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Pharmaceutics
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Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the...
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Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2023) | Viewed by 14787

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sabrina Belbekhouche

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNRS, Institut Chimie et Matériaux Paris Est, Université Paris Est Créteil, UMR 7182, 2 Rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais, France
Interests: drug delivery system; biopolymer; stimuli-responsive; particle; biological application; antibacterial; anticancer; polysaccharide

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent progress in physicochemistry has led to unparalleled control over drug delivery systems. Among them, the use of natural polymers is still promising and can lead to the emergence of tailor-made biotechnologies. This Special Issue will highlight recent progress (in the last 10 years) in the use of natural polymers for biological purposes.

We are pleased to invite articles on all aspects of the use of natural polymers to this aim, from chemical modifications to introduce new physicochemical properties (controlled release, cells targeting, etc.) to the fabrication of natural polymer-based materials as drug carriers presenting significantly improved therapeutic efficiency due to their tunable physicochemical properties (stiffness, size, porosity, etc.).

Correlations between these properties and biological purposes shall be discussed to understand how the enhance drug delivery from the infusion site to the intracellular target site, e.g., to overcome biological obstacles, allowing the drug to reach the infection site. The benefits of using natural polymers shall be illustrated in various biological applications.

Dr. Sabrina Belbekhouche
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biopolymers
  • drug delivery system
  • stimuli-responsive
  • biotechnology
  • recent progress in the use of natural polymers
  • biological purpose

