Preparation of Tanshinone IIA and glycyrrhetinic acid emulsion and preliminary study on its anti-psoriasis efficacy.

Vitamin E supplements are either isolated from plants sources or prepared synthetically. Isolation from plants includes eight different tocopherol structures. Vitamin E synthesis includes seven different stereoisomers, which involves the use of several catalysts that may lead to trace element contamination in the vitamin. The use of ICP-MS is an ideal technique for detecting these trace elements. However, the oily nature of the samples requires the development of a sample preparation methodology. This study was done upon the request of synthetic vitamin E manufacturers to test the trace metal purity of their samples. In this work, the comparison of an acid microwave digestion and emulsion preparation is discussed. Cromium, nickel, tin and lead were found in the synthetic vitamin E analyzed and 200, 60, 9 and 45 ppb were the concentrations found respectively for these elements. Digesting the samples gives slightly lower detection limits compared to the emulsion preparation.

In vitro and computational insights revealing the potential inhibitory effect of Tanshinone IIA against influenza A virus

Based on the research of active liver targeting liposomes mediated by glycyrrhetinic acid ligand at home and abroad, this paper focuses on the liver targeting effect of liposomes mediated with 18-GA-Gly, a kind of glycyrrhetinic acid ligand. salvianolic acid B(Sal B)-tanshinone ⅡA (TSN)liposomes mediated by 18-GA-Gly as well as the liposomes with unmodified ligands were prepared by film dispersion-high pressure homogenization method, and then the particle size, potential, encapsulation efficiency and ligand binding rate were detected. Plasma samples of the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney tissues were taken at different time points after tail vein injections. The contents of Sal B and TSN in each sample were determined with UPLC methods and the liver targeting effect of 18-GA-Gly ligands was evaluated. The results showed that the particle size, potential, encapsulation efficiency and ligand binding rate met the basic requirements; in vivo targeting investigation results showed no difference between GLY-TS-Lip group and TS-Lip group. The liposomes mediated by glycyrrhetinic acid derivative ligand 18-GA-Gly can increase the peak concentration of Sal B and TSN in liver, but showed no significant liver targeting effect.

With styrene (St), butyl acrylate (BA), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) as monomers, a core-shell structure was utilized to synthesize a polymerization emulsion. Then, self-crosslinked polyacrylic acid emulsions with different crosslinking degrees were synthesized by changing the amount of DAAM using deception acrylamide (DAAM) and adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) as functional monomers. The basic performance tests demonstrated that the inclusion of DAAM resulted in an increase in the emulsion’s stability and film’s solvent resistance; The DSC test demonstrated that boosting the crosslinking degree was advantageous in improving the T g of the film; according to FT-IR and microscopic tests, the crosslinking reaction took place in the system. The self-crosslinking acrylic emulsion of this system has a certain application prospect as a binder.

Six compounds namely, tanshinone IIA (1), carnosic acid (2), rosmarinic acid (3), salvianolic acid B (4), baicalein (5), and glycyrrhetinic acid (6) were screened for their anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities against both the spike (S) and main protease (Mpro) receptors using molecular docking studies. Molecular docking recommended the superior affinities of both salvianolic acid B (4) and glycyrrhetinic acid (6) as the common results from the previously published computational articles. On the other hand, their actual anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities were tested in vitro using plaque reduction assay to calculate their IC50 values after measuring their CC50 values using MTT assay on Vero E6 cells. Surprisingly, tanshinone IIA (1) was the most promising member with IC50 equals 4.08 ng μl−1. Also, both carnosic acid (2) and rosmarinic acid (3) showed promising IC50 values of 15.37 and 25.47 ng μl−1, respectively. However, salvianolic acid (4) showed a weak anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity with an IC50 value equals 58.29 ng μl−1. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations for 100 ns were performed for the most active compound from the computational point of view (salvianolic acid 4), besides, the most active one biologically (tanshinone IIA 1) on both the S and Mpro complexes of them (four different molecular dynamics processes) to confirm the docking results and give more insights regarding the stability of both compounds inside the SARS-CoV-2 mentioned receptors, respectively. Also, to understand the mechanism of action for the tested compounds towards SARS-CoV-2 inhibition it was necessary to examine the mode of action for the most two promising compounds, tanshinone IIA (1) and carnosic acid (2). Both compounds (1 and 2) showed very promising virucidal activity with a most prominent inhibitory effect on viral adsorption rather than its replication. This recommended the predicted activity of the two compounds against the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 rather than its Mpro protein. Our results could be very promising to rearrange the previously mentioned compounds based on their actual inhibitory activities towards SARS-CoV-2 and to search for the reasons behind the great differences between their in silico and in vitro results against SARS-CoV-2. Finally, we recommend further advanced preclinical and clinical studies especially for tanshinone IIA (1) to be rapidly applied in COVID-19 management either alone or in combination with carnosic acid (2), rosmarinic acid (3), and/or salvianolic acid (4).

