FCS (DCF) - Artigos em Revistas Científicas Internacionais com Arbitragem Científica
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Browsing FCS (DCF) - Artigos em Revistas Científicas Internacionais com Arbitragem Científica by Author "Amaral, Maria Helena"
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- Applications of polymeric and lipid nanoparticles in ophthalmic pharmaceutical formulations: present and future considerationsPublication . Almeida, Hugo; Amaral, Maria Helena; Lobão, Paulo; Silva, Ana Catarina; Lobo, José Manuel SousaThe unique properties and characteristics of ocular tissues and the whole set of defence mechanisms of the ocular globe make the instillation of ocular drugs into a difficult task with a low rate of therapeutic response. One of the challenges for the new generation of ophthalmic pharmaceutical formulations is to increase the bioavailability of drugs administered by the ocular route and, therefore, their therapeutic efficacy. This can be achieved with the use of some strategies that provide an increase in the formulation pre-corneal residence time, mucoadhesion and penetration across the eye tissues. Colloidal carrier systems have been very successfully used for the selective and targeted delivery of drugs for several routes of administration. In this context, nanoparticles prepared with specific polymers or lipids and coated, dispersed or suspended in polymer solutions with mucoadhesion properties or in situ gelling properties will be an excellent strategy that deserves attention and further research. In this review, the characteristics and main properties of polymeric and lipid nanoparticles are discussed and examples and advantages of the application of these colloidal carrier systems for the ophthalmic administration of drugs are presented. The future directions of the research required in this specific field are also presented.
- Biotechnology applied to cosmetics and aesthetic medicinesPublication . Gomes, Cátia; Silva, Ana Catarina; Marques, Ana Camila; Sousa Lobo, José; Amaral, Maria HelenaBiotechnology uses microorganisms and/or enzymes to obtain specific products through fermentative processes and/or genetic engineering techniques. Examples of these products are active ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, kojic acid, resveratrol, and some enzymes, which are used in skin anti-aging products. In addition, certain growth factors, algae, stem cells, and peptides have been included in cosmetics and aesthetic medicines. Thus, biotechnology, cosmetics and aesthetic medicines are now closely linked, through the production of high-quality active ingredients, which are more effective and safer. This work describes the most used active ingredients that are produced from biotechnological processes. Although there are a vast number of active ingredients, the number of biotechnological active ingredients reported in the literature is not significantly high.
- Design, characterization, and clinical evaluation of argan oil nanostructured lipid carriers to improve skin hydrationPublication . Tichota, Deise Michele; Silva, Ana Catarina; Lobo, José Manuel Sousa; Amaral, Maria HelenaGiven its advantages in skin application (eg, hydration, antiaging, and protection), argan oil could be used in both dermatological and cosmetic formulations. Therefore, the preparation of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) using argan oil as a liquid lipid is a promising technique, since the former constitute well-established systems for dermal delivery. The aim of this work was to develop a topical formulation of argan oil NLCs to improve skin hydration. Firstly an NLC dispersion was developed and characterized, and afterward an NLC-based hydrogel was prepared. The in vivo evaluation of the suitability of the prepared formulation for the proposed application was assessed in volunteers, by measuring different skin-surface parameters for 1 month. An argan oil NLC-based hydrogel formulation was successfully prepared and characterized. Moreover, the entrapment of the NLCs in the hydrogel net did not affect their colloidal sizes. Additionally, it was observed that this formulation precipitated an increase in skin hydration of healthy volunteers. Therefore, we concluded that the preparation of NLC systems using argan oil as the liquid lipid is a promising strategy, since a synergistic effect on the skin hydration was obtained (ie, NLC occlusion plus argan oil hydration).
- Editorial: applications of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC): state of the artPublication . Silva, Ana Catarina; Amaral, Maria Helena; Lobo, José Manuel Sousa; Almeida, Hugo
- Recent developments in microfluidic technologies for central nervous system targeted studiesPublication . Teixeira, Maria Inês; Amaral, Maria Helena; Costa, Paulo; Lopes, Carla Martins; Lamprou, Dimitrios A.Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) bear a lot of weight in public health. By studying the properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its fundamental interactions with the central nervous system (CNS), it is possible to improve the understanding of the pathological mechanisms behind these disorders and create new and better strategies to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency, such as nanocarriers. Microfluidics is an intersectional field with many applications. Microfluidic systems can be an invaluable tool to accurately simulate the BBB microenvironment, as well as develop, in a reproducible manner, drug delivery systems with well-defined physicochemical characteristics. This review provides an overview of the most recent advances on microfluidic devices for CNS-targeted studies. Firstly, the importance of the BBB will be addressed, and different experimental BBB models will be briefly discussed. Subsequently, microfluidic-integrated BBB models (BBB/brain-on-a-chip) are introduced and the state of the art reviewed, with special emphasis on their use to study NDs. Additionally, the microfluidic preparation of nanocarriers and other compounds for CNS delivery has been covered. The last section focuses on current challenges and future perspectives of microfluidic experimentation.