GUSTAVO HENRIQUE COSTAVARCA

Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
Cargo

Resultados de Busca

Agora exibindo 1 - 2 de 2
  • Artigo IPEN-doc 29706
    Mucoadhesive gellan gum-based and carboxymethyl cellulose -based hydrogels containing gemcitabine and papain for bladder cancer treatment
    2023 - LIMA, CAROLINE S.A. de; RIAL-HERMIDA, MARIA I.; FREITAS, LUCAS F. de; PEREIRA-DA-MOTA, ANA F.; VIVERO-LOPEZ, MARIA; FERREIRA, ARYEL H.; KADŁUBOWSKI, SŁAWOMIR; VARCA, GUSTAVO H.C.; LUGAO, ADEMAR B.; ALVAREZ-LORENZO, CARMEN
    Local treatment of bladder cancer faces several limitations such as short residence time or low permeation through urothelium tissue. The aim of this work was to develop patient-friendly mucoadhesive gel formulations combining gemcitabine and the enzyme papain for improved intravesical chemotherapy delivery. Hydrogels based on two different polysaccharides, gellan gum and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), were prepared with either native papain or papain nanoparticles (nanopapain) to explore for the first time their use as permeability enhancers through bladder tissue. Gel formulations were characterized regarding enzyme stability, rheological behavior, retention on bladder tissue and bioadhesion, drug release properties, permeation capacity, and biocompatibility. After 90 days of storage, the enzyme loaded in the CMC gels retained up to 83.5 ± 4.9 % of its activity in the absence of the drug, and up to 78.1 ± 5.3 with gemcitabine. The gels were mucoadhesive and the enzyme papain showed mucolytic action, which resulted in resistance against washing off from the urothelium and enhanced permeability of gemcitabine in the ex vivo tissue diffusion tests. Native papain shortened lag-time tissue penetration to 0.6 h and enhanced 2-fold drug permeability All formulations demonstrated pseudoplastic behavior and no irritability. Overall, the developed formulations have potential as an upgraded alternative to intravesical therapy for bladder cancer treatment.
  • Artigo IPEN-doc 27583
    Semi-solid pharmaceutical formulations for the delivery of papain nanoparticles
    2020 - LIMA, CAROLINE S.A. de; VARCA, JUSTINE P.R.O.; NOGUEIRA, KAMILA M.; FAZOLIN, GABRIELA N.; FREITAS, LUCAS F. de; SOUZA, ELISEU W. de; LUGAO, ADEMAR B.; VARCA, GUSTAVO H.C.
    Papain is a therapeutic enzyme with restricted applications due to associated allergenic reactions. Papain nanoparticles have shown to be safe for biomedical use, although a method for proper drug loading and release remains to be developed. Thus, the objective of this work was to develop and assess the stability of papain nanoparticles in a prototype semi-solid formulation suitable for dermatological or topical administrations. Papain nanoparticles of 7.0 ± 0.1 nm were synthesized and loaded into carboxymethylcellulose- and poly(vinyl alcohol)-based gels. The formulations were then assayed for preliminary stability, enzyme activity, cytotoxicity studies, and characterized according to their microstructures and protein distribution. The formulations were suitable for papain nanoparticle loading and provided a stable environment for the nanoparticles. The enzyme distribution along the gel matrix was homogeneous for all the formulations, and the proteolytic activity was preserved after the gel preparation. Both gels presented a slow release of the papain nanoparticles for four days. Cell viability assays revealed no potential cytotoxicity, and the presence of the nanoparticles did not alter the microstructure of the gel. The developed systems presented a potential for biomedical applications, either as drug delivery systems for papain nanoparticles and/or its complexes.