Nanoemulsões como sistemas de liberação parenteral de fármacos

Lipid nanoemulsions have recently been proposed as parenteral delivery systems for poorly-soluble drugs. These systems consist of nanoscale oil/water dispersions stabilized by an appropriate surfactant system in which the drug is incorporated into the oil core and/or adsorbed at the interface. This article reviews technological aspects of such nanosystems, including their composition, preparation methods, and physicochemical properties. From this review, it was possible to identify five groups of nanoemulsions based on their composition. Biopharmaceutical aspects of formulations containing some commercially available drugs (diazepam, propofol, dexamethasone, etomidate, flurbiprofen and prostaglandin E1) were then discussed.

Towards new botanical pesticides: the toxic effect of Eremanthus goyazensis (Asteraceae) leaves essential oil against Brevipalpus phoenicis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

This work reports the chemical characterization of Eremanthusgoyzensis essential oil and its toxic effect over Brevipalpus phoenicis. The essential oil displayed a major composition of sesquiterpenes (61.87%) including trans-caryophillene (26.81%) and germacrene-D (13.31%). The fumigation test indicated a promising bioactivity over adult B. phoenicis individuals at 24 h (2.03 µL/L of air) and 48 h (1.08 µL/L of air) of exposition. A brief discussion of essential oils composition and their singular role on the toxic effect over B. phoenicis is provided here. Our results may contribute to a new and profitable use of a species of Brazilian flora on agribusiness.

Visual demonstration of the ionic strength effect in the classroom: the Debye-Hückel limiting law

The effects of ionic strength on ions in aqueous solutions are quite relevant, especially for biochemical systems, in which proteins and amino acids are involved. The teaching of this topic and more specifically, the Debye-Hückel limiting law, is central in chemistry undergraduate courses. In this work, we present a description of an experimental procedure based on the color change of aqueous solutions of bromocresol green (BCG), driven by addition of electrolyte. The contribution of charge product (z+|z-|) to the Debye-Hückel limiting law is demonstrated when the effects of NaCl and Na2SO4 on the color of BCG solutions are compared.

Characterization and catalytic performance of potassium loaded on rice husk silica and zeolite nay for transesterification of jatropha seed oil

Rice husk silica (RHS) and NaY were used as supports for potassium (K) prepared from acetate buffer (B) and acetate (A) solutions. K loading did not destroy the NaY structure, but it caused a decrease in the surface area; the K species resided in micropores and on the external surface. In contrast, K loading resulted in the collapse and a decrease in the surface area of RHS. It was found that 12K/NaY-B was the most active catalyst for the transesterification of Jatropha seed oil. The minimum K content in K/NaY-B that provided complete conversion of the Jatropha seed oil was 11 wt%, and the biodiesel yield was 77.9%.

Influencia de variables de formulación en la viscosidad de emulsiones de surfactante aniónico-aceite-agua

Phase transition and viscosity behavior of emulsified systems were studied after modifying their physicochemical formulation. Effects of concentration and nature of salts and n-alcohols, and water/oil relation on the rheological properties of emulsions were also studied. Pre-equilibrated systems were emulsified according to an agitation procedure, and the viscosity (cP) was measured at different shear rates ranging from 1 to 300 s-1. The phase behavior, as well as the emulsion type based on electrolytic conductivity, was observed. Several interpretations of the flow and viscosity curves of emulsions were made through the estimation of rheological parameters such as consistency index "k" and behavior index "n".

Avaliação de diferentes métodos para a determinação de cobre em óleo mineral isolante por espectrometria de absorção atômica com forno de grafite

This aim of this work was to compare two methods for copper determination in insulating oils from power transformers by GFAAS. The first method was extraction induced by emulsion breaking, which determined the preconcentration of copper in an aqueous solution and exhibited a limit of quantification of 0.27 µg L-1. Also, a second method based on the direct introduction of samples into GFAAS in the form of detergent emulsions, prepared with Triton X-114 and HNO3, was investigated. In this case, the limit of quantification was 1.7 µg L-1. Seven samples of used oils were successfully analyzed by both methods.

