Biodegradable and nanoparticles systens used to controled delivery of two drugs against schistosomiasis and Chagas` disease

• Grant number: 08/07120-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2009
• End date: March 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Márcio Luís Andrade e Silva
• Grantee: Priscilla Paiva Luz
• Host Institution: Reitoria. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The goal of this proposal is the development of polymeric nanocarriers to vehiculatetwo probable drugs against Shistosomiasis and Chagas diseases. These drugs have beendeposited at INPI (Brazilian National Institute for Industrial Protection) and they will bedeveloped in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company: JP Indústria FarmacêuticaLTDA. Shistosomiasis affects more than 220 million people annually world wide, fromwhich 10 million are in Brazilian territory. About 30 % of the infected individuals areresistant to the available treatments, using the commercial medicines. With regard toChagas disease, there is no treatment available, since previous used drugs, nifurtimox andbenznidazol are no longer commercialized. The two natural occurrence active principles,to be vehiculated in polymeric nanocarriers, are (-)-O-methylcubebin and (-)-hinokinin andwill be obtained, by partial synthesis, from (-)-cubebin, which will be isolated from theseeds of Piper cubeba. Both drugs will be used, respectively, for the treatment ofschistosomiasis and Chagas diseases. It should be pointed out that both compounds wereactive in both in vitro and in vivo assays. These drugs will be encapsulated innanoparticulated pharmaceutical formulations, composed by biocompatible andbiodegradable materials such as PLGA, PLGA-PEG, MCM-41, MCM-41 aminefuncionalizedand lipids, and they will be administered by intramuscular route. The doseeffective determination of the active principles against Shistosomiasis and Chagas diseases and the efficacy study of the developed pharmaceutical formulations will be donewith in vivo assays (AU)