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3640 KiB  
Article
Lyophilization for Formulation Optimization of Drug-Loaded Thermoresponsive Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanogels from Functionalized Hyaluronic Acid
by Huu Van Le, Virginie Dulong, Luc Picton and Didier Le Cerf
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(3), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15030929 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2017
Abstract
The lyophilization of nanogels is practical not only for their long-term conservation but also for adjusting their concentration and dispersant type during reconstitution for different applications. However, lyophilization strategies must be adapted to each kind of nanoformulation in order to minimize aggregation after [...] Read more.
The lyophilization of nanogels is practical not only for their long-term conservation but also for adjusting their concentration and dispersant type during reconstitution for different applications. However, lyophilization strategies must be adapted to each kind of nanoformulation in order to minimize aggregation after reconstitution. In this work, the effects of formulation aspects (i.e., charge ratio, polymer concentration, thermoresponsive grafts, polycation type, cryoprotectant type, and concentration) on particle integrity after lyophilization and reconstitution for different types of polyelectrolyte complex nanogels (PEC-NGs) from hyaluronic acid (HA) were investigated. The main objective was to find the best approach for freeze-drying thermoresponsive PEC-NGs from Jeffamine-M-2005-functionalized HA, which has recently been developed as a potential platform for drug delivery. It was found that freeze-drying PEC-NG suspensions prepared at a relatively low polymer concentration of 0.2 g.L−1 with 0.2% (m/v) trehalose as a cryoprotectant allow the homogeneous redispersion of PEC-NGs when concentrated at 1 g.L−1 upon reconstitution in PBS without important aggregation (i.e., average particle size remaining under 350 nm), which could be applied to concentrate curcumin (CUR)-loaded PEC-NGs for optimizing CUR content. The thermoresponsive release of CUR from such concentrated PEC-NGs was also reverified, which showed a minor effect of freeze-drying on the drug release profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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21 pages, 4500 KiB  
Article
Anionic and Ampholytic High-Amylose Starch Derivatives as Excipients for Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Applications: Structure-Properties Correlations
by Marc-André Labelle, Pompilia Ispas-Szabo, Salma Tajer, Yong Xiao, Benoît Barbeau and Mircea Alexandru Mateescu
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(3), 834; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15030834 - 03 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1448
Abstract
Many chemical modifications of starch are realized in organic (mostly methanol) phase, allowing high degrees of substitution (DS). Some of these materials are used as disintegrants. To expand the usage of starch derivative biopolymers as drug delivery system, various starch derivatives obtained in [...] Read more.
Many chemical modifications of starch are realized in organic (mostly methanol) phase, allowing high degrees of substitution (DS). Some of these materials are used as disintegrants. To expand the usage of starch derivative biopolymers as drug delivery system, various starch derivatives obtained in aqueous phase were evaluated with the aim to identify materials and procedures which would generate multifunctional excipients providing gastro-protection for controlled drug delivery. Chemical, structural and thermal characteristics of anionic and ampholytic High Amylose Starch (HAS) derivatives under powder (P), tablet (T) and film (F) forms were evaluated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods and correlated with the behavior of tablets and films in simulated gastric and intestinal media. At low DS, the HAS carboxymethylation (CMHAS) in aqueous phase, generated tablets and films that were insoluble at ambient conditions. The CMHAS filmogenic solutions, with a lower viscosity, were easier to cast and gave smooth films without the use of plasticizer. Correlations were found between structural parameters and the properties of starch excipients. Compared to other starch modification procedures, the aqueous modification of HAS generated tunable multifunctional excipients that may be recommended for tablets and functional coatings for colon-targeted formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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27 pages, 9123 KiB  
Article
Novel Black Seed Polysaccharide Extract-g-Poly (Acrylate) pH-Responsive Hydrogel Nanocomposites for Safe Oral Insulin Delivery: Development, In Vitro, In Vivo and Toxicological Evaluation
by Farya Shabir, Asif Mahmood, Nadiah Zafar, Muhammad Zaman, Rai Muhammad Sarfraz and Hira Ijaz
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(1), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15010062 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Oral delivery of insulin has always been a challenging task due to harsh gut environment involving variable pH and peptidase actions. Currently, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral insulin formulation is commercially available, only intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) routes. Therefore, [...] Read more.
Oral delivery of insulin has always been a challenging task due to harsh gut environment involving variable pH and peptidase actions. Currently, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral insulin formulation is commercially available, only intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) routes. Therefore, it is really cumbersome for diabetic patients to go through invasive approaches for insulin delivery on daily basis. In the present study, a novel pH-responsive hydrogel nanocomposite (NC) system was developed and optimized for safe oral delivery of insulin. Black seed polysaccharide extract-based hydrogel (BA hydrogel) was formulated by free radical polymerization and loaded with insulin. Blank BA hydrogel was also incorporated with insulin-loaded montmorillonite nanoclay (Ins-Mmt) to form an Ins-Mmt-BA hydrogel NC and compared with the insulin-loaded hydrogel. Swelling, sol-gel analysis and in vitro release studies proved that Ins-Mmt-BA6 hydrogel NC has the best formulation, with 96.17% maximum insulin released in 24 h. Kinetic modeling applied on insulin release data showed the Korsemeyer-Peppas model (R2 = 0.9637) as the best fit model with a super case II transport mechanism for insulin transport (n > 0.89). Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy, Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Powdered X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis results also confirmed successful development of a hydrogel NC with no significant denaturation of insulin. Toxicity results confirmed the safety profile and biocompatibility of the developed NC. In vivo studies showed a maximum decrease in blood glucose levels of 52.61% and percentage relative bioavailability (% RBA) of 26.3% for an Ins-Mmt-BA hydrogel NC as compared to BA hydrogels and insulin administered through the SC route. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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20 pages, 3747 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Nasal Deposition and Anti-Coronavirus Effect of Favipiravir-Loaded Mucoadhesive Chitosan–Alginate Nanoparticles
by Khent Primo Alcantara, Nonthaneth Nalinratana, Nopporn Chutiwitoonchai, Agnes L. Castillo, Wijit Banlunara, Opa Vajragupta, Pornchai Rojsitthisak and Pranee Rojsitthisak
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2680; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122680 - 01 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2049
Abstract
Favipiravir (FVR) is a repurposed antiviral drug for treating mild to moderate cases of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, its poor solubility and permeability limit its clinical efficacy. To overcome its physicochemical and pharmacokinetic limitations, we statistically designed a mucoadhesive chitosan–alginate [...] Read more.
Favipiravir (FVR) is a repurposed antiviral drug for treating mild to moderate cases of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, its poor solubility and permeability limit its clinical efficacy. To overcome its physicochemical and pharmacokinetic limitations, we statistically designed a mucoadhesive chitosan–alginate nanoparticles (MCS-ALG-NPs) as a new carrier for FVR using response surface methodology, which provided suitable characteristics for transmucosal delivery. The use of mucoadhesive polymers for intranasal administration promotes the residence time and contact of FVR in the mucus membrane. The optimized FVR-MCS-ALG-NPs demonstrated superior mucoadhesion, higher permeation and deposition in the nasal mucosa, and a significant increase in the inhibition of viral replication over 35-fold compared with free FVR. The overall results suggest that MCS-ALG-NPs could be used as an effective mucoadhesive carrier to enhance the activity of FVR against COVID-19. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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Review

