Sami Nazzal

The cosmetics industry is seeing rapid growth, particularly in producing anti-aging serums containing plant extracts rich in antioxidants. This serum was created to analyze parameter values, particularly antioxidants, acquired by including extracts of aloe vera, binahong leaves, and mangosteen peel. The extraction process involved soaking dry aloe vera, binahong leaves, and mangosteen peel in a 1:5 (w/v) ratio of 96% ethanol for 3 days. The filtrate from the maceration process was concentrated using a rotary evaporator at 55°C until a thick extract was obtained. The IC50 values obtained for antioxidant test results using the DPPH technique were 10169 ppm for aloe vera extract, 13438 ppm for binahong leaf extract, and 51.034 ppm for mangosteen peel extract. The IC50 values in serum are aloe vera serum at 59681 ppm, binahong leaf serum at 54.652 ppm, and mangosteen peel serum at 43.747 ppm. This research evaluated parameters according to SNI 16-4399-1996. Based on the IC50 antioxidant value and other characteristics, mangosteen peel extract and serum are ideal for development, production, and commercialization as facial care products with anti-aging properties.

Evaluation and Comparison Anti-aging Facial Serum from Algae Extract

Ceramide (Cer) is an active cellular sphingolipid that can induce apoptosis or proliferation-arrest of cancer cells. Nanoparticle-based delivery offers an effective approach for overcoming bioavailability and biopharmaceutics issues attributable to the pronounced hydrophobicity of Cer. Missense mutations of the protein p53, which have been detected in approximately 42% of cancer cases, not only lose the tumor suppression activity of wild-type p53, but also gain oncogenic functions promoting tumor progression and drug resistance. Our previous works showed that cellular Cer can eradicate cancer cells that carry a p53 deletion-mutation by modulating alternative pre-mRNA splicing, restoring wild-type p53 protein expression. Here, we report that new ceramide–rubusoside (Cer–RUB) nanomicelles considerably enhance Cer in vivo bioavailability and restore p53-dependent tumor suppression in cancer cells carrying a p53 missense mutation. Natural RUB encapsulated short-chain C6-Cer so as to form Cer–RUB nanomicelles (∼32 nm in diameter) that substantially enhanced Cer solubility and its levels in tissues and tumors of mice dosed intraperitoneally. Intriguingly, Cer–RUB nanomicelle treatments restored p53-dependent tumor suppression and sensitivity to cisplatin in OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells and xenograft tumors carrying p53 R248Q mutation. Moreover, Cer–RUB nanomicelles showed no signs of significant nonspecific toxicity to noncancerous cells or normal tissues, including bone marrow. Furthermore, Cer–RUB nanomicelles restored p53 phosphorylated protein and downstream function to wild-type levels in p53 R172H/+ transgenic mice. Altogether, this study, for the first time, indicates that natural Cer–RUB nanomicelles offer a feasible approach for efficaciously and safely targeting cancers carrying p53 missense mutations.

Supplementary Figure S1-S3- supplementary S1: The stability of Cer-RUB nanomicelles; Supplementary Figure S2: Effects of Cer and CDDP on cell response; Supplementary Figure S3: Effects of treatments on body weights of mice bearing tumors. Supplementary Materials and Methods-Analysis of nanomicelle stability

Supplementary Figure S1-S3- supplementary S1: The stability of Cer-RUB nanomicelles; Supplementary Figure S2: Effects of Cer and CDDP on cell response; Supplementary Figure S3: Effects of treatments on body weights of mice bearing tumors. Supplementary Materials and Methods-Analysis of nanomicelle stability

Ceramide (Cer) is an active cellular sphingolipid that can induce apoptosis or proliferation-arrest of cancer cells. Nanoparticle-based delivery offers an effective approach for overcoming bioavailability and biopharmaceutics issues attributable to the pronounced hydrophobicity of Cer. Missense mutations of the protein p53, which have been detected in approximately 42% of cancer cases, not only lose the tumor suppression activity of wild-type p53, but also gain oncogenic functions promoting tumor progression and drug resistance. Our previous works showed that cellular Cer can eradicate cancer cells that carry a p53 deletion-mutation by modulating alternative pre-mRNA splicing, restoring wild-type p53 protein expression. Here, we report that new ceramide–rubusoside (Cer–RUB) nanomicelles considerably enhance Cer in vivo bioavailability and restore p53-dependent tumor suppression in cancer cells carrying a p53 missense mutation. Natural RUB encapsulated short-chain C6-Cer so as to form Cer–RUB nanomicelles (∼32 nm in diameter) that substantially enhanced Cer solubility and its levels in tissues and tumors of mice dosed intraperitoneally. Intriguingly, Cer–RUB nanomicelle treatments restored p53-dependent tumor suppression and sensitivity to cisplatin in OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells and xenograft tumors carrying p53 R248Q mutation. Moreover, Cer–RUB nanomicelles showed no signs of significant nonspecific toxicity to noncancerous cells or normal tissues, including bone marrow. Furthermore, Cer–RUB nanomicelles restored p53 phosphorylated protein and downstream function to wild-type levels in p53 R172H/+ transgenic mice. Altogether, this study, for the first time, indicates that natural Cer–RUB nanomicelles offer a feasible approach for efficaciously and safely targeting cancers carrying p53 missense mutations.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of formulating and loading Curcumin SEDDS (Self-Emulsified Drug Delivery Systems) into films made from Soluplus^® as the film forming polymer. Films with up to 30% of Curcumin SEDDS were prepared by the solvent casting technique and analyzed for their mechanical and dissolution properties. A 9-run, two-factor, three-level factorial design was utilized to investigate the effect of SEDDS load (10%, 20%, and 30% w/w) and film thickness (10, 25 and 40 mils) on the tensile strength, elongation, and adhesiveness of the films. The dissolution profile of the films was also investigated by a USP Type 1 method. SEDDS loading was found to plasticize Soluplus^® and to yield transparent films of good mechanical properties. Increasing SEDDS load, however, was found to reduce the tensile strength of the films, while increasing their adhesiveness and elongation. On the other hand, while increase in film thickness was found to increase the tensile strength of the films, it reduced the elongation capacity of the films. Loading SEDDS into Soluplus^® films was also found to sustain their release over 6 hours, where a significant delay in release was found at lower SEDDS loads. This study demonstrated that Soluplus^® can be used not only to formulate SEDDS into polymeric films, but also to sustain their release over an extended time.

The goals of this study were to (1) delineate a technique to prepare stable aqueous vitamin E/Soluplus^® dispersions; (2) characterize films cast from the aqueous dispersions; and (3) demonstrate the utility of the aqueous dispersions in fluid bed coating applications Significance: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using vitamin E in the preparation of amphiphilic film withs potential use in delayed release coating applications. Low viscosity aqueous vitamin E/Soluplus^® dispersions were prepared by first spray drying ethanolic vitamin E/Soluplus^® solutions followed by high-shear homogenization of the solid dispersions in water. Concentrated (10%) aqueous dispersions containing 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% of vitamin E in the binary blend with Soluplus^® were then cast into films and characterized for contact angle and mechanical strength by texture analysis. All films were hydrophilic and homogenous, which confirmed the utility of vitamin E as a plasticizer for the Soluplus^® polymer. The 0% and 10% films were brittle whereas the 30% was tacky. The 20% dispersion was subsequently used to coat acetaminophen granules by a fluidized bed process to a dry weight gain of 10-30%. When tested by a dissolution study, a delay in acetaminophen release was observed as a function of weight gain. The results from this study demonstrated that it is feasible to produce stable vitamin E/Soluplus^® aqueous dispersions to be used as solvent-free functional film coating materials.