The current trend towards green and sustainable development has prompted researchers and scientists to devote more and more of their time to studying and improving potential biopolymers as alternatives to traditional polymers. While renewable resource-based polymers are already widely used in medicine and packaging, they still need further research to meet certain requirements on par with conventional polymers for a wider range of applications. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) emulsions have gained significant attention in the coatings industry due to their biodegradability, sustainability, and potential to replace conventional solvent-based systems and fossil-based polymers. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent research and advancements in PLA emulsion preparation, focusing on fundamental properties of the emulsions, different synthesis methods, including solvent evaporation, emulsification-solvent diffusion, and high-pressure homogenization. The role of stabilizers and solvents in ensuring emulsion stability and performance is analyzed, and their ability to influence the final coating properties are analyzed. Widely used surfactants and bio-based stabilizers are highlighted. Despite their advantages, PLA emulsions face key challenges such as hydrophobicity, phase separation, and limited mechanical properties, which hinder their broader industrial application. This review identifies these challenges and explores potential solutions, including the use of nanotechnology, bio-based stabilizers, and optimized processing techniques. Additionally, strategies for improving scalability, reducing the environmental impact of PLA emulsions and promising applications are discussed. By addressing these limitations, PLA-based coatings could become a viable alternative in the development of sustainable materials. The current literature remains largely fragmented, and this review aims to synthesize existing findings into a structured, comparative analysis. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for future research and innovation in the field of environmentally friendly coating technologies.

It remains a challenge to increase drug tumor-specific accumulation as well as to achieve intracellular-controlled drug release for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) chemotherapy. Herein, we developed a dual-functional biodegradable micellar system constituted by glycyrrhetinic acid coupling poly(ethylene glycol)-disulfide linkage-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (GA-PEG-SS-PLGA) to achieve both hepatoma-targeting and redox-responsive intracellular drug release. Tanshinone IIA (TAN IIA), an effective anti-HCC drug, was encapsulated. Notably, it exhibited rapid aggregation and faster drug release in 10 mM dithiothreitol compared with the redox-insensitive control. Furthermore, GA-decorated micelles revealed HCC-specific cellular uptake in human liver cancer HepG2 cells with an energy-dependent manner, in which micropinocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis were demonstrated as the major cellular pathways. The enhanced cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic effects against HepG2 cells in vitro were observed, mediated by up-regulation of the intracellular ROS level, the increased cell cycle arrest at S phase, enhanced necrocytosis and up-regulation of caspase 3/7, P38 protein expression. In addition, TAN IIA-loaded micelles had a significantly prolonged circulation time, improved bioavailability, and resulted in an increased accumulation of TAN IIA in the liver. With the synergistic effects of HCC-targeting and controlled drug release, TAN IIA-loaded GA-PEG-SS-PLGA micelles significantly inhibited tumor growth and increased survival time in a mouse HCC-xenograft model. Collectively, the GA-PEG-SS-PLGA micelles with HCC-targeting and redox-sensitive characters would provide a novel strategy to deliver TAN IIA effectively for HCC therapy.

Development of salvianolic acid B–tanshinone IIA–glycyrrhetinic acid compound liposomes: Tissue distribution in vivo of mice and evaluation of the liver targeting

Development of salvianolic acid B–tanshinone IIA–glycyrrhetinic acid compound liposomes: Pharmacokinetic study in vivo of mice