In recent years, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained attention in the biomedical field, particularly as drug carriers for treating tumors. Therefore, we decided to synthesize a novel benzoic acid Zn-based MOF and study the Zn-based MOFs' drug-delivery properties and the drug-delivery system's anticancer effects. This study successfully synthesized a zinc-based MOF using solvent thermal synthesis. The crystal structure of a Zn-based MOF was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, the results of UV spectrophotometry showed that Doxorubicin was successfully loaded with a loading amount of 33.74%. Furthermore, the drug release experiments demonstrated that the Zn-based MOF was pH-sensitive, releasing more at a pH of 3.8 than at pH 5.8 or 7.4. Finally, the Zn-based MOF loaded with drugs exhibited high antitumor activity against HepG2 cells while demonstrating remarkably low toxicity to normal cells (LO2). Taken together, these results demonstrate that the Zn-based MOF has the potential to serve as a carrier in the field of drug delivery systems.
Background: Worldwide, cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of mortality and morbidity with acute coronary syndrome as the most common clinical manifestation. In a typical clinical setup, around 30% of the patients presented with "ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)" caused by the complete occlusion of the coronary artery and the remaining 70% with intermittent or partial occlusion of the coronary termed as non-ST elevation The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of non-obstructive coronary arteries among patients presenting with non ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) at a tertiary care cardiac center of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Study inclusion criteria were patients of either gender admitted with NSTE-ACS and aged between 30-70 years. A routine coronary angiogram was performed in all the patients and the absence of ≥50% stenosis in any major epicardial vessel was taken in non-obstructive coronaries.
Results: A total of 174 patients (30-70 years) were included, of which 99 (56.9%) were male and the mean age was 59.43±11.24 years. In the distribution of socioeconomic status, 54 (31.0%) were lower class, middle class 81 (46.6%) while upper-class status were 39 (22.4%). Hypertension was observed in 76 (43.7%), chronic kidney disease in 20 (11.5%), and hyperlipidemia in 55 (31.6%). Non-obstructive coronary arteries were noted in 25 (14.4%) patients.
Conclusions: It is to be concluded that non-obstructive coronary arteries are fairly prevalent in patients arriving in hospitals with NSTE-ACS in our population. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying pathophysiology and optimal management strategies for patients with NOCA in the setting of NSTEMI.