Showing papers by "Guendalina Zuccari published in 2020"
TL;DR: The state-of-the-art in the field of nanomaterial-based improved FP, the advantages that might derive from their extensive introduction on the market and the main concerns associated to the possible migration and toxicity ofnanomaterials, frequently neglected in existing reviews, have been herein discussed.
65 citations
TL;DR: This review focuses on the pathophysiology of OS; on EA and UROs chemical features and on the mechanisms of their antioxidant activity, as well as dietary assumption of EA, EA-enriched functional foods, and food supplements.
Abstract: Oxidative stress (OS), triggered by overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, is the main mechanism responsible for several human diseases. The available one-target drugs often face such illnesses, by softening symptoms without eradicating the cause. Differently, natural polyphenols from fruits and vegetables possess multi-target abilities for counteracting OS, thus representing promising therapeutic alternatives and adjuvants. Although in several in vitro experiments, ellagitannins (ETs), ellagic acid (EA), and its metabolites urolithins (UROs) have shown similar great potential for the treatment of OS-mediated human diseases, only UROs have demonstrated in vivo the ability to reach tissues to a greater extent, thus appearing as the main molecules responsible for beneficial activities. Unfortunately, UROs production depends on individual metabotypes, and the consequent extreme variability limits their potentiality as novel therapeutics, as well as dietary assumption of EA, EA-enriched functional foods, and food supplements. This review focuses on the pathophysiology of OS; on EA and UROs chemical features and on the mechanisms of their antioxidant activity. A discussion on the clinical applicability of the debated UROs in place of EA and on the effectiveness of EA-enriched products is also included.
53 citations
TL;DR: Free GA proved a dose-dependent ROS-mediated cytotoxicity on both cell populations, and GA nullified any pro-oxidant activity of dendrimer, and nanoformulations were inactive on NB cells, but GA resized in nanoparticles showed considerable ability in counteracting, at low dose, ROS production and oxidative stress, herein induced by the dendedrimer.
Abstract: Human neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric tumor inclined to relapse, after an initial response to therapy, usually develops resistance Since several chemotherapeutics exert anticancer effect by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), NB cells overproduce antioxidant compounds becoming drugs-resistant A strategy to sensitize NB cells to chemotherapy involves reducing their antioxidant defenses and inducing ROS overproduction Concerning this, although affected by several issues that limit their clinical application, antioxidant/pro-oxidant polyphenols, such as gallic acid (GA), showed pro-oxidant anti-cancer effects and low toxicity for healthy cells, in several kind of tumors, not including NB Herein, for the first time, free GA, two GA-dendrimers, and the dendrimer adopted as GA reservoir were tested on both sensitive and chemoresistant NB cells The dendrimer device, administered at the dose previously found active versus sensitive NB cells, induced ROS-mediated death also in chemoresistant cells Free GA proved a dose-dependent ROS-mediated cytotoxicity on both cell populations Intriguingly, when administered in dendrimer formulations at a dose not cytotoxic for NB cells, GA nullified any pro-oxidant activity of dendrimer Unfortunately, due to GA, nanoformulations were inactive on NB cells, but GA resized in nanoparticles showed considerable ability in counteracting, at low dose, ROS production and oxidative stress, herein induced by the dendrimer
37 citations
TL;DR: An updated description of pursued micro and nanotechnological approaches focusing on the fabrication processes and the features of the obtained products, as well as on the positive results yielded by in vitro and in vivo studies in comparison to the raw material are listed.
Abstract: Ellagic acid, a polyphenolic compound present in fruit and berries, has recently been the object of extensive research for its antioxidant activity, which might be useful for the prevention and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative disorders. Its protective role justifies numerous attempts to include it in functional food preparations and in dietary supplements, and not only to limit the unpleasant collateral effects of chemotherapy. However, ellagic acid use as a chemopreventive agent has been debated because of its poor bioavailability associated with low solubility, limited permeability, first pass effect, and interindividual variability in gut microbial transformations. To overcome these drawbacks, various strategies for oral administration including solid dispersions, micro and nanoparticles, inclusion complexes, self-emulsifying systems, and polymorphs were proposed. Here, we listed an updated description of pursued micro and nanotechnological approaches focusing on the fabrication processes and the features of the obtained products, as well as on the positive results yielded by in vitro and in vivo studies in comparison to the raw material. The micro and nanosized formulations here described might be exploited for pharmaceutical delivery of this active, as well as for the production of nutritional supplements or for the enrichment of novel foods.
20 citations
TL;DR: An up-to-date series of peptide-targeted nanosystems specific for VCAM-1, proposed for the diagnosis or therapeutic treatment of different inflammatory-based pathologies, are reported, suggesting in a near future a broader application of these specific nanosSystems in clinical trials.
13 citations