Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a vector borne disease caused by parasitic worms such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and B. timori, which are transmitted by mosquitoes. Current therapeutics to treat LF are mainly microfilarcidal, and lack activity against adult worms. This set back, poses a challenge for the control and elimination of filariasis. Thus, in this study the activities of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against the filarial worm B. pahangi and its bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia were evaluated. Different concentrations (2, 5, 10, 15, 20 μg/ml) of CAPE were used to assess its effects on motility, viability and microfilarial (mf) production of B. pahangi in vitro. Anti-Wolbachial activity of CAPE was measured in worms by quantification of Wolbachial wsp gene copy number using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our findings show that CAPE was found to significantly reduce adult worm motility, viability, and mf release both in vitro and in vivo. 20 μg/ml of CAPE halts the release of mf in vitro by day 6 of post treatment. Also, the number of adult worms recovered in vivo were reduced significantly during and after treatment with 50 mg/kg of CAPE relative to control drugs, diethylcarbamazine and doxycycline. Real time PCR based on the Wolbachia ftsZ gene revealed a significant reduction in Wolbachia copy number upon treatment. Anti-Wolbachia and antifilarial properties of CAPE require further investigation as an alternative strategy to treat LF.
In this study, hydroxytyrosol (HT; a potent antioxidant) was co-administered with hydrocortisone (HC) to mitigate the systemic adverse effects of the latter and to provide additional anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). The co-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) prepared had shown different particle sizes, zeta potentials, loading efficiencies, and morphology, when the pH of the chitosan solution was increased from 3.0 to 7.0. Ex vivo permeation data showed that the co-loaded NPs formulation significantly reduced the corresponding flux (17.04μg/cm(2)/h) and permeation coefficient (3.4×10(-3)cm/h) of HC across full-thickness NC/Nga mouse skin. In addition, the NPs formulation showed higher epidermal (1560±31μg/g of skin) and dermal (880±28μg/g of skin) accumulation of HC than did a commercial HC formulation. Moreover, an in vivo study using an NC/Nga mouse model revealed that compared to the other treatment groups, the group treated with the NPs formulation efficiently controlled transepidermal water loss (13±2g/m(2)/h), intensity of erythema (207±12), and dermatitis index (mild). In conclusion, NPs co-loaded with HC/HT is proposed as a promising system for the percutaneous co-delivery of anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agents in the treatment of AD.
Hydrocortisone (HC), topical glucocorticoid along with hydroxytyrosol (HT), and anti-microbial- and anti-oxidant-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) were prepared in large scale and analyzed for their adverse effects on healthy human skin followed by repeated applications. Ten subjects were randomized to receive test (HC-HT CSNPs) and vehicle samples (aqueous (AQ) cream). They were applied on the arms for 28 days, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema intensity, and irritation score were measured. Blood samples were analyzed for blood hematology, blood biochemistry, and adrenal cortico-thyroid hormone (ACTH) levels. Skin biopsy was obtained to assess histopathological changes in the skin. HC-HT CSNP AQ cream was stored at 4, 25, and 45 °C for a period of 1 year, and its stability was assessed by monitoring their physical appearances, particle size, and pH. Spherical-shaped NPs were successfully upscaled using spinning-disc technology, with insignificant changes in particle size, zeta potential, and incorporation of drugs as compared to the well-established laboratory method. Particle size of HC-HT CSNPs was
Excessive free radical production by immune cells has been linked to cell death and tissue injury during sepsis. Peroxynitrite is a short-lived oxidant and a potent inducer of cell death that has been identified in several pathological conditions. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is an active component of honeybee products and exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. The present study examined the ability of CAPE to scavenge peroxynitrite in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide/interferon-γ that was used as an in vitro model. Conversion of 123-dihydrorhodamine to its oxidation product 123-rhodamine was used to measure peroxynitrite production. Two mouse models of sepsis (endotoxemia and cecal ligation and puncture) were used as in vivo models. The level of serum 3-nitrotyrosine was used as an in vivo marker of peroxynitrite. The results demonstrated that CAPE significantly improved the viability of lipopolysaccharide/interferon-γ-treated RAW 264.7 cells and significantly inhibited nitric oxide production, with effects similar to those observed with an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (1400W). In addition, CAPE exclusively inhibited the synthesis of peroxynitrite from the artificial substrate SIN-1 and directly prevented the peroxynitrite-mediated conversion of dihydrorhodamine-123 to its fluorescent oxidation product rhodamine-123. In both sepsis models, CAPE inhibited cellular peroxynitrite synthesis, as evidenced by the absence of serum 3-nitrotyrosine, an in vivo marker of peroxynitrite. Thus, CAPE attenuates the inflammatory responses that lead to cell damage and, potentially, cell death through suppression of the production of cytotoxic molecules such as nitric oxide and peroxynitrite. These observations provide evidence of the therapeutic potential of CAPE treatment for a wide range of inflammatory disorders.
Previous studies have shown that hydroxytyrosol (HT) can be a potential alternative therapeutic agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, HT is extensively metabolized following oral administration, which leads to formulating HT in a topical vehicle to prolong drug action as well as to provide a localized effect. Hidrox-6 is a freeze-dried powder derived from fresh olives and contains a high amount of HT (∼3%) and other polyphenols. Alginate bilayer films containing 5% and 10% Hidrox-6 were formulated. The films were characterized with respect to their physical, morphology, rheological properties; drug content uniformity; and in vitro drug release. Acute dermal irritancy tests and a skin sensitization study were carried out in rats. An efficacy study of the bilayer films for RA was conducted using Freund's adjuvant-induced polyarthritis rats. Animal data showed that the bilayer film formulations did not cause skin irritancy. The efficacy in vivo results showed that the Hidrox-6 bilayer films lowered the arthritic scores, paw and ankle circumference, serum IL-6 level and cumulative histological scores compared with those measured for controls. The topical Hidrox-6 bilayer films improve synovitis and inflammatory symptoms in RA and can be a potential alternative to oral RA therapy.
The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the immuno-modulatory and histological stabilization effects of nanocarrier-based transcutaneous co-delivery of hydrocortisone (HC) and hydroxytyrosol (HT). In this investigation, the clinical and pharmacological efficacies of nanoparticle (NP)-based formulation to alleviate 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) was explored by using an NC/Nga mouse model. Ex vivo visual examination of AD induction in experimental mice indicated remarkable control of NP-based formulations in reducing pathological severity of AD-like skin lesions. Therapeutic effectiveness of NP-based formulations was also evaluated by comparing skin thickness of AD-induced NP-treated mice (456±27 µm) with that of atopic mice (916±37 µm). Analysis of the immuno-spectrum of AD also revealed the dominance of NP-based formulations in restraining immunoglobulin-E (IgE), histamine, prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), vascular endothelial growth factor-α (VEGF-α), and T-helper cells (TH1/TH2) producing cytokines in serum and skin biopsies of tested mice. These anti-AD data were further supported by histological findings that revealed alleviated pathological features, including collagen fiber deposition, fibroblasts infiltration, and fragmentation of elastic fibers in experimental mice. Thus, NP-mediated transcutaneous co-delivery of HC and HT can be considered as a promising therapy for managing immunological and histological spectra associated with AD.