Evaluation of the potential of nanostructured lipid carriers for co-encapsulation of curcumin and fluconazole dispersed in thermally-responsive hydrogels in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis

• Grant number: 19/10261-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: January 01, 2021
• End date: February 20, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Marlus Chorilli
• Grantee: Victor Hugo Sousa Araujo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/11285-2 - Development and characterization of polymeric films containing curcumin and fluconazole dispersed in nanostructured lipid carriers for the treatment of cutaneous candidiasis, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a disease that affects a large part of the female population, Brazil ranking third in number of incidences of VVC in the world. The symptoms of this disease are nonspecific and are related to inflammatory processes resulting from the infection. The treatment currently available corresponds to oral and topical forms of drugs in the azole class; however, an increase in Candida sp. resistant to conventional treatments. Fluconazole is a triazole drug widely used for the treatment of VVC, but an increase in clinical isolates of candida spp. resistant to this drug. Thus, it is necessary to seek new effective therapeutic strategies. In a previous study, the synergistic potential of curcumin and fluconazole against azole-resistant C. albicans was demonstrated. Despite the potential of this association, both biomolecules have high lipophilicity, making it necessary to use a drug delivery system (DDS) to adequately explore their biological effects.Thus, the co-incorporation in nanostructured lipid carriers (CLN) demonstrates an interesting alternative, as it makes it possible to disperse them in an aqueous medium, promotes greater stability, controlled release and enables the association of its different antimycotic mechanisms, which can generate a synergism to the point of being effective even in resistant strains. However, these systems have high fluidity, requiring their dispersion in thermo-responsive gel for vaginal administration. The vaginal administration route is poorly explored in relation to oral and parenteral administration, but it stands out for not occurring first-pass metabolism and for not being an invasive route. Thus, this project seeks to evaluate the potential of CLN for co-encapsulation of curcumin and fluconazole dispersed in thermo-responsive gels in the treatment of CVV. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(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)

FERREIRA, P. S.; VICTORELLI, F. D.; RODERO, C. F.; FORTUNATO, G. C.; ARAUJO, V. H. S.; FONSECA-SANTOS, B.; BAUAB, T. M.; VAN DIJCK, P.; CHORILLI, M.. p-Coumaric acid loaded into liquid crystalline systems as a novel strategy to the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, v. 603, JUN 15 2021. (19/10261-2, 17/22928-6, 17/10016-2, 18/22658-1)

SOUSA ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO; FERNANDES, LIGIA DE SOUZA; DOS REIS, LEIDIANA ROCHA; CARVALHO, GABRIELA CORREA; SCARPA, MARIA VIRGINIA; CHORILLI, MARLUS. alidation of an innovative analytical method for simultaneous quantification of curcumin and fluconazole using high-performance liquid chromatography from nanostructured lipid carrier. JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, v. 44, n. 23, OCT 2021. (19/10261-2)

MELLO, VICTOR CARLOS; ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO SOUSA; RODRIGUES DE PAIVA, KAREN LETYCIA; SIMOES, MARINA MESQUITA; MARQUES, DAFNE CAROLINE; DA SILVA COSTA, NELICE ROBERTA; DE SOUZA, ISADORA FLORENCIO; DA SILVA, PATRICIA BENTO; SANTOS, IGOR; ALMEIDA, RAQUEL; et al. Development of New Natural Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Loaded with Aluminum-Phthalocyanine for Photodynamic Therapy against Melanoma. NANOMATERIALS, v. 12, n. 20, p. 25-pg., 2022-10-01. (19/23638-7, 19/10261-2)

DE ARAUJO, PATRICIA ROCHA; FIORAMONTI CALIXTO, GIOVANA MARIA; SOUSA ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO; SATO, MARIANA RILLO; RODERO, CAMILA FERNANDA; OSHIRO-JUNIOR, JOAO AUGUSTO; BAUAB, TAIS MARIA; CHORILLI, MARLUS. In vivo study of hypericin-loaded poloxamer-based mucoadhesive in situ gelling liquid crystalline precursor system in a mice model of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Medical Mycology, v. 59, n. 8, p. 821-827, AUG 2021. (19/10261-2, 16/11198-4)

GANASSIN, RAYANE; DA SILVA, VICTOR CARLOS MELLO; ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO SOUSA; TAVARES, GIULIA ROSA; DA SILVA, PATRICIA BENTO; CACERES-VELEZ, PAOLIN ROCIO; PORCEL, JOAQUIN E. MARTINEZ; RODRIGUES, MOSAR CORREA; ANDREOZZI, PATRIZIA; FERNANDES, RICHARD PEROSA; et al. olid lipid nanoparticles loaded with curcumin: development and in vitro toxicity against CT26 cell. Nanomedicine, v. 17, n. 3, p. 167-179, FEB 2022. (19/10261-2)

SOUSA ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO; CHAVES DE SOUZA, MAURICIO PALMEIRA; CARVALHO, GABRIELA CORREA; DUARTE, JONATAS LOBATO; CHORILLI, MARLUS. Chitosan-based systems aimed at local application for vaginal infections. Carbohydrate Polymers, v. 261, JUN 1 2021. (19/10261-2, 19/25125-7)

SATO, MARIANA RILLO; OSHIRO-JUNIOR, JOAO AUGUSTO; RODERO, CAMILA FERNANDA; BONI, FERNANDA ISADORA; SOUSA ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO; BAUAB, TAIS MARIA; NICHOLAS, DEAN; CALLAN, JOHN F.; CHORILLI, MARLUS. Photodynamic therapy-mediated hypericin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers against vulvovaginal candidiasis. JOURNAL DE MYCOLOGIE MEDICALE, v. 32, n. 4, p. 8-pg., 2022-11-01. (16/11198-4, 18/17573-7, 19/10261-2, 19/17913-5)

ALMEIDA FURQUIM DE CAMARGO, BRUNA; FONSECA-SANTOS, BRUNO; GONCALVES CARVALHO, SUZANA; CORREA CARVALHO, GABRIELA; DELELLO DI FILIPPO, LEONARDO; SOUSA ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO; LOBATO DUARTE, JONATAS; POLLI SILVESTRE, AMANDA LETICIA; BAUAB, TAIS MARIA; CHORILLI, MARLUS. Functionalized lipid-based drug delivery nanosystems for the treatment of human infectious diseases. CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2022-05-28. (19/26821-7, 19/10261-2)

SATO, MARIANA RILLO; OSHIRO-JUNIOR, JOAO AUGUSTO; RODERO, CAMILA FERNANDA; BONI, FERNANDA ISADORA; ARAUJO, VICTOR HUGO SOUSA; BAUAB, TAIS MARIA; NICHOLAS, DEAN; CALLAN, JOHN FRANCIS; CHORILLI, MARLUS. Enhancing Antifungal Treatment of Candida albicans with Hypericin-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers in Hydrogels: Characterization, In Vitro, and In Vivo Photodynamic Evaluation. PHARMACEUTICALS, v. 16, n. 8, p. 12-pg., 2023-08-01. (18/17573-7, 16/11198-4, 14/50928-2, 19/10261-2, 19/17913-5)