Anabel Torrente

Chemical-mineralogical study of commercial talcum powders purchased on Amazon and evaluation of their suitability for pharmaceutical-cosmetic use – Laura Cazorla Navarro

1 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Talc is a hydrated magnesium silicate, with the formula Mg3(OH)2Si4O10, which may contain small amounts of other associated minerals, such as Chlorite, Calcite, Dolomite and Magnesite. The characteristics of talc make it a unique raw material with a wide variety of applications in different industrial sectors, including the pharmaceutical-cosmetic sector.
In this research, we carried out a chemical, mineralogical and Pharmacopoeia study of samples of various talcum powders purchased on Amazon, by applying the European Pharmacopoeia standards and other complementary methods such as: XRF, XRD, ICP-mass, SEM-EDX, calcimetry and atomic absorption.
Most of the samples had a high talc purity (90-100%) with a few impurities such as Chlorite, Calcite, Dolomite, Quartz and Zincite.
In terms of mineral quality, all the talcum powders studied were suitable for cosmetic use. However, in terms of Pharmacopoeia quality, only six of the samples met the requirements.

Keywords: Talc; European Pharmacopoeia; Mineral quality; Pharmaceutical-Cosmetic Use; Impurities.

Directed by: María Virginia Fernández González

How to evaluate safety in biotechnological drugs? – Julio Ruiz Travé

1 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Therapeutic proteins and gene therapy are examples of biotechnological drugs. These drugs are very expensive, structurally complex and sensitive to working and handling conditions. It is therefore necessary to develop analytical techniques known as multi-attribute methods, which can provide specific information about protein structure. These techniques can be used to monitor the different degradation pathways which may be activated in a possible mishandling during preparation of the drugs for administration to patients in hospital settings. The various multi-attribute methods include peptide mapping in therapeutic proteins, an analytical technique in which both control and stressed samples are digested in smaller peptides that are analyzed by mass spectrometry previously separated by liquid chromatography. This technique assesses whether the everyday situations simulated in the stress test affect the structure of the therapeutic protein and consequently its safety and efficacy. With this information, hospitals can make better use of daily leftovers, so minimizing the cost of these drugs for public health services.

Keywords: Biotechnological drugs; multi-attribute methods; peptide mapping; safety; economy.

Directed by: Natalia África Navas Iglesias

Optimizing nivolumab (Opdivo®) storage and in-use conditions through structural characterization – Francisco Ávila Pascual

1 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Quality control of drugs is an integral part of the pharmaceutical industry and is fundamental for their commercialization and correct administration in hospitals. Nivolumab, which is sold under the tradename Opdivo®, is a therapeutic antibody used for the treatment of cancer worldwide. It is currently one of the most expensive drugs on the market due to its high production costs. As a biopharmaceutical drug, it is highly vulnerable to various kinds of stress (thermal, mechanical, light exposure, etc.) to which it may be exposed during preparation for administration in hospitals. These stresses could trigger its degradation and potentially affect its therapeutic activity. Thus, a detailed study of the chemical structure of nivolumab is necessary to ensure the right conditions for its storage and use in hospitals. In this project, we develop a method for studying the structure of nivolumab. Using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), a powerful analytical tool, we provide valuable information on the structure and stability of nivolumab, so as to help optimize its usage and safety profile in hospitals worldwide.

Keywords: Nivolumab (Opdivo®); therapeutic antibody; biopharmaceutical; structural characterization.

Directed by: Natalia África Navas Iglesias

Facial serum with probiotics – Florina Iulia Bura

1 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

The human body is in continuous contact with the environment through the skin, an organ that is exposed to physical, chemical and mechanical attacks. For skin to remain healthy, it must receive all the necessary nutrients and hydration. If skin becomes dehydrated, it can suffer serious injury. These problems can be avoided by applying skin-care products such as creams, serums and gels, among others. Given that a large part of the population suffers from xerosis due to the aforementioned attacks, we have developed a new moisturizing serum with natural active ingredients. A strain of the probiotic species Lactobacillus fermentum will later be added to the serum. This will be characterized by means of pH, conductivity and viscosity measurements and it will be subjected to probiotic viability and efficacy studies. Despite the fact that this serum with probiotics has been designed for application in cases of xerosis, a review will be carried out of other skin pathologies in which it could also be used.

Keywords: skin; xerosis; probiotics; Lactobacillus fermentum; moisturizing serum

Directed by: Mª Encarnación Morales Hernández

Talcum powder from the Italian market. Suitability for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use – Belén María Ruiz Corzo

1 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Talc is a mineral raw material, rich in the talc species with chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. It belongs to the silicates class, specifically to phyllosilicates 2:1 and the subgroup of pyrophyllite-talc. This mineral is naturally associated with other minerals such as chlorites, magnesites and dolomites. In these cases, it is less pure and therefore of poorer quality.
Talc is widely used in industry, in particular as a pharmaceutical-cosmetic product. Pharmaceutical-cosmetic safety controls must therefore be conducted on these products and their mineralogical and chemical composition must be studied.
The aim of this research was to study the mineralogical and chemical composition of samples of topical talcum powder acquired in the Italian market in 2020, so as to determine the Pharmacopoeia quality of these samples and their suitability for use. To this end, the parameters specified in the European Pharmacopoeia 2014 were followed.

Keywords: Talc; European Pharmacopoeia; Mineral quality; Pharmaceutical-Cosmetic Use; Impurities.

Directed by: María Virginia Fernández González