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Novel zwitterionic surfactants—(N‐methylalkylamide‐derived) [3‐(alkylmethylamino)‐3‐oxopropyl] dimethylammonium acetates (abbr. CnDMPAB, n = 10, 12, 14, and 16) have been rationally designed as multifunctional surface active compounds with the intended characteristics toward their application in natural shampoo formulations. The synthetic routes included the alkylation of N‐methyl‐N‐alkylamines with methyl 3‐(dimethylamino)propionate, followed by betainization, while the purification steps enabled the isolation of high‐purity products for physicochemical analyses. Surface activity and micellization properties of novel CnDMPAB surfactants were studied by surface tension isotherms, and their wettability by advancing and receding contact angle measurements utilizing the Wilhelmy method. The aim of these studies was to exhibit the full potential of CnDMPAB series compounds as the multifunctional components of modern, salt‐free shampoo formulations with confirmed natural origin. The performance activity studies of shampoos, containing CnDMPAB surfactants, as well as model formulation (with commercial cocoamidopropyl betaine), included organoleptic and foaming characteristics, viscosity measurements, dispersibility in distilled and tap water as well as microbiological characteristics. Our studies showed great potential of novel CnDMPAB surfactants in replacing commercial cocoamidopropyl betaine, especially considering their increased viscosity, faster dispersibility as well as enhanced natural origin content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilayer nanocarriers loaded with optically activated payloads are gaining increasing attention due to their anticipated crucial role for providing new mechanisms of energy transfers in the health‐oriented applications, as well as for energy storage and environmental protection. The combination of careful selection of optical components for efficient Förster resonance energy transfer, and surface engineering of the nanocarriers, allowed us to synthesize and characterize novel theranostic nanosystems for diagnosis and therapy of deep‐seated tumors. The cargo, constrained within the oil core of the nanocapsules, composed of NaYF4:Tm+3, Yb+3 up‐converting nanoparticles together with a second‐generation porphyrin‐based photosensitizing agent—Verteporfin, assured requisite diagnostic and therapeutic functions under near‐IR laser excitation. The outer polyaminoacid shell of the nanocapsules was functionalized with a ligand—poly(l‐glutamic acid) functionalized by PEG‐ylated folic acid—to ensure both a "stealth" effect and active targeting towards human breast cancer cells. The preparation criteria of all nanocarrier building blocks meet the requirements for sustainable and green chemistry practices. The multifunctionality of the proposed nanocarriers is a consequence of both the surface‐functionalized organic exterior part, which was accessible for selective accumulation in cancer cells, and the hydrophobic optically active interior, which shows phototoxicity upon irradiation within the first biological window. Nanotechnology: Theranostic nanocarriers with optically activated payloads, that is, up‐converting NaYF4 nanoparticles and porphyrin‐origin photosensitizers were prepared. The optical compatibility between the nanocarrier core components assured efficient energy transfer and allowed for near infrared activation of reactive oxygen species in cancer cells (see figure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic routes towards new conjugates of hydrophilic zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) with poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (Pluronic P123) and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), are described. The main semiproduct ZnPc was obtained by heating 4-nitrophthalimide with urea and zinc chloride, followed by the reduction step. Steglich esterification was used to synthesize two ZnPc-conjugated block copolymers, further utilized in fabrication of polymeric micelles (PMs) - functionalized with the zinc(II) phthalocyanine-type moiety. Biological evaluation of the PMs indicated an acceptable biocompatibility level in accord with requirements in the field of nanotheranostics and nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic zinc(II) phthalocyanine-type derivatives, solubilized in polymeric micelles (PMs), provide a befitting group of so-called nanophotosensitizers, suitable for a variety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocols. The factors that influence the success of such products in PDT are the location of the active cargo in the PMs and the nanocarrier-enhanced ability to safely interact with biological systems and fulfill their therapeutic functions. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the solubilization loci of three phthalocyanines of varying hydrophobicity, i.e., zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc), along with its tetrasulfonic acid (ZnPc-sulfo4) and perfluorinated (ZnPcF16) derivatives, loaded in polymeric micelles of methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(l-lactide) (mPEG-b-PLLA), by means of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with ion sputtering. Furthermore, the microenvironment influence upon the chemical and physical status of the solubilized cargo in PMs, expressed by photobleaching and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation comparing to the same properties of native cargoes in solution, was also evaluated and discussed in regards to the probing location data. The studied phthalocyanine-loaded PMs exhibited good physical stability, high drug-loading efficiency, and a size of less than ca. 150 nm with low polydispersity indices. The formation of polymeric micelles and the solubilization locus were investigated by ¹H NMR and XPS. ZnPc localized within the PM core, whereas both ZnPcF16 and ZnPc-sulfo4 - in the corona of PMs. We proved that the cargo locus is crucial for the photochemical properties of the studied phthalocyanines; the increase in photostability and ability to generate ROS in micellar solution compared to free photosensitizer was most significant for the photosensitizer in the PM core. Our results indicate the role of the cargo location in the PM microenvironment and demonstrate that such attempts are fundamental for improving the properties of photosensitizers and their assumed efficiency as nanophotosensitizers in PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]