Development of microemulsion as a delivery system for the lipid pro-resolution maresin 1

• Grant number: 24/01312-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Fabiana Testa Moura de Carvalho Vicentini
• Grantee: Augusto Pereira Alves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Maresin-1 (MaR1), a type of pro-resolution lipid, is derived from macrophages and expressed in various tissues, such as lymphoid, adipose, nervous and brain tissue. It acts in limiting neutrophil infiltration, increasing macrophages phagocytosis, reducing the production of proinflammatory factors, and stimulating tissue regeneration. In addition, it can subvert the neuronal function by inhibiting the neuropeptides release, which results in less peripheral inflammation. Finally, this pro-resolution lipid reduces the UVB radiation induced cutaneous inflammation and oxidative stress. Thus, MaR1 is an endogenous molecule with great therapeutic perspective. In theory, the incorporation of MaR1 by controlled delivery systems could increase its activity and the duration of its effect, since the activity of pro-resolution lipids is limited by the expression of their receptors by cells. In addition to the inherent instability of the active, the fact that it is a highly apolar molecule is also a condition that must be circumvented by a delivery system in order to increase bioavailability. Microemulsion (ME) is a droplet size system on the nanoscale composed of water, oil and surfactants, being essentially an optically isotropic and thermodynamically stable liquid solution. MEs have numerous advantages relevant to the proposal to evaluate it as a delivery system of MaR1, such as ease of preparation, thermodynamic stability, solubilization of apolar drugs and modified release. Therefore, the present project aims to develop a ME incorporated with the pro-resolution lipid MaR1, so that the delivery system may contribute to the increase in the lipid stability and allow a controlled delivery of MaR1, in order that these characteristics allow an increase in their effectiveness and duration of effect.