Nanostructures enriched with vegetable oils for optimization of formulation with model drugs

• Grant number: 21/00319-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Priscila Gava Mazzola
• Grantee: Julia Cedran Coco
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/00931-3 - Foamable microemulsions for antifungal drug delivery, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

New release systems with permeation promoters for topical delivery are needed for the treatment of persistent diseases, where oral therapy causes adverse effects. Liposomes are promoters of biocompatible permeation and are successful on the market, but have the limitation of being subject to the oxidation of lipid membranes. Vegetable oils such as baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) and chia (Salvia hispanica L.) are rich in antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols, tocopherols and triterpenes, in addition to unsaturated fatty acids and triacylglycerides with possible healing activity. Our hypothesis is that these vegetable oils could increase the stability of liposomes through protection against oxidation, in addition to creating a multifunctional delivery system, with synergistic therapeutic benefits, increased permeation of the active and adding beneficial effects to the final formulation, such as healing activity. The delivery of nystatin, an antifungal drug with difficulty in formulating due to lipophilicity, could be optimized by this new delivery system for the treatment of persistent fungal diseases. Thus, the objectives of the study are (i) to extract and characterize the oils from the baru nut and chia seed; (ii) producing liposomes enriched with baru or chia oils; (iii) incorporating nystatin to the enriched liposomes; (iv) characterize the liposomes in terms of mean diameter, size distribution, morphology, encapsulation efficiency and nystatin release and (v) evaluate the permeation, antifungal and healing activity of the final formulations. (AU)