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The aim of this study was to characterize the interaction between the binary systems of albendazole (ABZ)—cyclodextrins (CDs) with pharmaceutical excipients. Hydroxyl-propyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) and random methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (RAMEB) were used as cyclodextrins and magnesium stearate, mannitol, polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 (PVP K30), colloidal silica, starch, and talc were used as excipients. The utilized investigation techniques were attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) and thermoanalytical techniques: thermogravimetry (TG)/derivative thermogravimetry (DTG)/heat flow (HF) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The ATR-FTIR analysis clearly suggested interactions under ambient conditions between ABZ-HPBCD with PVP K30 and SiO2 and between ABZ-RAMEB with SiO2 and talc. The PXRD patterns indicated the formation of less crystalline mixtures but with no clear indication of interactions, since no peaks appeared nor disappeared. The modifications on the DSC curves suggested an interaction between ABZ-HPBCD and PVP K30 and SiO2 respectively, and in case of ABZ-RAMEB was observed an interaction with talc. Thermal analysis (TG/DTG/HF) carried out in open crucibles in dynamic air atmosphere suggested that at temperatures over 40 °C dehydration of samples occurred, later followed by thermolysis and appearance of interactions in all studied cases. Our study concludes by recommending precautionary measures in elaborating new solid formulations containing ABZ, HPBCD and PVP K30/SiO2 and for the ones containing ABZ, RAMEB and Talc/SiO2, due to the present interactions under ambient conditions.

Wounds are among the most common skin conditions, displaying a large etiological diversity and being characterized by different degrees of severity. Wound healing is a complex process that involves multiple steps such as inflammation, proliferation and maturation and ends with scar formation. Since ancient times, a widely used option for treating skin wounds are plant- based treatments which currently have become the subject of modern pharmaceutical formulations. Triterpenes with tetracyclic and pentacyclic structure are extensively studied for their implication in wound healing as well as to determine their molecular mechanisms of action. The current review aims to summarize the main results of in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies conducted on lupane, ursane, oleanane, dammarane, lanostane and cycloartane type triterpenes as potential wound healing treatments.

Given the present high incidence of melanoma and skin cancer, interest in potential drugs of plant origin has increased significantly. Pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenes are widely distributed in plants, offering numerous pharmacological benefits. Betulin is an important compound in the bark of Betula pendula Roth and has important therapeutic properties, including antitumor activities. Its biological effect is limited by its poor water solubility, which can be improved by cyclodextrin complexation. The best results have been obtained by using a novel cyclodextrin derivative, octakis-[6-deoxy-6-(2-sulfanyl ethanesulfonate)]-γ-CD. The complexes between betulin and the previously mentioned cyclodextrin were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and pharmacologically evaluated in vitro (MTT and immunocytochemistry tests) and in vivo in C57BL/6J mice. The solubility of betulin is improved by cyclodextrin complexation, which creates a stable complex that improves the in vitro and in vivo properties of the active compound.

In this study Fe3O4@C matrix was obtained by combustion method and used hereafter as adsorbent for paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid removal from aqueous solutions. The Fe3O4@C matrix was characterized by electronic microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements. Two kinetic models of pseudo first-order and pseudo-second-order for both paracetamol and acetylsalicylic acid were studied. The experimental data were investigated by Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich&ndash, Peterson adsorption isotherm models. The adsorption followed the Redlich&ndash, Peterson and pseudo-second-order models with correlation coefficients R2 = 0.98593 and R2 = 0.99996, respectively, for the adsorption of paracetamol, for the acetylsalicylic acid, the adsorption followed the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order model, with correlation coefficients R2 = 0.99421 and R2 = 0.99977, respectively. The equilibrium was quickly reached after approximately 1h for the paracetamol adsorption and approximately 2h for acetylsalicylic acid adsorption. According to the Langmuir isotherm, the maximum adsorption capacity of the magnetic matrix was 142.01 mg&middot, g&minus, 1 for the retention of paracetamol and 234.01 mg&middot, 1 for the retention of acetylsalicylic acid. The benefits of using the Fe3O4@C matrix are the low cost of synthesis and its easy and fast separation from solution by using an NdBFe magnet.

Melissa officinalis (MO) is a medicinal plant well-known for its multiple pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer and beneficial effects on skin recovery. In this context, the present study was aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo safety profile of an MO aqueous extract by assessing cell viability on normal (HaCaT—human keratinocytes) and tumor (A375—human melanoma) cells and its impact on physiological skin parameters by a non-invasive method. In addition, the antioxidant activity and the antiangiogenic potential of the extract were verified. A selective cytotoxic effect was noted in A375 cells, while no toxicity was noticed in healthy cells. The MO aqueous extract safety profile after topical application was investigated on SKH-1 mice, and an enhanced skin hydration and decreased erythema and transepidermal water loss levels were observed. The in ovo CAM assay, performed to investigate the potential modulating effect on the angiogenesis process and the blood vessels impact, indicated that at concentrations of 100 and 500 µg/mL, MO aqueous extract induced a reduction of thin capillaries. No signs of vascular toxicity were recorded at concentrations as high as 1000 μg/mL. The aqueous extract of MO leaves can be considered a promising candidate for skin disorders with impaired physiological skin parameters.

Albendazole is a benzimidazole derivative with documented antitumor activity and low toxicity to healthy cells. The major disadvantage in terms of clinical use is its low aqueous solubility which limits its bioavailability. Albendazole was incorporated into stable and homogeneous polyurethane structures with the aim of obtaining an improved drug delivery system model. Spectral and thermal analysis was used to investigate the encapsulation process and confirmed the presence of albendazole inside the nanoparticles. The in vitro anticancer properties of albendazole encapsulated in polyurethane structures versus the un-encapsulated compound were tested on two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, in terms of cellular viability and apoptosis induction. The study showed that the encapsulation process enhanced the antitumor activity of albendazole on the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-23 breast cancer lines. The cytotoxic activity manifested in a concentration-dependent manner and was accompanied by changes in cell morphology and nuclear fragmentation.

