Camelia Oprean1, Florin Borcan2, Ioana Pavel3, Alis Dema4, Corina Danciu5, Codruta Soica1, Cristina Dehelean6, Andreea Nicu7, Anamaria Ardelean7, Mirabela Cristea8, Alexandra Ivan9, Calin Tatu9, Florina Bojin9. 1. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 2. Department of Analitical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 3. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 4. Department of Morphopathology, Faculty of Medicine, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 5. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania corina.danciu@umft.ro. 6. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 7. Student at Faculty of Pharmacy, Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania. 8. "Pius Brinzeu" Timişoara County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Timisoara, Romania. 9. Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Oleanolic and ursolic acids (OA and UA) are two pentacyclic triterpenes, ubiquitously spread in plants, previously known for their chemopreventive capacity on different types of cancer. The major pharmacological disadvantage of these phytocompounds is their poor water solubility, which often limits their applicability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the interfacial polycondensation combined with spontaneous emulsification technique, polyurethane nanostructures (PU) were synthetized in order to improve this problem. In order to test the in vivo chemopreventive potential of the two pure compounds, as well as the encapsulated compounds in PU used as drug carriers, a chemically-induced skin carcinogenesis model was constructed. RESULTS: UA and OA have a moderate chemopreventive activity against tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzantracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoilphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) application. Incorporation of active agents in PU did not lead to increased chemopreventive effect. CONCLUSION: PU is not a suitable formulation of UA and OA.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Oleanolic and ursolic acids (OA and UA) are two pentacyclic triterpenes, ubiquitously spread in plants, previously known for their chemopreventive capacity on different types of cancer. The major pharmacological disadvantage of these phytocompounds is their poor water solubility, which often limits their applicability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the interfacial polycondensation combined with spontaneous emulsification technique, polyurethane nanostructures (PU) were synthetized in order to improve this problem. In order to test the in vivo chemopreventive potential of the two pure compounds, as well as the encapsulated compounds in PU used as drug carriers, a chemically-induced skin carcinogenesis model was constructed. RESULTS: UA and OA have a moderate chemopreventive activity against tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenzantracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoilphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) application. Incorporation of active agents in PU did not lead to increased chemopreventive effect. CONCLUSION:PU is not a suitable formulation of UA and OA.