Variation of essential oil composition of Tapirira guianensis Aubl. (Anacardiaceae) from two sandbank forests, north of Brazil

Tapirira guianensis (Anacardiaceae) is used in traditional medicine and is important for the recovery of degraded areas and riparian forests because the T. guianensis fruits are highly consumed by wildlife. Volatile components from dried leaves and branches of five individual plants of T. guianensis were collected in two sandbank forests of the State of Pará (Extractive Reserve Maracanã and Area of Environmental Protection Algodoal/Maiandeua), extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and analyzed by GC/MS. The ten oils obtained are comprised mostly of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (58.49 to 100%), with (E)-caryophyllene, β-selinene, α-selinene, β-sesquiphellandrene, and α-zingiberene being the most prominent. The results of the oil compositions were processed by Hierarchical Component Analysis (HCA) allowing the establishment of three groups of essential oils for T. guianensis differentiated by the content of β-selinene/α-selinene (Type I), (E)-caryophyllene (Type II), and β-sesquiphellandrene/α-zingiberene (Type III).

CONSTITUENTS OF ESSENTIAL OIL AND HYDROLATE OF LEAVES OF Campomanesia viatoris LANDRUM

The chemical composition of the essential oil and hydrolates of Campomanesia viatoris Landrum were investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and a GC flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The major constituents were tasmanone (70.50, essential oil; 74.73%, hydrolate), flavesone (12.77, essential oil; 12.24%, hydrolate) and agglomerone (6.79, essential oil; 10.84%, hydrolate). Tasmonone was isolated and its structure was characterized by spectrometric analysis, specifically 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). These findings supports the quimiotaxonomic relationship with Campomanesia and Eucalyptus genera.

DESENVOLVIMENTO DE UMA TÉCNICA ULTRASSÔNICA PARA AVALIAR TEORES DE ÓLEO E GRAXA EM EFLUENTES DE BIOCOMBUSTÍVEIS

Ultrasound as a metrology tool has many applications in health care, industrial, and chemical analyses. Ultrasonic techniques are rapid, low-cost, non-invasive, and highly repeatable. Although ultrasound can be used to measure emulsions, no effort had been made thus far to optimize its sensitivity for metrological analysis. In this work, a technique for analyzing oil in water was validated. The wave velocity and attenuation were chosen as the ultrasonic parameters. The technique was implemented in the boundary region established by law for effluents from industrial plants involved with biofuel manufacturing. A technical effort of this study was to establish stable emulsions in concentrations close to the desired limit of study. The phase behaviours of pseudo-ternary oil, sodium chloride, and sodium lauryl sulphate were studied. The composition in the widest region of the diagram allowed for the formation of a stable emulsion, from which the ultrasound measurement was carried out. An analytical curve was obtained using ultrasonic attenuation to determine the content of oils and greases in wastewater ranging 15–240 ppm. The speed of sound did not appear to be an applicable parameter for this application. The technique was demonstrated to be an important alternative solution for the continuous monitoring of wastewater with regard to oil concentrations.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF ANALYTICAL METHOD FOR PALM OIL DETERMINATION IN MICROCAPSULES PRODUCED BY COMPLEX COACERVATION

The microencapsulation of palm oil may be a mechanism for protecting and promoting the controlled release of its bioactive compounds. To optimize the microencapsulation process, it is necessary to accurately quantify the palm oil present both external and internal to the microcapsules. In this study, we developed and validated a spectrophotometric method to determine the microencapsulation efficiency of palm oil by complex coacervation. We used gelatin and gum arabic (1:1) as wall material in a 5% concentration (w/v) and palm oil in the same concentration. The coacervates were obtained at pH 4.0 ± 0.01, decanted for 24 h, frozen (−40 ºC), and lyophilized for 72 h. Morphological analyzes were then performed. We standardized the extraction of the external palm oil through five successive washes with an organic solvent. We then explored the best method for rupturing the microcapsules. After successive extractions with hexane, we determined the amount of palm oil contained in the microcapsules using a spectrophotometer. The proposed method was shown to be of low cost, fast, and easy to implement. In addition, in the validation step, we confirmed the method to be safe and reliable, as it proved to be specific, accurate, precise, and robust.

