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Fullerene is a cosmic material with a buckyball-like structure comprising 60 carbon atoms. It has attracted significant interest because of its outstanding antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Natural fullerene (NC60) in shungite meets the demand of biomedical fields to scavenge reactive oxygen species in many diseases. However, its hydrophobicity and poor solubility in water hinder its use as an antioxidant. In this study, highly water-dispersed and stable Pluronic-coated natural fullerene nanoaggregates (NC60/Plu) were prepared from various Pluronic polymers. The water dispersity and stability of NC60 were compared and optimized based on the characteristics of Pluronic polymers including F68, F127, L35, P123, and L81. In particular, NC60 coated with Pluronic F127 at a weight ratio of 1 to 5 showed excellent antioxidant effects both in situ and in vitro. This suggests that the high solubilization of NC60 in Pluronic polymers increases its chance of interacting with reactive oxygen radicals and improves radical scavenging activity. Thus, the optimized NC60/PF127 may be a novel biocompatible antioxidant for treating various diseases associated with oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the inhibitory effect of phytoncide (Pht) on food-borne pathogenic bacterial growth, the hydrophobic nature and susceptibility to biodegradation under physiological conditions limits its applications. Here, we developed Pht-loaded polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) micelles (Pht@PVP MC) via micelle packing. Pht was solubilized using different types of PVP as micellar vehicles. The as-prepared Pht@PVP MCs were characterized using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The sizes of the Pht@PVP MCs were controlled from 301 ± 51 to 80 ± 3 nm by adjusting the PVP content. The polydispersity index of Pht@PVP MC was between 0.21 ± 0.03 and 0.16 ± 0.04, indicating homogeneous size. A colony-counting method was employed to evaluate the improvement in antibacterial activity after Pht encapsulation in PVP micelles. The reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging activity and anti-inflammatory efficacy of Pht@PVP MC were analyzed in a concentration range of 10–100 μg/mL by evaluating in vitro ROS and nitric oxide levels using DCFDA and Griess reagents. PVP with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties improved the aqueous solubility of Pht and stabilized it via steric hindrance. Higher-molecular-weight PVP at higher concentrations resulted in a smaller hydrodynamic diameter of Pht@PVP MC with uniform size distribution. The spherical Pht@PVP MC maintained its size and polydispersity index in a biological buffer for 2 weeks. Pht@PVP MC exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity compared to bare Pht. The growth of Staphylococcus aureus was effectively inhibited by Pht@PVP MC treatment. Furthermore, biocompatible Pht@PVP MC exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. Overall, Pht@PVP MC is an effective alternative to synthetic antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study proposes an innovative transdermal drug delivery system using ferrocene-incorporated fibers to enhance the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. Using electrospinning technology, the authors created ferrocene polymer fibers capable of highly efficient drug encapsulation and controlled release in response to reactive oxygen species commonly found in wound sites. The approach improves upon previous methods significantly by offering higher drug loading capacities and sustained release, directly targeting diseased cells. The results confirm the potential of ferrocene fibers for localized drug delivery, potentially reducing side effects and increasing patient convenience. The method could facilitate the application of bioactive compounds in medical textiles and targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]