOAO V.; GAMA, GABRIELLA DOS SANTOS; GARCIA, IRENE TERESINHA SANTOS; MERTINS, OMAR. Targeted Drug Delivery and Treatment of Endoparasites with Biocompatible Particles of pH-Responsive Structure. Biomacromolecules, v. 19, n. 2, p. 499-510, FEB 2018. (16/13368-4, 17/16722-6, 15/23948-5)

FERNANDES PATTA, ANA C. M.; MATHEWS, PATRICK D.; MADRID, RAFAEL R. M.; RIGONI, VERA L. S.; SILVA, EMERSON R.; MERTINS, OMAR. Polyionic complexes of chitosan-N-arginine with alginate as pH responsive and mucoadhesive particles for oral drug delivery applications. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 148, p. 550-564, APR 1 2020. (16/13368-4, 17/16722-6, 18/20482-3, 15/23948-5, 16/24409-3)

MADRID, RAFAEL R. M.; MATHEWS, PATRICK D.; PATTA, ANA C. M. F.; GONZALES-FLORES, ANAI P.; RAMIREZ, CARLOS A. B.; RIGONI, VERA L. S.; TAVARES-DIAS, MARCOS; MERTINS, OMAR. Safety of oral administration of high doses of ivermectin by means of biocompatible polyelectrolytes formulation. HELIYON, v. 7, n. 1, JAN 2021. (18/20482-3, 16/13368-4, 15/23948-5, 17/16722-6)

MATHEWS, PATRICK D. D.; PATTA, ANA C. M. F.; MADRID, RAFAEL R. M.; RAMIREZ, CARLOS A. B.; PIMENTA, BARBARA V. V.; MERTINS, OMAR. Efficient Treatment of Fish Intestinal Parasites Applying a Membrane-Penetrating Oral Drug Delivery Nanoparticle. ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, v. 9, n. 6, p. 13-pg., 2021-11-15. (18/20482-3, 17/16722-6, 16/13368-4, 15/23948-5)