Encapsulation of Hydrocortisone and Mesalazine in Zein Microparticles

Zein was investigated for use as an oral-drug delivery system by loading prednisolone into zein microparticles using coacervation. To investigate the adaptability of this method to other drugs, zein microparticles were loaded with hydrocortisone, which is structurally related to prednisolone; or mesalazine, which is structurally different having a smaller LogP and ionizable functional groups. Investigations into the in vitro digestibility, and the electrophoretic profile of zein, and zein microparticles were conducted to shed further insight on using this protein as a drug delivery system. Hydrocortisone loading into zein microparticles was comparable with that reported for prednisolone, but mesalazine loading was highly variable. Depending on the starting quantities of hydrocortisone and zein, the average amount of microparticles equivalent to 4 mg hydrocortisone, (a clinically used dose), ranged from 60-115 mg, which is realistic and practical for oral dosing. Comparatively, an average of 2.5 g of microparticles was required to deliver 250 mg of mesalazine (a clinically used dose), so alternate encapsulation methods that can produce higher and more precise mesalazine loading are required. In vitro protein digestibility revealed that zein microparticles were more resistant to digestion compared to the zein raw material, and that individual zein peptides are not preferentially coacervated into the microparticles. In combination, these results suggest that there is potential to formulate a delivery system based on zein microparticles made using specific subunits of zein that is more resistant to digestion as starting material, to deliver drugs to the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Preparation and in vitro release of zein microparticles loaded with prednisolone for oral delivery

Zein has been proposed as a polymer for targeted-drug delivery via the oral route. Zein microparticles were loaded with prednisolone and evaluated as an oral delivery system. Microparticles were formulated using phase separation. Starting quantities of zein and prednisolone, along with the agitation method and temperature were found to significantly impact drug loading and loading efficiency. Vortex mixing produced the highest drug loading and loading efficiency. Drug release was measured in simulated conditions of the stomach and small intestine using the microparticles made with the method that best improved drug loading. In simulated stomach and small intestine conditions, prednisolone release reached almost 70 over 3 and 4h, respectively. While a clinically relevant dose may be delivered using c. 100mg of zein microparticles, prednisolone release from the microparticles indicates that they may not be suited as a controlled-or targeted-delivery system.

Zein da erosketa-aukerarik onena?

Duración (en horas): Más de 50 horas. Nivel educativo: Grado

Zein instrumentazio eta material erosiko zenuke ingurugiroko analisiak egiten dituen laborategia muntatzeko?

Duración (en horas): Más de 50 horas. Destinatario: Estudiante y Docente

Zein da NIDCAP programaren eragina jaioberri goiztiarren neurogarapenean epe luzera? Atalez atal aztertua

Jaioberri goiztiarra, haurdunaldiko 37. astea baino lehen jaiotzen den haur heldugabea da. Jaioberri hauen biziraupen tasa azken hamarkadetako aurrerapen medikoei esker (inkubagailuak, farmakoak…) igo da baina bere heldugabetasunaren eraginez jaioberri hauen %23-60ak ezintasunak eta jarrera zein hezkuntza asaldurak pairatzen dituzte. 1970. urtean Heidelise Alsek NIDCAPa, (“Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program”) asmatu zuen, jaioberri bakoitzaren garapenean laguntzeko helburuarekin, beharrezko arreta berezia eta bakoitzarentzako zainketa planean oinarrituz. Helburua: NIDCAP metodoarekin kontaktuan egon ziren jaioberri goiztiarren eragina, epe luzera, nerbio sistemaren garapeneko atal motorea, atal kognitiboa eta neurosentsoriala aztertzean datza. Metodologia: Azterketa bibliografiko hau egiteko, beharrezko informazio bilaketa orokorra egin da helburua finkatzeko. Ondoren, Pubmed datu basean beharrezko irizpideak zehaztuta ikerlanak kritikoki irakurri, ebidentzian oinarrituz 11 hautatu eta landu ostean (guztira 946 jaioberri goiztiar aztertuz) garatu da. Emaitzak eta azterketa: Ikerlanen arabera NIDCAP metodoaren eraginetan egon diren 4, 9 eta 12 hilabeteko haurrek atal motorea garatuagoa duten datuak daude baina 18 eta 24 hilabeteko umeetan aldiz, ez dira ebidentziazko daturik aurkitu NIDCAParen efektu onuragarriei buruz, bere eraginaren efektua luzarora desagertuz. NIDCAP ereduaren erabilerak kognizio atalaren garapenean onurak ekartzen dituen datuak daude 9 hilabeteko haurretan (helburuak zuzentzeko gaitasunean eta arreta mantentzeko gaitasunean) eta 8 urteko haurretan ere (bat-bateko prozesamenduan) baina 12 eta 24 hilabeteko adinarekin, aldiz, ez dira eraginik hauteman. Garapeneko atal neurosentsorialean, ebidentziazko artikulu bakar baten arabera NIDCAParen erabilerak 8 urteko umeen ikusmen eta ahalmen espazialean laguntzen du. Ondorioa: NIDCAP metodoak jaioberri goiztiarretan daukan eragin gomendagarria dauka atal kognitiboan eta ikusmenean, baina oso eragin urria dauka metodo eraginkorra izateko.

