Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry - Clean Technologies and Processes

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Publications

The role of ayahuasca in cell viability and oxidative stress in gastric adenocarcinoma cell line

Publication . Gonçalves, Joana; Cascalheira, José; Valentão, Patrícia; Luís, Ângelo; Gallardo, Eugenia; Duarte, Ana Paula

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive beverage native to the Amazon, originally derived from Banisteriopsis caapi stem scrapings and Psychotria viridis leaves, exhibits hallucinogenic properties due to N,Ndimethyltryptamine. When combined with β-carbolines, it enters the bloodstream and central nervous system, inhibiting monoamine oxidase-A. Over time, therapeutic effects have been associated to ayahuasca consumption. This study assessed the impact of extracts from three plant decoctions used in ayahuasca preparation on the gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS). MTT reduction assays selected B. caapi, Mimosa hostilis, and Peganum harmala samples as most effective. Lactate dehydrogenase activity evaluated membrane integrity loss, while oxidative stress induction was measured using dihydroethidium and 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate probes. Results revealed apoptosis induction in AGS Ucells, with all three samples significantly reducing oxidative stress.

2024-07-04Journal article

Restricted access

Biocompatible oligo-oxazoline crosslinkers: Towards advanced chitosans for controlled dug release

Publication . Lopes, Mafalda; Restani, Rita; Carvalho, Marco António Paulo de; Correia, I.J.; Ricardo, Ana Aguiar; Bonifácio, Vasco

Chitosan, a natural and abundant biopolymer has been long explored as a biocompatible material for the preparation of drug delivery devices. This strategy has been mostly accomplished using chemically crosslinked chitosan leading to more stable scaffolds. However, crosslinking has been shown to reduce both biocompatibility and swelling. In this work chitosan was crosslinked with novel biocompatible crosslinkers, based on oligo-oxazolines and glycidyl methacrylate copolymers, leading to patches with a very high swelling capacity. Dexamethasone therapeutics is strongly enhanced by a controlled release administration. This study shows that oligo-oxazoline-crosslinked chitosan is a suitable biomaterial for loading and controlled release of dexamethasone.

2021Journal article

Open access