Pharmaceutics

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zvezdelina Lyubenova Yaneva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacology, Animal Physiology and Physiological Chemistry, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Interests: bioorganic chemistry and chemistry of natural and physiologically active substances; medicinal chemistry; chemical engineering; analytical instrumental methods; synthesis of biopolymer micro-/nano-formulations; drug delivery systems; mathematical modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Milena Tzanova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, Students Campus, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Interests: biochemistry; chemistry of natural products; phytochemistry; biological active compounds; chromatography; analytical physicochemical methods

Dr. Donika Ivanova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Chemistry Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Chemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Interests: bioorganic chemistry and chemistry of natural and physiologically active substances; biochemistry; intracellular redox metabolism; redox-active natural substances; cancer cells metabolism; apoptosis; synergism; medicinal chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The latest scientific research on the synthesis and design of micro-/nanoparticles based on natural and synthetic polymers aims to improve the therapeutic properties of various synthetic medicinal preparations and bioactive compounds encapsulated in them. Compared to synthetic polymers, biopolymers are distinguished by a number of advantages: availability, renewability, environmental friendliness, low cost, physiological compatibility, biodegradability, and safety.

Lignin is a widely available natural biopolymer, but also a major waste product from the pulp and paper industry. Its low degree of utilization is due to its complex and modifiable molecular structure and high polydispersity. Moreover, the complexity of the procedures, given their isolation, purification, chemical modification, and structural characterization, greatly hinders its high-value-added applications. It is these prerequisites that determine the need for the development of new technological solutions for the utilization of lignin, as well as the prospects for its potential applicability in biomedical sciences.

Topics of interest for this Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

the development of new micro-/nano-formulations based on the biopolymer lignin;
the encapsulation of biologically active substances;
the in vitro/in vivo release of biologically active substances;
antibacterial activity;
antiproliferative potential;
antioxidant properties;
clinical studies;
drug-carrier interactions;
toxicity.

Dr. Zvezdelina Lyubenova Yaneva
Dr. Milena Tzanova
Dr. Donika Ivanova
Guest Editors

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

lignin
micro/nano-carrier
drugs
flavonoids
encapsulation
release
physiological activity

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 5683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Newly Synthesized Lignin Microparticles as Bioinspired Oral Drug-Delivery Vehicles: Flavonoid-Carrier Potential and In Vitro Radical-Scavenging Activity

by Donika Ivanova, Monika Toneva, Evgeni Simeonov, Biliana Nikolova, Severina Semkova, Georgi Antov and Zvezdelina Yaneva

Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(4), 1067; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15041067 - 26 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to synthesize lignin microparticles, to evaluate their physicochemical, spectral, morphological and structural characteristics, to examine their encapsulation and in vitro release potential and behaviour towards the flavonoid morin in simulated physiological medium and to assess the in vitro radical-scavenging potential of the morin-loaded lignin microcarrier systems. The physicochemical, structural and morphological characteristics of alkali lignin, lignin particles (LP) and morin-encapsulated lignin microparticles (LMP) were determined based on particle size distribution, SEM, UV/Vis spectrophotometric, FTIR and potentiometric titration analyses. The encapsulation efficiency of LMP was 98.1%. The FTIR analyses proved that morin was successfully encapsulated in the LP without unexpected chemical reactions between the flavonoid and the heteropolymer. The in vitro release performance of the microcarrier system was successfully mathematically described by Korsmeyer–Peppas and the sigmoidal models outlining the general role of diffusion during the initial stages of the in vitro release process in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), and the predominant contribution of biopolymer relaxation and erosion was determined in simulated intestinal medium (SIF). The higher radical-scavenging potential of LMP, as compared to that of LP, was proven via DPPH and ABTS assays. The synthesis of lignin microcarriers not only provides a facile approach for the utilization of the heteropolymer but also determines its potential for the design of drug-delivery matrices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Lignin Micro-/Nano-Formulations as Bioactive Compounds Carriers)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 4474 KiB

Open AccessReview

Designing Lignin-Based Biomaterials as Carriers of Bioactive Molecules

by Turdimuhammad Abdullah, Gülmire İlyasoğlu and Adnan Memić

Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(4), 1114; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15041114 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2290

Abstract

There is a need to develop circular and sustainable economies by utilizing sustainable, green, and renewable resources in high-tech industrial fields especially in the pharmaceutical industry. In the last decade, many derivatives of food and agricultural waste have gained considerable attention due to their abundance, renewability, biocompatibility, environmental amiability, and remarkable biological features. Particularly, lignin, which has been used as a low-grade burning fuel in the past, recently attracted a lot of attention for biomedical applications because of its antioxidant, anti-UV, and antimicrobial properties. Moreover, lignin has abundant phenolic, aliphatic hydroxyl groups, and other chemically reactive sites, making it a desirable biomaterial for drug delivery applications. In this review, we provide an overview of designing different forms of lignin-based biomaterials, including hydrogels, cryogels, electrospun scaffolds, and three-dimensional (3D) printed structures and how they have been used for bioactive compound delivery. We highlight various design criteria and parameters that influence the properties of each type of lignin-based biomaterial and corelate them to various drug delivery applications. In addition, we provide a critical analysis, including the advantages and challenges encountered by each biomaterial fabrication strategy. Finally, we highlight the prospects and future directions associated with the application of lignin-based biomaterials in the pharmaceutical field. We expect that this review will cover the most recent and important developments in this field and serve as a steppingstone for the next generation of pharmaceutical research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Lignin Micro-/Nano-Formulations as Bioactive Compounds Carriers)

► Show Figures