Pluronic® F127 Thermoresponsive Viscum album Hydrogel: Physicochemical Features and Cellular In Vitro Evaluation

Abstract

Viscum album L., popularly known as mistletoe, is well known for its anti-cancer properties, and the pharmaceutical application of hydroalcoholic dry extracts is still limited due to its low solubility in aqueous media, and physicochemical instability. The Pluronic® F127 is an amphiphilic polymer, which permits the solubilization of lipophilic and hydrophilic compounds. In this investigation, physicochemical features of hydrogel containing V. album dry extract (VADE-loaded-hydrogel) were performed by: dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). VADE-loaded-hydrogel presented nanometer-size micelles with volume distribution ranging from 10.58 nm to 246.7 nm, and a polydispersity index of 0.441. The sample thermal analyses (TG and DSC) showed similar decomposition curves; however, the thermal events indicated an increase in thermal stability in relation to the presence of the extract. In addition to these interesting pharmaceutical features, IC50 values of 333.40 µg/mL and >1000 µg/mL were obtained when tumor (SCC-25) and non-tumor (L929) cells were incubated with VADE-loaded-hydrogel, respectively. The optical and ultrastructural cellular analysis confirmed the tumor selectivity since the following alterations were detected only in SCC-25 cells: disorganization of plasmatic membrane; an increase of cytoplasmatic vacuole size; alteration in the cristae mitochondrial shape; and generation of amorphous cellular material. These results emphasize the promising antitumoral potential of VADE-loaded-hydrogel as an herbal drug delivery system via in vitro assays.

The Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Viscum album

“…If we assume that the V. album extracts display their action as a phytocomplex, wherein besides the microProteins such as viscotoxins and viscolectins, many other constituents can take part in the main property, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-stress activity, this contributes to the general actions in restoring or maintaining homeostasis. The immunoadjuvanten and immunomodulatory properties fully confirm the capacities of V. album , in accordance with the ancient ethnobotanical indications and as in line with modern medical approaches [ 209 , 210 , 211 , 212 , 213 , 214 , 215 , 216 ].…”

Halofuginone-guided nano-local therapy: Nano-thermosensitive hydrogels for postoperative metastatic canine mammary carcinoma with scar removal

“…This peak indicated the release of moisture and entire weight loss that had been trapped. In addition, previous studies manifested micelles incorporated into hydrogel can enhanced its thermal stability ( Rocha et al, 2022 ). Thus, above results indicated HTPM-gel have an excellent thermal stability.…”

Nanofiber Peptides for Bacterial Trapping: A Novel Approach to Antibiotic Alternatives in Wound Infections

“…[52] In this investigation, we appraised the pro-wound repair capability of AMPs utilizing the MRSA-infected skin wound model. [55,56] Since AMPs were dissolved in solution in all preceding experiments and were unsuitable for direct application to the wound repair assessment (Figure 7A), we amalgamated AMPs with Pluronic F127 (F127) hydrogel-a temperature-sensitive hydrogel employed as a release mechanism for a diverse array of pharmaceuticals, [57] and established an F127 control group. To ascertain the requisite drug concentration for the dermal experiments, we examined the antimicrobial activity of the F127 gel integrated with AMPs and cefalexin.…”