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Researchers from the University of Cádiz have sucÂcessÂfully incorÂpoÂrated olive leaf extract into PLCL filÂaÂments, a biodegradÂable copolyÂmer used in bioÂmedÂical appliÂcaÂtions, to creÂate filÂaÂments with therÂaÂpeuÂtic propÂerÂties for soft-tisÂsue engiÂneerÂing and drug delivÂery. The study highÂlights the potenÂtial of using superÂcritÂiÂcal fluid impregÂnaÂtion to enhance the bioavailÂabilÂity of bioacÂtive comÂpounds from olive waste, offerÂing a susÂtainÂable and effecÂtive method for delivÂerÂing antioxÂiÂdants with potenÂtial medÂical appliÂcaÂtions.
A team of researchers from the Chemical Engineering and Food Technology Department at the University of Cádiz, Spain, has pubÂlished research on incorÂpoÂratÂing olive leaf extract into bioÂmedÂical polyÂmer filÂaÂments.
The filÂaÂments in quesÂtion comÂprise poly(L‑lactic acid-co-caproÂlacÂtone) (PLCL), a biodegradÂable, non-toxic copolyÂmer used in bioÂmedÂical appliÂcaÂtions.
PLCL typÂiÂcally degrades within the human body for up to three years, makÂing it well-suited for appliÂcaÂtions that require conÂtrolled release or evenÂtual resorpÂtion into the body. Such appliÂcaÂtions include soft-tisÂsue engiÂneerÂing and susÂtained drug delivÂery.
See Also:New Study Suggests Olive Leaf Extract Could Help Treat Type 2 DiabetesThe authors cite the growÂing recogÂniÂtion of the need to find new ways to valÂorize agri-food waste as part of a move toward a susÂtainÂable bio-econÂomy model.
Olive waste prodÂucts are the focus of a sigÂnifÂiÂcant amount of research in this regard, espeÂcially in Spain.
They are rich in numerÂous bioacÂtive comÂpounds, such as oleuÂropein, hydroxÂyÂtyÂrosol and pheÂnoÂlic acids, which have demonÂstrated therÂaÂpeuÂtic propÂerÂties, includÂing antiviÂral, antimiÂcroÂbial, anti-inflamÂmaÂtory and antioxÂiÂdant activÂiÂties.
These propÂerÂties are also cenÂtral to the team’s ratioÂnale. Antioxidants, in parÂticÂuÂlar, are known to have sigÂnifÂiÂcant potenÂtial in the treatÂment of disÂeases of global conÂcern, includÂing canÂcers, neuÂrodeÂgenÂerÂaÂtive disÂeases, and carÂdioÂvasÂcuÂlar disÂeases.
Their benÂeÂfiÂcial effects depend mainly on their bioacÂcesÂsiÂbilÂity and bioavailÂabilÂity, howÂever, and mainÂtainÂing therÂaÂpeuÂtic conÂcenÂtraÂtions is not always posÂsiÂble with conÂvenÂtional delivÂery methÂods, makÂing PLCL a prime canÂdiÂdate.
Following the sucÂcessÂful prepaÂraÂtion of olive leaf extract, a series of assays and other tests were conÂducted to conÂfirm its antioxÂiÂdant capacÂity and anti-inflamÂmaÂtory activÂity at sufÂfiÂciently high levÂels for potenÂtial medÂical appliÂcaÂtions.
In addiÂtion, key pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds, such as oleuÂropein, hydroxÂyÂtyÂrosol and luteÂolin-7-gluÂcoÂside, were detected in suitÂable conÂcenÂtraÂtions.
The incorÂpoÂraÂtion of olive leaf extract into PLCL filÂaÂments was then attempted using superÂcritÂiÂcal impregÂnaÂtion, a techÂnique that has been sucÂcessÂfully applied to other polyÂmers, such as PETG and PLGA.
The process relies on the propÂerÂties of superÂcritÂiÂcal fluÂids, which are between those of liqÂuids and gases.
Supercritical fluid impregÂnaÂtion offers numerÂous advanÂtages over conÂvenÂtional methÂods. These include a virÂtual lack of surÂface tenÂsion, highly effiÂcient delivÂery, rapid difÂfuÂsion into the carÂrier matrix, the abilÂity to conÂtrol drug loadÂing and the elimÂiÂnaÂtion of organic solÂvent residues. The last of these is parÂticÂuÂlarly relÂeÂvant in the conÂtext of susÂtainÂable manÂuÂfacÂturÂing.
Traditional organic solÂvents, such as those used extenÂsively in the pharÂmaÂceuÂtiÂcal indusÂtry, pose sigÂnifÂiÂcant ecoÂlogÂiÂcal and health risks due to their volatilÂity, toxÂiÂcÂity and perÂsisÂtence in the enviÂronÂment.
In conÂtrast, superÂcritÂiÂcal carÂbon dioxÂide, the solÂvent used in this process, is chemÂiÂcally inert, nonÂtoxic and non-flamÂmaÂble. Carbon dioxÂide extracÂtion is also conÂsidÂered susÂtainÂable due to its closed-loop sysÂtems and the abilÂity to capÂture and reuse carÂbon dioxÂide, minÂiÂmizÂing waste and energy conÂsumpÂtion.
By subÂjectÂing the polyÂmer to a superÂcritÂiÂcal fluid enviÂronÂment under careÂfully conÂtrolled conÂdiÂtions, olive leaf extract molÂeÂcules were sucÂcessÂfully driÂven into the polyÂmer matrix.
The researchers adjusted variÂables such as temÂperÂaÂture, presÂsure, co-solÂvent ratio and impregÂnaÂtion time until the conÂdiÂtions were sufÂfiÂciently optiÂmized to yield filÂaÂments with uniÂformly disÂtribÂuted active comÂpounds that preÂserved the bioÂlogÂiÂcal activÂity of the extract.
Additionally, analyÂsis of the material’s mechanÂiÂcal propÂerÂties revealed that the impregÂnated filÂaÂments retained sufÂfiÂcient strength and flexÂiÂbilÂity for bioÂmedÂical use.
The authors believe that their findÂings conÂfirm the suitÂabilÂity of PLCL filÂaÂments impregÂnated with olive leaf extract for a range of potenÂtial bioÂmedÂical appliÂcaÂtions, offerÂing enhanced bioÂcomÂpatÂiÂbilÂity, reduced inflamÂmaÂtory responses and improved overÂall perÂforÂmance due to the susÂtained release of natÂural antioxÂiÂdants.
They note, howÂever, that sigÂnifÂiÂcant chalÂlenges remain and that furÂther research is needed, parÂticÂuÂlarly in vitro and in vivo studÂies.
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