Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not easily cleared from the human body and in most cases turned into chronic infection. This chronicity is a major cause of liver damage, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, immediate detection and treatment of HCV guarantees eradication of the virus and prevention of chronicity complications. Since discovery of HCV in 1989, several emerging treatments were developed such as polyethylene glycol(PEG)-ylated interferon/ribavirin, direct acting antivirals and host targeting antivirals. Despite the progress in anti-HCV therapy, there is still a pressing need of new approaches for affordable and effective drug delivery systems using nanomedicine. In this review, the contribution of nanoparticles as a promising delivery system for HCV immunizing, diagnostic and therapeutic agents are discussed.

To enhance anthralin efficacy against psoriasis and reduce its notorious side effects, it was loaded into various liposomal and ethosomal preparations. The nanocarriers were characterized for drug encapsulation efficiency, size, morphology and compatibility between various components. Optimum formulations were dispersed in various gel bases and drug release kinetics were studied. Clinical efficacy and safety of liposomal and ethosomal Pluronic®F-127 gels were evaluated in patients having psoriasis (clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT03348462). Safety was assessed by recording various adverse events. Drug encapsulation efficiency ≥97.2% and ≥77% were obtained for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Particle sizes of 116 to 199 nm and 146 to 381 nm were observed for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Fourier-Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies confirmed the absence of interaction between anthralin and various nanocarrier components. Tested gel bases showed excellent ability to sustain drug release. At baseline, the patients had a median Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of 3.4 for liposomes and 3.6 for ethosomes without significant difference. After treatment, mean PASI change was 68.66% and 81.84% for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively with a significant difference in favor of ethosomes. No adverse effects were detected in both groups. Anthralin ethosomes could be considered as a potential treatment of psoriasis.

To enhance anthralin efficacy against psoriasis and reduce its notorious side effects, it was loaded into various liposomal and ethosomal preparations. The nanocarriers were characterized for drug encapsulation efficiency, size, morphology and compatibility between various components. Optimum formulations were dispersed in various gel bases and drug release kinetics were studied. Clinical efficacy and safety of liposomal and ethosomal Pluronic®F-127 gels were evaluated in patients having psoriasis (clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT03348462). Safety was assessed by recording various adverse events. Drug encapsulation efficiency ≥97.2% and ≥77% were obtained for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Particle sizes of 116 to 199 nm and 146 to 381 nm were observed for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Fourier-Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies confirmed the absence of interaction between anthralin and various nanocarrier components. Tested gel bases showed excellent ability to sustain drug release. At baseline, the patients had a median Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of 3.4 for liposomes and 3.6 for ethosomes without significant difference. After treatment, mean PASI change was 68.66% and 81.84% for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively with a significant difference in favor of ethosomes. No adverse effects were detected in both groups. Anthralin ethosomes could be considered as a potential treatment of psoriasis.

To enhance anthralin efficacy against psoriasis and reduce its notorious side effects, it was loaded into various liposomal and ethosomal preparations. The nanocarriers were characterized for drug encapsulation efficiency, size, morphology and compatibility between various components. Optimum formulations were dispersed in various gel bases and drug release kinetics were studied. Clinical efficacy and safety of liposomal and ethosomal Pluronic®F-127 gels were evaluated in patients having psoriasis (clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT03348462). Safety was assessed by recording various adverse events. Drug encapsulation efficiency ≥97.2% and ≥77% were obtained for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Particle sizes of 116 to 199 nm and 146 to 381 nm were observed for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively. Fourier-Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies confirmed the absence of interaction between anthralin and various nanocarrier components. Tested gel bases showed excellent ability to sustain drug release. At baseline, the patients had a median Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) of 3.4 for liposomes and 3.6 for ethosomes without significant difference. After treatment, mean PASI change was 68.66% and 81.84% for liposomes and ethosomes, respectively with a significant difference in favor of ethosomes. No adverse effects were detected in both groups. Anthralin ethosomes could be considered as a potential treatment of psoriasis.

Further chemical study of the crude extract of the soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens (Fam., Xeniidea), led to isolation of two new sterols, Heterofuscesterols A (1) and B (2), a sterol isolated for the first time from natural sources, 3β,5α,6β-trihydroxyandrosta-17-one (3), along with one new hydroperoxy sesquiterpene, Heterofusceterpene A (4), and one known ceramide (5). Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, including NMR and HRESIMS, and by comparison with previous data for related compounds in the literature. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds were assessed using MTT colorimetric assay against MCF-7 and OVK-18 cancer cell lines.

Two new polyhydroxylated steroids, 3b-acetoxy-gorgost-5a,6b,11a-triol (3) and (23 R) methylergosta-20-ene-3b,5a,6b,17atetrol (4), together with three known gorgosteroid compounds, gorgost-3b, 5a,6b,11a- tetrol (1), 11a-acetoxy-gorgost- 3b,5a, 6btriol (2), and gorgost-5 (E) ene-3-b-ol (5), as well as batyl alcohol (6), were isolated from the Egyptian soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopic analyses, HR-FAB-MS, and comparisons with published data. The cytotoxic activities of the fractions and compounds were evaluated against MCF-7 cancer cell lines using MTT colorimetric assay. Compounds 2 and 4 showed moderate cytotoxic activity, with IC50 values equal to 33.2 and 25.1 mM, respectively, in comparison with the IC50 of 5-fluorouracil 18.7 mM.