10KD Zein 基因克隆、序列分析以及对植物百脉根（Lotus corniculatus L.）转化

本文应用聚合酶链式反应技术(PCR)在体外从玉米基因组中扩增富于含硫氨基酸的10KD玉米醇溶蛋白基因、克隆及序列分析结果，并用该基因转化豆科牧草百脉根以期获得有良好营养平衡的转基因牧草，从玉米无菌苗提取大片段的DNA．根据目的基因两端的DNA顺序合成一对引物，利用PCR技术经30个活环DNA扩增，得到了一特异的0.57Kb片段，克隆后对该片段进行限制性内切酶物理图谱分析并测定了其全部编码区序列．结果表明，克隆到的完整的10 Kd玉米醇溶蛋白基因编码区与国外报道的相比，其核苷酸顺序及推测的氧基酸序列同源率分别为96%和90%．将基因分别置于质粒pKYLX5及pKYLX71表达戴体，构建了分别在rbcS及CaMV 35S启动子调控下的10 KD zein基因的嵌合质粒．列用农杆菌介导的叶盘法及茎切段法，选用百脉根( Lotus corniculatus)品种一名分别为“里澳”及“马库”，以5-10天的无菌苗子叶和茎切段为外植体，进行基因转化，在含50mg／L km的MS培养基上，2-3周获得抗性的芽，将芽转到无激素的MS培养基上诱导生根，获得抗性植株，捡测工作正在进行中。

Zein-Based Nanoparticles Improve the Oral Bioavailability of Resveratrol and Its Anti-inflammatory Effects in a Mouse Model of Endotoxic Shock

Resveratrol offers pleiotropic health benefits including a reported ability to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine production. The aim of this work was to prepare, characterize and evaluate a resveratrol nanoparticulate formulation based on zein. For this purpose, the oral bioavailability of the encapsulated polyphenol as well as its anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of endotoxic shock was studied. The resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles displayed a mean size of 307±3 nm, with a negative zeta potential (-51.1±1.55 mV), and a polyphenol loading of 80.2±3.26 μg/mg. In vitro, the release of resveratrol from the nanoparticles was found to be pH independent and adjusted well to the Peppas-Sahlin kinetic model, suggesting a mechanism based on the combination of diffusion and erosion of the nanoparticle matrix. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that zein-based nanoparticles provided high and prolonged plasma levels of the polyphenol for at least 48 h. The oral bioavailability of resveratrol when administered in these nanoparticles increased up to 50% (19.2-fold higher than for the control solution of the polyphenol). Furthermore, nanoparticles administered daily for 7 days at 15 mg/kg, were able to diminish the endotoxic symptoms induced in mice by the intraperitoneal administration of LPS (i.e., hypothermia, piloerection and stillness). In addition, serum TNF-α levels were slightly lower (approximately 15%) than those observed in the control.

gamma-zein secondary structure in solution by circular dichroism

The proline-rich N-terminal domain of gamma-zein has been reported in relevant process, which include its ability to cross the cell membranes. Evidences indicate that synthetic hexapeptide (PPPVHL), naturally found in N-terminal portion of gamma-zein, can adopt the polyproline II (PPII) conformation in aqueous solution. The secondary structure of gamma-zein in maize protein bodies had been analyzed by solid state Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. However, it was not possible to measure PPII content in physiological environment since the beta-sheet and PPII signals overlap in both solid state techniques. Here, the secondary structure of gamma-zein has been analyzed by circular dichroism in SDS aqueous solution with and without ditiothreitol (DTT), and in 60% of 2-propanol and water with DTT The results show that gamma-zein has high helical content in all solutions. The PPII conformation was present at about 7% only in water/DTT solution. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of non-zein proteins in BR473 maize protein bodies by LC-nanoESI-MS/MS

