The formation of calixarene-based liposomes was investigated, and the characterization of these nanostructures was carried out using several techniques. Four amphiphilic calixarenes were used. The length of the hydrophobic chains attached to the lower rim as well as the nature of the polar group present in the upper rim of the calixarenes were varied. The lipid bilayer was formed with one calixarene and with the phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, DOPE. The cytotoxicity of the liposomes for various cell lines was also studied. From the results obtained, the liposomes formed with the least cytotoxic calixarene, (TEAC12)4, were used as nanocarriers of both nucleic acids and the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin, DOX. Results showed that (TEAC12)4/DOPE/p-EGFP-C1 lipoplexes, of a given composition, can transfect the genetic material, although the transfection efficiency substantially increases in the presence of an additional amount of DOPE as coadjuvant. On the other hand, the (TEAC12)4/DOPE liposomes present a high doxorubicin encapsulation efficiency, and a slow controlled release, which could diminish the side effects of the drug.
In this work, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and chitosan (CS) nanoparticles were synthesized with the purpose of encapsulating levofloxacin (LEV). A thorough study has been carried out in order to optimize the preparation of LEV-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) suitable for parenteral administration. Changes in the preparation method, in the organic solvent nature, in the pH of the aqueous phase, or in the temperature were investigated. To the authors´ knowledge, a systematic study in order to improve the LEV nanocarrier characteristics and the yield of drug encapsulation has not been carried out to date. The physicochemical characterization of the NPs, their encapsulation efficiency (EE), and the in vitro release of LEV revealed that the best formulation was the emulsion-solvent evaporation method using dichloromethane as organic solvent, which renders suitable LEV loaded PLGA NPs. The morphology of these NPs was investigated using TEM. Their antimicrobial activities against several microorganisms were determined in vitro measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The results show that the use of these loaded LEV PLGA nanoparticles has the advantage of the slow release of the antibiotic, which would permit an increase in the time period between administrations as well as to decrease the side effects of the drug.
Potentiometric measurements based on the use of ion-selective electrodes have been used to study the interaction (adsorption) of anionic and cationic surfactants with functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-COOH). According to results, the interaction is driven by hydrophobic forces between the hydrocarbon tails of the surfactants and the nanotube walls. Electrostatic interactions practically exert no influence on the interaction. Driving forces in the dispersion processes are different.
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