Essential oil of mustard to control Rhizoctonia solani causing seedling damping off and seedling blight in nursery

The essential oil extracted from mustard (Brassica rapa) seeds was evaluated for its effect on suppression of Rhizoctonia solani growth in vitro, and in field soils, for reducing saprophytic substrate colonization and seedling damping off and blight using snap beans as indicator plant, the in vitro growth was completely inhibited at a concentration of 50 mul/l. The saprophytic substrate colonization in soils 24 h after treatment was drastically reduced to 45% at 150 mul/kg soil concentration, in contrast to 100% colonization at concentrations of 0, 50, or 75 mul/kg. This recovery rate gradually declined to 6% and 60%, respectively, in nine days. A control of pre and post-emergence seedling damping off and blight in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), without any apparent phytotoxic effect was achieved by irrigating R. solani infested soils with water containing the emulsified essential oil to provide 150 mul/l soil volume ten days prior to planting, gave over 95%. The effect of the mustard essential oil was not influenced by the physical soil texture, and it appears to be a good substitute for methyl bromide fumigation in nurseries for seedling production.

Identification of the major fungitoxic component of cinnamon bark oil

The study was done to identify the most active fungitoxic component of cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) oil that can be used as a marker for standardization of cinnamon extract or oil based natural preservative of stored seeds. Aspergillus flavus and A. ruber were used as test fungi. The hexane extracted crude oil and the hydro-distilled essential oil from cinnamon bark had complete growth inhibition concentration (CGIC) of 300 and 100 µl/l, respectively. Both oils produced three fractions on preparative thin layer silica-gel chromatography plates. The fraction-2 of either oil was the largest and most active, with CGIC of 200 µl/l, but the fungitoxicity was also retained in the other two fractions. The fraction-1 and 3 of the crude oil reduced growth of both the fungal species by 65%, and those of distilled oil by 45% at 200 µl/l. The CGIC of these fractions from both the sources was above 500 µl/l. The gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the fraction-2 of the hexane extract revealed that it contained 61% cinnamaldehyde, 29% cinnamic acid, and two minor unidentified compounds in the proportion of 4% and 6%. The GC-MS of the fraction-2 of the distilled oil revealed that it contained 99.1% cinnamaldehyde and 0.9% of an unidentified compound. The CGIC of synthetic cinnamaldehyde was 300 µl/l and that of cinnamic acid above 500 µl/l. The 1:1 mixture of cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid had CGIC of 500 µl/l. The data revealed that cinnamaldehyde was the major fungitoxic component of hexane extract and the distilled essential oil of cinnamon bark, while other components have additive or synergistic effects on total fungitoxicity. It is suggested that the natural seed preservative based on cinnamon oil can be standardized against cinnamaldehyde.

Origin of oil in the Wilmington field in California

No presente trabalho, o autor trata da formação de campo petrolífero que se teria formado às expensas de organismos planctónicos, misturados com areia das dunas, material esse que teria sido transportado pelo vento. Refere-se, assim, o autor, ao campo petrolífero de "Wilmington", situado na Ilha Terminal, ao sul de Los Angeles, California. Esse campo, que já fora descrito, em 1943, por GILLULY & GRANT, faz parte do Mioceno e do Plioceno inferior, achando-se separado dos schistos Jurássicos metamórficos, por uma discordância localizada a 6.000 pés de profundidade. O conjunto das camadas petrolíferas alcança espessura de 1 .500 pés, sendo cada uma delas separada das outras por estratos do "siltstone" (siltito). O tamanho dos grãos, nos dois tipos de rochas, é o de depósitos eólicos, mas, ao contrário do que acontece em depósitos sub-aéreos, esses grãos são angulosos ou sub-angulosos. De acordo com MCNAUGHTON , esses depósitos se teriam formado em profundidade crescente, de 200 a 5.000 pés; esse fato, relacionado com as dimensões dos grãos, leva a crer que o material tenha sido transportado pelo vento. A sedimentação deu-se longe da costa, de maneira muito lenta, provavelmente em consequência de tempestades de excepcional intensidade. O petróleo teria sido produzido por organismos planctónicos que se teriam misturado com areia das dunas, sendo a velocidade da sedimentação desta, muito menor. Os cálculos indicam que foram armazenados somente 23% dos hidrocarbonetos que caíram sobre a areia de sedimentação, sob a forma de organismos mortos. M. V.