The encapsulation of antitumor drugs in nanosized systems with pH-sensitive behavior is a promissing approach that may enhance the success of chemotherapy in many cancers. The nanocarrier dependence on pH might trigger an efficient delivery of the encapsulated drug both in the acidic extracellular environment of tumors and, especially, in the intracellular compartments through disruption of endosomal membrane. In this context, here we reported the preparation of chitosan-based nanoparticles encapsulating methotrexate as a model drug (MTX-CS-NPs), which comprises the incorporation of an amino acid-based amphiphile with pHresponsive properties (77KS) on the ionotropic complexation process. The presence of 77KS clearly gives a pH-sensitive behavior to NPs, which allowed accelerated release of MTX with decreasing pH as well as pH-dependent membrane-lytic activity. This latter performance demonstrates the potential of these NPs to facilitate cytosolic delivery of endocytosed materials.Outstandingly, the cytotoxicity of MTX-loaded CS-NPs was higher than free drug to MCF-7 tumor cells and, to a lesser extent, to HeLa cells. Based on the overall results, MTX-CS-NPs modified with the pH-senstive surfactant 77KS could be potentially useful as a carrier system for intracellular drug delivery and, thus, a promising targeting anticancer chemotherapeutic agent.

Saxagliptin is a potent and selective inhibitor of the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase 4. It is effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus because it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. In the present study, a liquid chromatography method was developed and validated to quantify the drug in tablets. This method was based on the isocratic elution of saxagliptin, using a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% phosphoric acid at pH 3. 0 -methanol (70: 30, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL.min -1 with UV detection at 225 nm. The chromatographic separation was achieved in 8 minutes on a Waters XBridge C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5µm) maintained at ambient temperature. The proposed method proved to be specific and robust for the quality control of saxagliptin in pharmaceutical dosage forms, showing good linearity in the range of 15.0 -100.0 µg.mL -1 (r>0.999), precision (RSD<1.49%) and accuracy values between 99.42 and 101.59%. The method was found to be stability indicating and was successfully applied for the analysis of saxagliptin in tablets in a routine quality control laboratory.Uniterms: Saxagliptin/tablets/quality control. High Performance Liquid Chromatography/quantitative analysis.A saxagliptina é uma inibidora potente e seletiva da enzima dipeptidil peptidase 4. É efetiva no tratamento do Diabete mellitus tipo 2, pois estimula a produção de insulina pelo pâncreas. No presente estudo, desenvolveu-se e validou-se método por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência para quantificar o fármaco em comprimidos. O método foi baseado em eluição isocrática, utilizando fase móvel constituída por ácido fosfórico 0,1% pH 3,0-metanol (70 : 30, v/v), fluxo de 1,0 mL.min -1 , com detecção UV em 225 nm. A separação cromatográfica foi alcançada em 8 minutos em coluna Waters XBridge C18 (250 mm x 4,6 mm, 5 µm) mantida à temperatura ambiente. O método proposto mostrou-se específico e robusto para o controle de qualidade de saxagliptina em comprimidos, sendo linear na faixa de concentração de 15,0-100,0 µg.mL -1 (r>0,999), preciso (RSD<1,49%) e exato, com resultados entre 99,42 e 101,59%. O método mostrou-se indicativo de estabilidade e foi aplicado com sucesso no controle de qualidade de saxagliptina em comprimidos.Unitermos: Saxagliptina/comprimidos/controle de qualidade. Cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência/ análise quantitativa.

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The hepatotoxicity, phototoxicity and photosensitizing potential of free dronedarone and its cyclodextrin-based inclusion complexes were investigated.