International Journal of Nanomedicine (May 2019)

Synthesis and preliminary characterization of polyurethane nanoparticles with ginger extract as a possible cardiovascular protector

  • Borcan F,
  • Chirita-Emandi A,
  • Andreescu NI,
  • Borcan LC,
  • Albulescu RC,
  • Puiu M,
  • Tomescu MC

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 3691 – 3703

Abstract

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Florin Borcan,1 Adela Chirita-Emandi,2,3 Nicoleta Ioana Andreescu,2,3 Livia-Cristina Borcan,4 Ramona Carmen Albulescu,5 Maria Puiu,2,3 Mirela Cleopatra Tomescu41The 1st Department (Analytical Chemistry), Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; 2The 2nd Department (Genetics), Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; 3Center of Genomic Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; 4The 5th Department (Internal Medicine I), Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; 5The 11th Department (Pediatrics), Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, RomaniaBackground and aim: The extract of ginger, obtained from the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, contains 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-gingerol, and 10-gingerol. It has many therapeutic effects such as being chemopreventive against stroke and heart diseases, malabsorption, bacterial infections, indigestion, and nausea, which have been observed since ancient times. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the polyurethane (PU) as a proper material for the hollow nanoparticles’ preparation.Methods: The PU nanoparticles were obtained by a spontaneous emulsification, in the presence of a nonionic surfactant, combined with an interfacial polyaddition process between an aliphatic diisocyanate and different mixtures of etheric and esteric polyols. The synthesis was done without any PU additives, such as catalysts, blowing agents, chains promoters, cross-linking agents, and stabilizers.Results: The particles present almost neutral pH values and low water solubility. They are heat resistant up to 280°C. Decreased irritation level was found in the assay of PU nanoparticles loaded with pure ginger extract (GE) on the murine skin tests than the irritation level recorded for pure GE.Conclusion: This research shows the reduced noxiousness of these PU nanoparticles and consequently the possibility of their use as a possible cardiovascular protector.Keywords: CD1 Nu/Nu mice, drug carrier, hollow nanoparticles, noxiousness, Zeta potential

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