Banca de DEFESA: FABIA JULLIANA JORGE DE SOUZA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : FABIA JULLIANA JORGE DE SOUZA
DATE: 23/02/2026
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: REMOTA
TITLE:

EYES ON THE FUTURE: PVA-HYDROGEL LENSES AS A PLATFORM FOR AMPHOTERICIN B OCULAR DELIVERY

KEY WORDS:

Polyvinyl alcohol; hydrogel lenses; Amphotericin B; ocular delivery; central composite design; fungal keratitis.

PAGES: 103
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Farmácia
SUMMARY:

Ocular diseases, particularly infections such as fungal keratitis, present significant therapeutic challenges due to limited treatment options and low patient compliance. This study aimed to develop and characterize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogel ophthalmic lenses (HOLs) incorporating amphotericin B (AmB) for potential use in treating fungal ocular infections. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the formulation, which was then evaluated for thickness, swelling degree, drug loading, release kinetics, and physicochemical properties via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). Additional assessments included mass loss under physiological conditions (37 °C) and in vitro antifungal activity against clinical strains of Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida tropicalis. The CCD enabled precise mathematical modeling of swelling behavior, resulting in HOLs with controlled thickness (0.162 ± 0.011mm to 0.265 ± 0.018 mm) and suitable hydration profiles. The results from FTIR and PXRD analyses confirmed effective crosslinking and indicated the presence of AmB in an amorphous or molecular dispersed state. After 30 days in artificial tear fluid (pH ~ 7.4), the lenses exhibited low mass loss (4.4 ± 2.7%), supporting their structural stability. Release studies demonstrated a sustained and controlled AmB release profile, with cumulative release ranging from approximately 25% to 58% in the first 24 hours among the tested formulations, consistent with the MDS findings that showed strong interactions between AmB, PVA, and sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP). The HOLs demonstrated antifungal efficacy, particularly against Candida parapsilosis. Overall, the developed PVA-based HOLs offer a promising platform for sustained ocular delivery of AmB in treatment of fungal infections.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externo à Instituição - DANIEL CRISTIAN FERREIRA SOARES - UNIFEI
Presidente - 1178187 - ERYVALDO SOCRATES TABOSA DO EGITO
Externo à Instituição - JOÃO AUGUSTO OSHIRO JUNIOR - UEPB
Externo ao Programa - 2276354 - LEANDRO DE SANTIS FERREIRA - nullExterna ao Programa - 2569445 - LOURENA MAFRA VERISSIMO - null