OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the biological activities of pectin synthesised MNPs (Pe-MNPs).
METHODS: The databases Springer Link, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, Mendeley, and ResearchGate were systematically searched from the date of their inception until 10th February 2020. Pectin, green synthesis, metallic nanoparticles, reducing agent and biological activities were among the key terms searched. The data extraction was focussed on the biological activities of Pe-MNPs and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations for systematic reviews.
RESULTS: A total of 15 studies outlined 7 biological activities of Pe-MNPs in the only three metals that have been explored, namely silver (Ag), gold (Au) and cerium oxide (CeO2). The activities reported from the in vitro and in vivo studies were antimicrobial (9 studies), anticancer (2 studies), drug carrier (3 studies), non-toxic (4 studies), antioxidant (2 studies), wound healing (1 study) and anti-inflammation (1 study).
CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review demonstrates the current state of the art of Pe-MNPs biological activities, suggesting that Ag and Au have potent antibacterial and anticancer/chemotherapeutic drug carrier activity, respectively. Further in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research is crucial for a better understanding of the pharmacological potential of pectin synthesised MNPs.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to optimize the yield of pectin extracted from sweet potato residue and investigate its emulsifying properties.
METHODS: Response surface methodology (RSM) has been utilized to investigate the pectin extracted from sweet potato peels using citric acid as the extracting solvent. Investigation of the effect of different extraction conditions namely temperature (°C), time (min) and solution pH on pectin yield (%) were conducted. A Box-Benhken design with three levels of variation was used to optimize the extraction conditions.
RESULTS: The optimal conditions determined were temperature 76°C, time 64 min and pH 1.2 with 65.2% yield of pectin. The degree of esterification (DE) of the sweet potato pectin was determined using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. The pectin is high-methoxyl pectin with DE of 58.5%. Emulsifying properties of sweet potato pectin were investigated by measuring the zeta-potential, particle size and creaming index with addition of 0.4 and 1.0 wt % pectin to the emulsion.
CONCLUSION: Extraction using citric acid could improve the pectin yield. Improved emulsion stability was observed with the addition of the sweet potato pectin.
OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to circumvent the pharmaceutical issues related to DsiRNA delivery to colon for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
METHOD: In this study, we have prepared water-soluble chitosan (WSC)-DsiRNA complex nanoparticles (NPs) by a simple complexation method and subsequently coated with pectin to protect DsiRNA from gastric milieu.
RESULTS: The mean particle size and zeta potential of the prepared WSC-DsiRNA complexes were varied from 145 ± 4 nm to 867 ± 81 nm and +38 ± 4 to -6.2 ± 2.7 mV respectively, when the concentrations of WSC (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% w/v) and pectin (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.25% w/v) were varied. The electron microscopic analysis revealed that morphology of WSC-DsiRNA complexes was varied from smooth spherical to irregular spherical. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that viability of colorectal adenocarcinoma cell was decreased when the dose of WSC-DsiRNA was increased over the incubation from 24 to 48 h. A significantly low cumulative release of DsiRNA in simulated gastric (<15%) and intestinal fluids (<30%) and a marked increase in its release (>90%) in simulated colonic fluid (SCF) evidenced the feasibility and suitability of WSC-DsiRNA complexes for the colonic delivery.
CONCLUSION: These findings clearly indicated promising potential of WSC-DsiRNA complexes as a carrier to delivery DsiRNA to colon for the treatment of colorectal cancer.