Nicolò Rossi

Dr. Nicolò Rossi

Pharmacist

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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19 February 2020 in Polymers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Andrea CesariAndrea Cesari
Andrea Cesari
ARAlessandra Recchimurzo
Alessandra Recchimurzo
AFAngela Fabiano
Angela Fabiano
FBFederica Balzano
Federica Balzano
NRNicolò Rossi
Nicolò Rossi
Anna Maria PirasAnna Maria Piras
Anna Maria Piras
Cyclodextrin-grafted polymers are attractive biomaterials that could bring together the host–guest complexing capability of pristine cyclodextrin and the pharmaceutical features of the polymeric backbone. The present paper is aimed at characterizing the potential application of ammonium–chitosan grafted with 2-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (N+-rCh-MCD) as the functional macromolecular complexing agent for the oral administration of the neuropeptide dalargin (DAL). Specific NMR characterization procedures, along with UV and fluorescence techniques, as well as biological in vitro assessments have been performed. The results indicate that N+-rCh-MCD forms water-soluble complexes with DAL, with a prevalent involvement of Tyr or Phe over Leu and Ala residues. The association constant of DAL with the polymeric derivative is one order of magnitude higher than that with the pristine cyclodextrin (Ka: 2600 M−1 and 120 M−1, respectively). Additionally, N+-rCh-MCD shields DAL from enzymatic degradation in gastrointestinal in vitro models with a three-fold time delay, suggesting a future pharmaceutical exploitation of the polymeric derivative. Therefore, the greater affinity of N+-rCh-MCD for DAL and its protective effect against enzymatic hydrolysis can be attributed to the synergistic cooperation between cyclodextrin and the polymer, which is realized only when the former is covalently linked to the latter.