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Carbohydrate polimeric microcapsules were assembled using a LbL approach onto a CaCO 3 core. The microcapsules were used to delivery the anticancer drug cisplatin into HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Drug encapsulation, measured by ICP spectroscopy, was around 50% of the charging solution. Fluorimetric measurements showed an efficient cellular uptake of polysacchardic microcapsules in both cell lines. The drug-loaded capsules demonstrated a better efficiency against cell viability than the free drug. Specifically, the amount of platinum reaching genomic DNA was measured, showing that encapsulation improves the nuclear delivery of the drug for both cell lines., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Almost all Iridium(III) complexes employed both as dopants in PhOLEDs and as pharmaceuticals and fluorescence bioprobes are racemic mixtures. In this study the single enantiomers of the most stable diastereomeric form fac-trans-N-N, bis[2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-C 2 ,N](picolinato)iridium(III) (FIrpic) were separated and analysed. The data obtained showed that the complex can be separated into stable optically active Λ and Δ isomers employing cellulose based chiral stationary phase both in normal and polar phase mode. Their chirality was confirmed and their absolute configuration assigned employing several methods (DFT and TDDFT calculations, CD and VCD). The CPL spectroscopy of the isolated enantiomers of FIrpic was also recorded due to its possible value in the OLEDs field. The chromatographic method was applied for a semipreparative purpose demonstrating that polar organic solvent chromatography (POSC) could be used to avoid the low-solubility issues associated with these Iridium(III) complexes. Finally, the chemical and stereochemical stability of the single isomers was evaluated under thermal stress by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF) on both chiral and achiral columns. No racemization and/or isomerization was observed; however, the dissociation of the ancillary ligand was demonstrated employing LC-QTOF., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A "heart-cut" two-dimensional achiral-chiral liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry method (LC-LC-MS/MS) was developed and coupled to in vivo cerebral microdialysis to evaluate the brain response to the chiral compound (±)-7-chloro-5-(3-furanyl)-3-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide ((±)-1), a potent positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of AMPA receptor. The method was successfully employed to evaluate also its stereoselective metabolism and in vitro biological activity. In particular, the LC achiral method developed, employs a pentafluorinated silica based column (Discovery HS-F5) to separate dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, (±)-1 and its two hepatic metabolites. In the "heart-cut" two-dimension achiral-chiral configuration, (±)-1 and (±)-1-d4 eluted from the achiral column (1st dimension), were transferred to a polysaccharide-based chiral column (2nd dimension, Chiralcel OD-RH) by using an automatic six-port valve. Single enantiomers of (±)-1 were separated and detected using electrospray positive ionization mode and quantified in selected reaction monitoring mode. The method was validated and showed good performance in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision. The new method employed showed several possible applications in the evaluation of: (a) brain response to neuroactive compounds by measuring variations in the brain extracellular levels of selected neurotransmitters and other biomarkers; (b) blood brain barrier penetration of drug candidates by measuring the free concentration of the drug in selected brain areas; (c) the presence of drug metabolites in the brain extracellular fluid that could prove very useful during drug discovery; (d) a possible stereoselective metabolization or blood brain barrier stereoselective crossing of chiral drugs. Finally, compared to the methods reported in the literature, this technique avoids the necessity of euthanizing an animal at each time point to measure drug concentration in whole brain tissue and provides continuous monitoring of extracellular concentrations of single chiral drug enantiomers along with its metabolites in specific brain regions at each selected time point for a desired period by using a single animal., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)