The nutritional value of maize seed is limited due to its high content of storage proteins (zeins), which are deficient in essential amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan. In a previous paper, we showed that protein bodies obtained from BR473 maize variety, developed by Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), were mainly constituted by Z27 and a smaller quantity of Z50 gamma-zeins. Besides zein proteins, other not identified protein band in the SDS/PAGE was also observed, which could indicate the presence of non-zein proteins additionally to gamma-zeins. In the present paper, we have demonstrated the presence of non-zein proteins in BR473 maize protein bodies by LC-nanoESI-MS/MS and database searching. This fact could be related to the excellent energetic value and higher protein quality of BR473 maize grains, since high lysine concentration in some maize varieties has been related to the presence of cytoskeleton proteins that are non-zeins. We have identified the following proteins: Brittle-1 protein (chloroplast precursor), Legumin-1, glyceroldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and elongation factor 1-alpha.

Optical and Structural Properties of Zein-Xanthan Gum Biofilms

Structural and optical characteristics of zein-based films produced with different xanthan gum concentrations have been studied in this work. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) were performed to identify if the incorporation of the material into the matrix film, formed a homogeneous structure, as well as to characterize its constituents as the colour and shape. SEM showed a homogeneous matrix for the control (0% xanthan) with good lipid distribution. However, when the samples were investigated by OM, lipids globules in the control biofilm appeared larger and more dispersed in the matrix than the others samples. Transparency/opacity test measurements by UV-VIS analysis indicated that the addition of xanthan to the film matrix lowered significantly its transparency properties Overall, the addition of xanthan gum favoured lipid dispersion in the matrix, making biomaterials more homogeneous, although with less transparency.

Morphological and Structural Characteristics of Zein Biofilms with Added Xanthan Gum

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of modified clays on the structure and functional properties of biofilms produced with zein

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of processing on the structure of zein/oleic acid films investigated by X-ray diffraction

Zein films plasticized with oleic acid were formed by solution casting, by the stretching of moldable resins, and by blown film extrusion. The effects of the forming process on film structure were investigated by X-ray diffraction. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) patterns showed d-spacings at 4.5 and 10 angstrom, which were attributed to the zein alpha-helix backbone and inter-helix packing, respectively. The 4.5.angstrom d-spacing remained stable under processing while the 10 angstrom d-spacing varied with processing treatment. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) detected a long-range periodicity for the formed films but not for unprocessed zein, which suggests that the forming process-promoted film structure development is possibly aided by oleic acid. The SAXS d-spacing varied among the samples (130-238 angstrom) according to zein origin and film-forming method. X-ray scattering data suggest that the zein molecular structure resists processing but the zein supramolecular arrangements in the formed films are dependent on processing methods.

Influence of ethanol and glycerol concentration over functional and structural properties of zein-oleic acid films

This study was performed in order to determine the effect of the addition of different concentrations of glycerol and ethanol over functional and structural properties of zein-oleic acid films. Films were prepared from zein and oleic acid formulations, containing: 0, 10, 20 and 30% (w/w) of glycerol as plasticizer and 75, 80, 85, 90 and 95% (v/v) of ethanol as zein solvent. Water vapor permeability (WVP) at 4 and 24 C, opacity, water solubility and structural behavior of the film were assessed. The film water barrier properties, WVP and water solubility, were increased when higher ethanol concentration and lower glycerol concentration were used. Furthermore, WVP at 4 C was lower than WVP at 24 C due to the crystalline solid state of oleic acid at lower temperatures. Likewise, opacity, homogeneity and structure of the composite film were improved as ethanol increased and glycerol lowered. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ketav hap-Pô'îl el jôševê Gālāṭyā : doś heiśṭ oif ṭaiṭš der brif fon Poilus zu di kehiles han-noitzrim di do gwezn zein in der medine Galaṭja

Digitalisat der Ausg. [S.l.], [1734/35]