title: Drug-free chitosan coated poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles are active against trichomonas vaginalis and non-toxic towards pig vaginal mucosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present work reports a non-conventional therapeutic strategy based on the use of vaginally-applied formulations for the treatment of trichomoniasis due to Trichomonas vaginalis without adding a drug.
  
  
  METHODS
  The formulations were based on a thermosensitive pluronic® F127 hydrogel containing mucoadhesive poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles coated with a mixture of chitosan and thiolated chitosan (75/25 wt%). The nanoparticles were obtained by anionic emulsion polymerization of isobutylcyanoacrylate. The anti-T. vaginalis activity of the formulations was evaluated in vitro.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Chitosan-coated nanoparticles showed a strong anti-T. vaginalis activity at 100 μg/mL independently on the proportion of thiolated chitosan. No anti-T. vaginalis activity was reported neither with chitosan-uncoated poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles nor with chitosan used as a solution. These results suggest that the anti-T. vaginalis activity was related to poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles but only when they are coated with chitosan. Histological analysis of ex vivo pig vaginal mucosa in contact with pluronic® F127 hydrogel containing poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles coated with the mixture chitosan/thiolated chitosan (75/25 wt%) did not reveal any toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles coated with chitosan were active against T. vaginalis without adding a drug. Besides their anti-T. vaginalis activity, the formulations are non-toxic towards pig vaginal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Institut Galien Paris Sud, UMR CNRS 8612, Faculté de Pharmacie, Univ Paris-Sud, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
authors.forename: Bénédicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pradines
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bories
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vauthier
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponchel
authors.forename: Philippe M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Loiseau
authors.forename: Kawthar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bouchemal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D003487:Cyanoacrylates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D004659:Enbucrilate; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D013552:Swine; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000737:chemistry; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014621:Vagina / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D048271:Chitosan; D004659:Enbucrilate