Electrospun nanofibrous mats consisting of chitosan (CS) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were constructed. Tuning of solution and process parameters was performed and resulted in an electrospun system containing a 6:4 ratio of PVP:CS. This is a significant increase in the proportion of spun CS on the previously reported highest ratio PVP:CS blend. SEM analysis showed that the nanofibrous mats with 4 wt% CS/6 wt% PVP (sample E) comprised homogenous, uniform fibres with an average diameter of 0.569 μm. XPS analysis showed that the surface of the samples consisted of PVP. Raman and FTIR analysis revealed intermolecular interactions (via H-bonding) between PVP and CS. In FTIR spectra, the contribution of chitosan to CS/PVP complexes was shown by the downshift of the C=O band and by the linear increase in intensity of C-O stretching in CS. XPS analysis showed a smaller shift at the binding energy 531 eV, which relates to the amide of the acetylated functional groups. The obtained results demonstrate a sensitivity of Raman and FTIR tests to the presence of chitosan in PVP:CS blend. The chemotherapy drug 5-Fu was incorporated into the constructs and cell viability studies were performed. WST-8 viability assay showed that exposure of A549 human alveolar basal epithelial cells to 10 mg/mL 5-Fu loaded fibres was most effective at killing cells over 24 h. On the other hand, the constructs with loading of 1 mg/mL of drug were not efficient at killing A549 human alveolar basal epithelial cells. This study showed that CS/PVP/5-Fu constructs have potential in chemotherapeutic drug delivery systems.

Mushrooms have been used as traditional medicine for millennia, fungi are the main natural source of psychedelic compounds. There is now increasing interest in using fungal active compounds such as psychedelics for alleviating symptoms of mental health disorders including major depressive disorder, anxiety, and addiction. The anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-addictive effect of these compounds has raised awareness stimulating neuropharmacological investigations. Micro-dosing or acute dosing with psychedelics including Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin may offer patients treatment options which are unmet by current therapeutic options. Studies suggest that either dosing regimen produces a rapid and long-lasting effect on the patient post administration with a good safety profile. Psychedelics can also modulate immune systems including pro-inflammatory cytokines suggesting a potential in the treatment of auto-immune and other chronic pain conditions. This literature review aims to explore recent evidence relating to the application of fungal bioactives in treating chronic mental health and chronic pain morbidities.

Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of several age-related ocular diseases, such as macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. The delivery of anti-inflammatory siRNA to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) may become a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammation, if the efficient delivery of siRNA to target cells is accomplished. Unfortunately, so far, the siRNA delivery system selection performed in dividing RPE cells in vitro has been a poor predictor of the in vivo efficacy. Our study evaluates the silencing efficiency of polyplexes, lipoplexes, and lipidoid-siRNA complexes in dividing RPE cells as well as in physiologically relevant RPE cell models. We find that RPE cell differentiation alters their endocytic activity and causes a decrease in the uptake of siRNA complexes. In addition, we determine that melanosomal sequestration is another significant and previously unexplored barrier to gene silencing in pigmented cells. In summary, this study highlights the importance of choosing a physiologically relevant RPE cell model for the selection of siRNA delivery systems. Such cell models are expected to enable the identification of carriers with a high probability of success in vivo, and thus propel the development of siRNA therapeutics for ocular disease.