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20 pages, 6634 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Zein-Based Nanocarriers for Precise Cancer Therapy
by Wenquan Huang, Fei Yao, Shuangyan Tian, Mohao Liu, Guijin Liu and Yanbin Jiang
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(7), 1820; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071820 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1430
Abstract
Cancer has emerged as a leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pursuit of precise cancer therapy and high-efficiency delivery of antitumor drugs remains an enormous obstacle. The major challenge is the lack of a smart drug delivery system with the advantages of [...] Read more.
Cancer has emerged as a leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pursuit of precise cancer therapy and high-efficiency delivery of antitumor drugs remains an enormous obstacle. The major challenge is the lack of a smart drug delivery system with the advantages of biodegradability, biocompatibility, stability, targeting and response release. Zein, a plant-based protein, possesses a unique self-assembly ability to encapsulate anticancer drugs directly or indirectly. Using zein as a nanotherapeutic pharmaceutic preparation can protect anticancer drugs from harsh environments, such as sunlight, stomach acid and pepsin. Moreover, the surface functionalization of zein is easily realized, which can endow it with targeting and stimulus-responsive release capacity. Hence, zein is an ideal nanocarrier for the precise delivery of anticancer drugs. Combined with our previous research experiences, we attempt to review the current state of the preparation of zein-based nanocarriers for anticancer drug delivery. The challenges, solutions and development trends of zein-based nanocarriers for precise cancer therapy are discussed. This review will provide a guideline for precise cancer therapy in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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22 pages, 6733 KiB  
Review
Design of Tailor-Made Biopolymer-Based Capsules for Biological Application by Combining Porous Particles and Polysaccharide Assembly
by Cléa Chesneau, Laura Larue and Sabrina Belbekhouche
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(6), 1718; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15061718 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1092
Abstract
Various approaches have been described in the literature to demonstrate the possibility of designing biopolymer particles with well-defined characteristics, such as size, chemical composition or mechanical properties. From a biological point of view, the properties of particle have been related to their biodistribution [...] Read more.
Various approaches have been described in the literature to demonstrate the possibility of designing biopolymer particles with well-defined characteristics, such as size, chemical composition or mechanical properties. From a biological point of view, the properties of particle have been related to their biodistribution and bioavailability. Among the reported core–shell nanoparticles, biopolymer-based capsules can be used as a versatile platform for drug delivery purposes. Among the known biopolymers, the present review focuses on polysaccharide-based capsules. We only report on biopolyelectrolyte capsules fabricated by combining porous particles as a template and using the layer-by-layer technique. The review focuses on the major steps of the capsule design, i.e., the fabrication and subsequent use of the sacrificial porous template, multilayer coating with polysaccharides, the removal of the porous template to obtain the capsules, capsule characterisation and the application of capsules in the biomedical field. In the last part, selected examples are presented to evidence the major benefits of using polysaccharide-based capsules for biological purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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38 pages, 5500 KiB  
Review
Polymeric Nanoparticles as Tunable Nanocarriers for Targeted Delivery of Drugs to Skin Tissues for Treatment of Topical Skin Diseases
by Eiman Abdalla Madawi, Alaa Raad Al Jayoush, Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji, Hnin Ei Thu, Shahzeb Khan, Mohammad Sohail, Asif Mahmood and Zahid Hussain
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(2), 657; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15020657 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3789
Abstract
The topical route is the most appropriate route for the targeted delivery of drugs to skin tissues for the treatment of local skin diseases; however, the stratum corneum (SC), the foremost layer of the skin, acts as a major barrier. Numerous passive and [...] Read more.
The topical route is the most appropriate route for the targeted delivery of drugs to skin tissues for the treatment of local skin diseases; however, the stratum corneum (SC), the foremost layer of the skin, acts as a major barrier. Numerous passive and active drug delivery techniques have been exploited to overcome this barrier; however, these modalities are associated with several detrimental effects which restrict their clinical applicability. Alternatively, nanotechnology-aided interventions have been extensively investigated for the topical administration of a wide range of therapeutics. In this review, we have mainly focused on the biopharmaceutical significance of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) (made from natural polymers) for the treatment of various topical skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), skin infection, skin cancer, acute-to-chronic wounds, and acne. The encapsulation of drug(s) into the inner core or adsorption onto the shell of PNPs has shown a marked improvement in their physicochemical properties, avoiding premature degradation and controlling the release kinetics, permeation through the SC, and retention in the skin layers. Furthermore, functionalization techniques such as PEGylation, conjugation with targeting ligand, and pH/thermo-responsiveness have shown further success in optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of PNPs for the treatment of skin diseases. Despite enormous progress in the development of PNPs, their clinical translation is still lacking, which could be a potential future perspective for researchers working in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Major Contribution of Natural Polymers for Biological Applications in the Last 10 Years: Toward Tailor-Made Biotechnologies)
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