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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Anti-parasitic Applications of Nanoparticles
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Anti-parasitic Applications of Nanoparticles

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 4222

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Anielle Christine Almeida Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of New Nanostructured and Functional Materials, Physics Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil
Interests: nanomaterials; biotechnology
Prof. Dr. Marcos Vinícius Da Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38025-180, MG, Brazil
Interests: nanotechnologies; immunology; parasitic diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parasitic infections pose a significant public health concern, characterized by elevated morbidity and mortality rates and affecting millions of individuals across the globe. Addressing parasitic diseases proves to be an arduous task, as evidenced by the ongoing transmission and the substantial mortality rates associated with these conditions. Current therapeutic protocols predominantly rely on the application of conventional chemical agents or natural compounds, most of which have become outdated. There is a pressing need for enhancements to overcome various challenges, including low drug bioavailability, inadequate drug accumulation in microbial sanctuaries and reservoirs, rising drug resistance, and diminished patient adherence due to drug-induced toxicities and protracted treatment regimens. Notably, several types of nanoparticles have shown promise as therapeutic and adjunctive interventions for parasitic diseases. The primary objective of this Special Issue is to disseminate research articles that showcase advancements in anti-parasitic applications of nanoparticles, with a specific focus on:

  • Nano-based therapies for parasitic diseases;
  • Nanotechnologies used for drug development;
  • Nanoparticle–parasite interactions;
  • Nanoparticle applications to reduce drug-resistance.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Anielle Christine Almeida Silva
Prof. Dr. Marcos Vinícius Da Silva
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

  • nanoparticles
  • parasitic diseases
  • drug resistance
  • nanodelivery systems
  • nanoemulsion