Betulonic acid belongs to the pentacyclic triterpenic derivative class and can be obtained through the selective oxidation of betulin. In this study we set obtaining several functionalized derivatives of this compound by its condensation with several amino compounds such as aminoguanidine, hydroxylamine, n-butylamine and thiosemicarbazide as our goal. The functionalization of the parent compound led to several molecules with antiproliferative potential, the most promising being 3–2-carbamothioylhydrazonolup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid.

This study deals with the comparative analysis of thermal degradation (including kinetic study) in dynamic air atmosphere, for two similar-structured triterpenoid acids—ursolic (URS) and oleanolic (OLE) acids. As kinetic methods, two integral methods (Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa) and one differential method (Friedman) were used. The “in-depth” kinetic analysis was completed by applying the nonparametric kinetics (NPK) method, which confirmed the multiprocess degradation suggested by isoconversional methods (the observed variation in E a vs. conversion degree). The NPK method revealed that ursolic acid is degraded solely by two parallel chemical processes, while in the case of oleanolic acid, the processes are accompanied by physical ones. The physicochemical investigation was completed with a bioactivity evaluation regarding the apoptotic process caused by the two compounds in A2058 human melanoma cell line. It was found that the similar-structured triterpenoids possess different biological effects, OLE being antiapoptotic, while URS being strong apoptotic.

The pharmaceutical cocrystals are nowadays studied due to the fact that several properties, such as solubility, stability, dissolution rate and bioavailability, can be modulated. In this work, a cocrystal containing carbamazepine (CBZ) and succinic acid (SA) were prepared by the cogrinding method of the active substances, following the subjection of the physical mixture to microwave irradiation. The formation and stability of CBZ–SA cocrystal were explored using thermoanalytical methods (TG/DTG/HF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and PXRD pattern diffraction. The preparation of the cocrystal was realized by slow evaporation of solvent (ethanol) from the mixture which contained the active substances in molar ratio CBZ:SA = 2:1.

Ambazone is a pharmaceutical compound that possesses antiseptic activity and tested as well for anti-tumor properties. Metal complexes of Zn(II), Fe(III), and Cu(II) containing ambazone as ligand were synthesized using a molar ratio salt:ligand of 1:1, heating the mixture up to 50 °C for 6 h. Coordination compounds were characterized by thin-layer chromatography, FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and thermal behavior. The non-isothermal experiments were carried out in order to investigate the thermal degradation process of these complexes and were performed in a dynamic air atmosphere at a heating rate β = 10 °C min−1 from ambient temperature, up to 500 °C. It was revealed that decomposition process is a multistadial one.

Thermal behaviour of heptakis-6-iodo-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin (HIDBCD) under inert and oxidative conditions was investigated by TG/DTG/DTA, FTIR, and using the hyphenate technique TG–FTIR. Due to the fact that thermal behaviour of HIDBCD was not studied before, we set our goal in the investigation of thermal degradation process in a dynamic air atmosphere vs. nitrogen atmosphere at a heating rate of 10 °C min−1, up to 500 °C, respectively, 600 °C. It was found that the degradation process in air occurs in a single step, with a total mass loss of 99.9 %. The results of TG/DTG/DTA–FTIR indicated that the thermal behaviour of this cyclodextrin can be divided into three stages and more information was provided about the reaction sequences and the relevant products of reaction.

Oleanolic and ursolic acids are natural triterpenic compounds with pentacyclic cholesterol-like structures which gives them very low water solubility, a significant disadvantage in terms of bioavailability. We previously reported the synthesis of inclusion complexes between these acids and cyclodextrins, as well as their in vivo evaluation on chemically induced skin cancer experimental models. In this study the synergistic activity of the acid mixture included inside hydroxypropyl-gamma-cyclodextrin (HPGCD) was monitored using in vitro tests and in vivo skin cancer models. The coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) was used to characterize the interactions as synergism, additivity or antagonism. Our results revealed an increased antitumor activity for the mixture of the two triterpenic acids, both single and in complex with cyclodextrin, thus proving their complementary biologic activities.

Genistein is one of the most studied phytocompound in the class of isoflavones, presenting a notable estrogenic activity and in vitro and/or in vivo benefits in different types of cancer such as those of the bladder, kidney, lung, pancreatic, skin and endometrial cancer. A big inconvenience for drug development is low water solubility, which can be solved by using hydrophilic cyclodextrins. The aim of this study is to theoretically analyze, based on the interaction energy, the possibility of a complex formation between genistein (Gen) and three different ramified cyclodextrins (CD), using a 1:1 molar ratio Gen:CD. Theoretical data were correlated with a screening of both in vitro and in vivo activity. Proliferation of different human cancer cell lines, antimicrobial activity and angiogenesis behavior was analyzed in order to see if complexation has a beneficial effect for any of the above mentioned activities and if so, which of the three CDs is the most suitable for the incorporation of genistein, and which may lead to future improved pharmaceutical formulations. Results showed antiproliferative activity with different IC50 values for all tested cell lines, remarkable antimicrobial activity on Bacillus subtilis and antiangiogenic activity as revealed by CAM assay. Differences regarding the intensity of the activity for pure and the three Gen complexes were noticed as explained in the text. The data represent a proof that the three CDs can be used for furtherer research towards practical use in the pharmaceutical and medical field.