The aqueous extract of the bark of Pinus pinaster has a high concentration of polyphenols represented by a mixture of procyanidins, besides taxifolin, phenolic acids, cinnamic acids and their glycosides. Its quality control is specified in the United States Pharmacopeia, and the assay test is performed by determination of the total procyanidins content. However, determining the individual polyphenol content may represent an additional quality parameter for this extract. In this sense, the present study aimed to develop and optimize a method of high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-PDA) for quantification of taxifolin in the bark extract of P. pinaster, using a 33 Box-Behnken factorial design. The proposed method was validated for specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, accuracy and robustness and it has shown that taxifolin may be used as a chemical marker for quality control of the bark extract of P. pinaster.

Octocrylene (2-ethylhexyl 2-cyano-3,3-diphenyl-2-propenoate) is present in several sunscreens and is known to work synergistically with UV filters. We prepared eight octocrylene-related compounds to test their photoprotective activities by measuring diffuse transmittance. The compounds had varied photoprotection profiles, with Sun Protection Factors (SPF) ranging from 1 to 5 and UVA Protection Factors (UVAPF) ranging from 1 to 8. Compounds 4, 5, and 7 showed the best protection against UVB sunrays, while compounds 5, 6, and 7 presented the best results for protection from UVA, so compound 7 had the most balanced protection overall. Results for compounds 4, 8, and 9 are reported for the first time in the literature.

In vitro release of bioidentical hormones in four different liposomal transdermal emulsions (containing testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, or estradiol and estriol) was assessed. For this purpose, novel high-performance liquid chromatography methods were developed and validated in an eco-friendly manner and used to determine the in vitro release of such products. The methods were suitable for our intended goal, and the emulsions employed were found to be effective as transporting candidates for the efficient release of hormones in the transdermal delivery of human sexual steroids.

Pterodon emarginatus Vogel, Fabaceae, is a native aromatic tree distributed by central region of Brazil. Hydroalcoholic infusions of the seeds are used in folk medicine for their anti-rheumatic and anti-inflammatory properties. The objective of this work was identified the chemical components and verify the cytotoxic effect of the essential oil (EO) from P. emarginatus seeds. Thus, the EO of P. emarginatus seeds was analyzed by GC/MS analysis followed by brine shrimp lethality test and cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines and human peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC). The cancer cell lines tested were C6 (rat glioma), MeWo (human melanoma), CT26.WT (mouse colon carcinoma), MDA (human breast cancer), A549 (human lung carcinoma), B16-F1 (mouse melanoma), CHO-K1 (hamster ovary cell) and BHK-21 (hamster kidney fibroblast). Eleven compounds were identified by GC and CG/MS analyses. The main compounds with concentrations higher than 5% were β-elemene (15.3%), trans-caryophyllene (35.9%), α-humulene (6.8%), germacrene-D (9.8%), bicyclo germacrene (5.5%) and spathulenol (5.9%). The EO of P. emarginatus seeds showed toxicity to Artemia salina (LC50 1.63 µg/mL) and was active against all the cell lines tested. The potent cytotoxic activity had IC50 values ranging from 24.9 to 47 µg/mL. However, EO (1-100 µg/mL) had less cytotoxicity in PBMCs isolated from a healthy subject. In summary, the present study showed the potential antiproliferative of the EO of P. emarginatus seeds.

Neste trabalho foi desenvolvido e validado um teste de dissolução para cápsulas de oxcarbazepina. Para o estudo de triagem, foi utilizado um planejamento experimental de níveis mistos composto de fatores com dois e três níveis (3² × 2), de modo a selecionar a velocidade de agitação, o meio de dissolução e o aparato. Esta estratégia é útil, pois reduz o tempo de desenvolvimento do método e também gera resultados mais exatos. A melhor porcentagem de dissolução foi obtida utilizando o aparato pá a 80 rpm e com solução aquosa de laurilsulfato de sódio a 1% m/v como meio de dissolução. A quantificação da massa dissolvida foi realizada por análise espectrofotométrica UV-Vis a 304 nm. Os resultados do estudo da validação demonstraram que o método é preciso e linear no intervalo de 83-249 µg mL-1 de oxcarbazepina. Os resultados evidenciaram que o método apresenta utilidade e adequabilidade para o estudo da dissolução de cápsulas de oxcarbazepina, uma vez que não existe método oficial com este propósito.

In this work, a dissolution test for oxcarbazepine capsules was developed and validated. For the screening study, a mixed-level factorial design containing factors at three and two levels (3² × 2) was used in order to select the stirring speed, the dissolution medium and the dissolution apparatus. This strategy is needful for reducing the time of method development and to provide less ambiguous data. The best in vitro percentage dissolution was obtained using apparatus paddle at 80 rpm and sodium lauryl sulfate 1% m/v aqueous solution as the dissolution medium. The quantification of the mass dissolved was obtained by UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis at 304 nm. The validation results demonstrate that the method was precise and linear over the range of 83-249 µg mL-1 of oxcarbazepine. Thus, the method is useful and adequate for oxcarbazepine capsules dissolution test, once there is no official monograph regarding it.