title: Quercetin-imprinted nanospheres as novel drug delivery devices.
abstract: In this work, molecularly imprinted nanospheres for controlled/sustained release of quercetin were synthesized employing methacrylic acid and ethylene glycoldymethacrylate as functional monomer and crosslinking agent, respectively. One pot precipitation polymerization was chosen as polymerization technique to obtain nanosized materials with spherical shape. Morphological and hydrophilic properties by scanning electron microscopy and water content measurements were determined, and recognition and selectivity properties of the imprinted materials were tested using the template quercetin and its structural analogue, the flavonoid catechin. Finally, the applicability of the obtained materials as drug delivery devices was evaluated by performing in vitro release studies in plasma simulating fluids and cytotoxicity testson HeLa cells.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. manuela.curcio@unical.it.
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Curcio
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. giuseppe.cirillo@unical.it.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Cirillo
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. ortensiailaria.parisi@unical.it.
authors: Ortensia Ilaria
authors: OI
authors: Parisi
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. francesca.iemma@unical.it.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Iemma
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. nevio.picci@unical.it.
authors: Nevio
authors: N
authors: Picci
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS) 87036, Italy. francesco.puoci@unical.it.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Puoci