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3522 KiB  
Article
Achieving the Optimal AgO Concentrations to Modulate the Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi Activity of Ag-ZnO/AgO Nanocomposites: In Vivo Investigations
by José Rodrigues do Carmo Neto, Yarlla Loyane Lira Braga, Pablo Igor Ribeiro Franco, Jordana Fernandes de Oliveira, Rafael Obata Trevisan, Karen Martins Mendes, Milton Adriano Pelli de Oliveira, Mara Rúbia Nunes Celes, Anielle Christine Almeida Silva, Juliana Reis Machado and Marcos Vinícius da Silva
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(11), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16111415 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 671
Abstract
Background/Objectives: For the development of new treatments, the acute phase of Chagas disease (CD) in experimental models acts as a filter to screen out potentially effective interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate ZnO nanocrystals and Ag-ZnO/AgO nanocomposites containing [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: For the development of new treatments, the acute phase of Chagas disease (CD) in experimental models acts as a filter to screen out potentially effective interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate ZnO nanocrystals and Ag-ZnO/AgO nanocomposites containing different proportions of silver (ZnO:5Ag, ZnO:9Ag and ZnO:11Ag) in an experimental model of the acute phase of CD. Methods: C57Bl/6 mice were infected with 1000 forms of the Colombian strain of T. cruzi. The treatment was carried out by gavage with 5 mg/kg/d for 7 consecutive days from the first detection of parasitemia. Weight, parasitemia and survival were assessed during treatment and up to the day of euthanasia. After euthanasia, the cardiac and intestinal parasitism, inflammatory infiltrate, collagen deposition and cytokine dosages were analyzed. Results: It was observed that the nanocomposites ZnO:9Ag and ZnO:11Ag were the most effective in reducing parasitemia and increasing the survival of the infected animals. However, pure ZnO induced the maintenance of parasitemia and reduced their survival. The ZnO:9Ag and ZnO:11Ag nanocomposites were able to reduce the number of cardiac amastigote nests. In addition, they were responsible for reducing TNF-α and IL-6 in situ. ZnO:9Ag and ZnO:11Ag induced a reduction in the intestinal inflammatory infiltrate and neuronal protection in the myenteric plexus, as well as reducing TNF-α in situ. Conclusions: Based on these results, it is suggested that there is an ideal concentration in terms of the proportion of Ag/AgO and ZnO in nanocomposites for use against CD. Thus, ZnO:9Ag or ZnO:11Ag nanomaterials are potential candidates for the development of new biotechnological products for the therapy of CD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-parasitic Applications of Nanoparticles)
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10 pages, 2033 KiB  
Article
Goethite and Hematite Nanoparticles Show Promising Anti-Toxoplasma Properties
by Kosei Ishii, Eiji Akahoshi, Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi, Hironori Bando, Yasuhiro Fukuda, Tomoyuki Ogawa and Kentaro Kato
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(3), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16030413 - 18 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasitic protozoan with a high infection rate in mammals, including humans, and birds. There is no effective vaccine, and treatment relies on antiparasitic drugs. However, existing antiprotozoal drugs have strong side effects and other problems; therefore, new treatment [...] Read more.
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasitic protozoan with a high infection rate in mammals, including humans, and birds. There is no effective vaccine, and treatment relies on antiparasitic drugs. However, existing antiprotozoal drugs have strong side effects and other problems; therefore, new treatment approaches are needed. Metal nanoparticles have attracted increased interest in the biomedical community in recent years because of their extremely high surface area to volume ratio and their unique reactivity that could be exploited for medicinal purposes. Previously, we confirmed the anti-Toxoplasma effects of gold, silver, and platinum nanoparticles, in a growth inhibition test. Here, we asked whether the anti-Toxoplasma effect could be confirmed with less expensive metal nanoparticles, specifically iron oxide nanoparticles (goethite and hematite). To improve the selective action of the nanoparticles, we modified the surface with l-tryptophan as our previous findings showed that the bio-modification of nanoparticles enhances their selectivity against T. gondii. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the successful coating of the iron oxide nanoparticles with l-tryptophan. Subsequently, cytotoxicity and growth inhibition assays were performed. L-tryptophan-modified nanoparticles showed superior anti-Toxoplasma action compared to their naked nanoparticle counterparts. L-tryptophan enhanced the selective toxicity of the iron oxide nanoparticles toward T. gondii. The bio-modified nanoparticles did not exhibit detectable host cell toxicity in the effective anti-Toxoplasma doses. To elucidate whether reactive oxygen species contribute to the anti-Toxoplasma action of the bio-modified nanoparticles, we added Trolox antioxidant to the assay medium and found that Trolox appreciably reduced the nanoparticle-induced growth inhibition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-parasitic Applications of Nanoparticles)
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20 pages, 4273 KiB  
Article
Design of Liquid Formulation Based on F127-Loaded Natural Dimeric Flavonoids as a New Perspective Treatment for Leishmaniasis
by Camila Silva da Costa, Estela Mesquita Marques, Jessyane Rodrigues do Nascimento, Victor Antônio Silva Lima, Ralph Santos-Oliveira, Aline Santana Figueredo, Caroline Martins de Jesus, Glécilla Colombelli de Souza Nunes, Clenilma Marques Brandão, Edson Tobias de Jesus, Mayara Coelho Sa, Auro Atsushi Tanaka, Gustavo Braga, Ana Caroline Ferreira Santos, Roberto Batista de Lima, Lucilene Amorim Silva, Luciana Magalhães Rebelo Alencar, Cláudia Quintino da Rocha and Renato Sonchini Gonçalves
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16020252 - 8 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1449
Abstract
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (IPD) remain a challenge for medicine due to several interconnected reasons, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is an overlooked IPD causing persistent skin ulcers that are challenging to heal, resulting in disfiguring scars. Moreover, it [...] Read more.
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (IPD) remain a challenge for medicine due to several interconnected reasons, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is an overlooked IPD causing persistent skin ulcers that are challenging to heal, resulting in disfiguring scars. Moreover, it has the potential to extend from the skin to the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat in both humans and various animals. Given the limited effectiveness and AMR of current drugs, the exploration of new substances has emerged as a promising alternative for ATL treatment. Arrabidaea brachypoda (DC). Bureau is a native Brazilian plant rich in dimeric flavonoids, including Brachydin (BRA), which displays antimicrobial activity, but still little has been explored regarding the development of therapeutic formulations. In this work, we present the design of a low-cost liquid formulation based on the use of Pluronic F127 for encapsulation of high BRA concentration (LF-B500). The characterization techniques revealed that BRA-loaded F127 micelles are well-stabilized in an unusual worm-like form. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that LF-B500 was non-toxic to macrophages but efficient in the inactivation of forms of Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes with IC50 of 16.06 µg/mL. The results demonstrated that LF-B500 opened a new perspective on the use of liquid formulation-based natural products for ATL treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-parasitic Applications of Nanoparticles)
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