In this study, a novel, simple and sensitive square wave voltammetric method for the determination of elbasvir (ELB) using the Mn5O8-modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was developed. Mn5O8 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by calcination of manganese malonate at 350 °C for 24 h. The structure of Mn5O8 was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements have shown that Mn5O8 NPs possess a mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of ~32 m2/g. After characterization, Mn5O8 NPs were applied to the electrode surface in a "drop-casting" fashion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were employed to investigate the differences between the Mn5O8-decorated PGE and bare PGE. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the modified PGE gives a linear response over the concentration range of 0.20 to 3.00 μmol L-1 ELB with low limits of detection and quantitation, which were found to be 0.04 and 0.13 μmol L-1, respectively. For the first time, the photo-stability and the photo-induced dimeric-monomeric conversion behavior of ELB were studied using FT-IR, spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric and mass spectroscopic techniques. The fabricated electrode exhibits good precision, selectivity, and sensitivity that could be applied successfully for sensitive determination of ELB in its bulk form, in quality control laboratories and biological fluids.

In this study, a novel, simple and sensitive square wave voltammetric method for the determination of elbasvir (ELB) using the Mn5O8-modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was developed. Mn5O8 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by calcination of manganese malonate at 350 °C for 24 h. The structure of Mn5O8 was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements have shown that Mn5O8 NPs possess a mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of ~32 m2/g. After characterization, Mn5O8 NPs were applied to the electrode surface in a "drop-casting" fashion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were employed to investigate the differences between the Mn5O8-decorated PGE and bare PGE. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the modified PGE gives a linear response over the concentration range of 0.20 to 3.00 μmol L-1 ELB with low limits of detection and quantitation, which were found to be 0.04 and 0.13 μmol L-1, respectively. For the first time, the photo-stability and the photo-induced dimeric-monomeric conversion behavior of ELB were studied using FT-IR, spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric and mass spectroscopic techniques. The fabricated electrode exhibits good precision, selectivity, and sensitivity that could be applied successfully for sensitive determination of ELB in its bulk form, in quality control laboratories and biological fluids.

In this study, a novel, simple and sensitive square wave voltammetric method for the determination of elbasvir (ELB) using the Mn5O8-modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was developed. Mn5O8 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by calcination of manganese malonate at 350 °C for 24 h. The structure of Mn5O8 was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements have shown that Mn5O8 NPs possess a mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of ~32 m2/g. After characterization, Mn5O8 NPs were applied to the electrode surface in a "drop-casting" fashion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were employed to investigate the differences between the Mn5O8-decorated PGE and bare PGE. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the modified PGE gives a linear response over the concentration range of 0.20 to 3.00 μmol L-1 ELB with low limits of detection and quantitation, which were found to be 0.04 and 0.13 μmol L-1, respectively. For the first time, the photo-stability and the photo-induced dimeric-monomeric conversion behavior of ELB were studied using FT-IR, spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric and mass spectroscopic techniques. The fabricated electrode exhibits good precision, selectivity, and sensitivity that could be applied successfully for sensitive determination of ELB in its bulk form, in quality control laboratories and biological fluids.

RAPD-PCR was performed using six random primers to identify the genetic diversity among six plant samples belong to two genera (Euphorbia and Ricinus). The dendrogram, based on genetic distance, depict the relationship among the investigated plant samples, separate clearly the six samples. The closest relationship was observed between E. geniculata and E. aphylla; and E. pulcherrima and E. peplus, while this relationship was quite separated between these four samples and the other two samples E. cactus and R. communis. Fragments generated by the six primers show a polymorphism ratio of 88.9%. Bands 3500 and 750 bp generated by primer OP-Z13, and also bands 2000, 1500, 1400, 1200, 1000, 720 and 550 bp generated by primer OP-A09 existing only in the plant samples of E. geniculata and E. aphylla, which suggest that these bands can be used as a positive molecular marker to identify these plant samples. Bands 2500, 1720, 1650, 1300, 950 and 250 bp generated by primer OP-A09, and band 1200 bp generated by primer OP-A20 and band 350 bp generated by primer OP-Z19 and band 250 bp generated by primer OP-Z17 were common in all plant samples of family Euphorbiaceae. Moreover, band 430 bp generated by primer OP-Z17 was characterized for Ricinus communis and absent in other plants of genus Euphorbia. Also, band 2700 bp generated by primer OP-A20 and band 210 bp generated by primer OP-Z19 existing only in Euphorbia peplus. This study highlights the usefulness of RAPD assay for determining genetic variation in different plant genera and for estimating genetic distances between different plant samples. Moreover, knowledge of genetic distance among genera and species, and genetic diversity/structure within genera could be useful for conservation of genetic resources. Data presented here are the first report in Egypt of genetic variation inside genera Euphorbia and Ricinus described at the molecular level. We consider this work as a first step in molecular characterization of genera Euphorbia and Ricinus, thus, it is recommended to extend the panel of samples and primers in the future.