Composite films are an alternative in the replacement of synthetic polymers. These films can be prepared from polysaccharides and used to store various drugs to be applied in different areas. In addition, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) is an ethylene inhibitor that prolongs shelf life of food. For this reason, this research aimed to take advantage of the brown algae Macrocystis pyrifera and Lessonia trabeculata to extract sodium alginate and produce films composed of sodium alginate/kappa-carrageenan/iota-carrageenan, which were plasticized with glycerol and polyethylene glycol 400 and loaded with aminoethoxyvinylglycine. The extracted sodium alginate was characterized by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), size exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS), thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD); and the composite films were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TG/DTG, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then, the drug release kinetics were investigated using Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic models. The extracted alginates obtained were of low molecular weight, and the films showed desirable properties for AVG release. Furthermore, drug release profiles revealed that AVG release is governed by Fick’s Law, and this is favored at low temperatures. In summary, sodium alginate allows the preparation of composite films, which can replace synthetic polymers to be used in the loading and releasing of drugs.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid found in ruminant food products, has been associated with anticarcinogenic activity. However, its effect on cancer metabolism is unclear. In this paper we evaluated the effects of cis-9, trans-11 CLA on the metabolic profile of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR spectra showed that phosphocholine level, a cancer malignance biomarker, was reduced in both cells treated with CLA, but the reduction was more pronounced in MCF-7 cells. The NMR spectra also showed that CLA has opposite effect on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 acetone metabolism. Acetone signal has been observed in the spectra of MDA-MB-231 control cells, but not in the spectra of the cells treated with 50 and 100 µM CLA. Conversely, the acetone signal is very small or not observed in the NMR spectra of MCF-7 control cells and in cells treated with 50 µM of CLA, but is very strong in the spectra of the cells treated with 100 µM of CLA. Therefore, this CLA concentration is causing a ketosis in MCF-7 cells by inducing the use of fatty acids as an energy source or by reducing acetone catabolism. These results indicate that CLA interfere in the metabolism of both cells. However, the strongest effect has been observed on the metabolism of MCF-7 cells cultivated in the presence of 100 µM CLA. Therefore, CLA could be a potential anticarcinogenic drug, especially for cells with positive estrogen receptor, such as MCF-7.

Identifying impurities in drug substances has become one of the most important issues in pharmaceutical analysis since it can have a significant impact on the efficacy of new pharmaceutical products. Due to the purity requirements, in this paper a new synthetic α2-adrenoceptor agonist, called LPSF-PT-31, was purified and its impurities were characterized by liquid chromatography-multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MSn) and liquid chromatography-solid phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-SPE-NMR). The purification step was conducted using a semi-preparative liquid chromatography and stacked injections as a new approach to drug purification. As a result, a total yield of 75% of the pure LPSF-PT-31 and 2.9 L day-1 in solvent reduction was obtained. The combination of semi-preparative stacking injection, LC-MSn, and LC-SPE-NMR, demonstrated to be efficient to purify active drugs and unambiguously identify its impurities. In addition, isolation and identification of drug impurities in the early stages of development can improve the synthetic pathway, preventing the formation of impurities or minimizing this formation to minimum levels.

The industrial development, urbanization and agriculture play a major role in the degradation of the global environmental. Thus, the wastewater treatments need to be monitored continuously to ensure efficient operation. This manuscript presents an application of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) associated with chemometric and quantitative analyses to study the wastewater before and after the sewage treatment plant (STP). The concentration of compounds related to organic matter degradation ranged with treatment and seasonality. Anomalous discharges and the influence of stormwater on the sewage composition were further identified. All the variations indicated that the employed procedure might be useful to enhance the effectiveness of STPs, plan prevention actions for equipment protection and preserve the environment.