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National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences

EN

Elena Nita

Research Scientist III -

Publication	Authors	data
article Alginate-Based Hydrogels Enriched With Lavender Essential Oil: Evaluation Of Physicochemical Properties, Antimicrobial Activity, And In Vivo Biocompatibility	Rusu Alina Gabriela; Nita Loredana Elena; Rosca Irina; Croitoriu Alexandra; Ghilan Alina; Mititelu-Tartau Liliana; Grigoras Aurica Valentin; Cretu Bianca-Elena-Beatrice; Chiriac Aurica P.	Pharmaceutics, 2023
INCDSB Authors Elena Nita Aurica Grigoras Pharmaceutics 10.3390/pharmaceutics15112608 Abstract Owing to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, in the last few years, lavender essential oil (LVO) has been used in medical applications as a promising approach for treating infected wounds. However, the practical applicability of LVO is limited by its high volatility and storage stability. This study aimed to develop a novel hybrid hydrogel by combining phytic acid (PA)-crosslinked sodium alginate (SA) and poly(itaconic anhydride-co-3,9-divinyl-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5] undecane (PITAU) and evaluate its potential effectiveness as an antibacterial wound dressing after incorporating LVO. The influence of the mass ratio between SA and PITAU on the properties and stability of hydrogels was investigated. After LVO loading, the effect of oil addition to hydrogels on their functional properties and associated structural changes was studied. FTIR analysis revealed that hydrogen bonding is the primary interaction mechanism between components in the hybrid hydrogels. The morphology was analyzed using SEM, evidencing a porosity dependent on the ratio between SA and PITAU, while LVO droplets were well dispersed in the polymer blend. The release of LVO from the hydrogels was determined using UV-VIS spectroscopy, indicating a sustained release over time, independent of the LVO concentration. In addition, the hybrid hydrogels were tested for their antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Very good antimicrobial activity was obtained in the case of sample SA_PITAU3+LVO10% against S. aureus and C. albicans. Moreover, in vivo tests showed an increased antioxidant effect of the SA_PITAU3+LVO10% hydrogel compared to the oil-free scaffold that may aid in accelerating the healing process of wounds.
conference New Polymeric Particles Loaded With Sea Buckthorn Essential Oil	Sandu Alina E.; Chiriac Aurica P.; Rusu Alina G.; Serban Alexandru M.; Nita Loredana E.; Gille Elvira	2021 International Conference On E-Health And Bioengineering (Ehb 2021), 9Th Edition, 2021
INCDSB Authors Elena Nita 2021 International Conference On E-Health And Bioengineering (Ehb 2021), 9Th Edition 10.1109/EHB52898.2021.9657700 Abstract The increasing use of the essential oils and their components is generated by their excellent antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that can be amplified by their inclusion into the polymeric systems. The present study refers to the encapsulation of the sea buckthorn oil into the poly(ethylene brassylate-co-squaric acid) in order to obtain particles with applicability in dermato-cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields. These particles were prepared by co-precipitation technique and characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and diffraction light scattering (DLS). FT-IR spectra reveal the presence of sea buckthorn oil (SBO) in the particles structure. The incorporation of SBO in poly (ethylene brassylate-co-squaric acid)-PEBSA increased the roughness of the system. The size of PEBSA particles loaded with SBO decreases as the amount of SBO increases which reveals the appearance of intra-and intermolecular bonds between the two components. The obtained results have demonstrated that SBO incorporated in the PEBSA polymeric system lead to oily particles with significant importance in the medical, pharmaceutical and not only fields.