Adriana Smarandache

• PhD
• National Institute for Laser Plasma and Radiation Physics

Breast cancer remains a global health challenge, prompting interest in the anticancer properties of other drugs, including chlorpromazine (CPZ). This study presents a novel approach in breast cancer treatment using laser irradiated CPZ. CPZ dissolved in distilled water, was exposed to 266 nm laser irradiation for varying durations, characterized by...

This paper reports results obtained using white light diffraction phase microscopy (wDPM) on captured images of breast and colon tissue samples, marking a contribution to the advancement in biomedical imaging. Unlike conventional brightfield microscopy, wDPM offers the capability to capture intricate details of biological specimens with enhanced cl...

Malignant melanoma poses a significant global health burden. It is the most aggressive and lethal form of skin cancer, attributed to various risk factors such as UV radiation exposure, genetic modifications, chemical carcinogens, immunosuppression, and fair complexion. Photodynamic therapy is a promising minimally invasive treatment that uses light...

The combination of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and photosensitizers (PS) may offer significant advantages in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of melanoma, such as improved cell penetration, enhanced ROS production, and cancer selectivity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the photodynamic effect of 5,10,15,20-(Tetra-N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin tetrato...

This study presents the spectral characterization of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with three porphyrin derivatives: 5,10,15,20-(Tetra-4-aminophenyl) porphyrin (TAPP), 5,10,15,20-(Tetra-4-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin (TMPP), and 5,10,15,20-(Tetra-4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP). UV-Vis absorption and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy–...

Pharmaceuticals carried into space are subjected to different gravitational conditions. Hypergravity is encountered in the first stage, during spacecraft launching. The stability of medicines represents a critical element of space missions, especially long-duration ones. Therefore, stability studies should be envisaged before the implementation of...

The optical and spectral properties of foams and emulsions provide information about their micro-/nanostructures, chemical and time stability and molecular data of their components. Foams and emulsions are collections of different kinds of bubbles or drops with particular properties. A summary of various surfactant and emulsifier types is performed...

Long-term space missions must be prepared to provide means to treat astronauts' illnesses that could occur at take-off, during flights or arriving on other planets. This could be achieved using multipurpose medicines. Phenothiazine derivatives, normally used to treat mental and emotional disorders, are photosensitive drugs and in solutions undergo...

The evolution of different antimicrobial drugs in terrestrial, microgravity and hypergravity conditions is presented within this review, in connection with their implementation during human space exploration. Drug stability is of utmost importance for applications in outer space. Instabilities may be radiation-induced or micro-/hypergravity produce...

This paper presents a spectroscopic study of emulsions generated with a laser-assisted device. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman and UV–Vis–NIR reflectance spectra of emulsions, recorded before and after exposure to laser radiation were used to characterize the effect of laser irradiation. The paper also presents a comparison between the cal...

Sclerotherapy continues to be the treatment of choice for varicose veins in the legs. However, isolated treatment using microfoam or lasers requires a high number of sessions to eliminate them. In 2013, we published results about the efficacy and safety 3 years after the combined treatment with microfoam injections and subsequent application of Nd:...

Emulsification methods are of interest for numerous fields and those that generate nanoemulsions are, particularly, of great interest for medical applications. This paper presents a new laser-assisted device that may generate pharmaceutical emulsions. One of its advantages is that allows the use of small quantities of solutions, as low as a few hun...

Zn/F co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles with a mean diameter of less than 15 nm and a narrow size distribution were synthesized by a one-step laser pyrolysis technique using a reactive mixture containing tetramethyltin (SnMe4) and diethylzinc (ZnEt2) vapors, diluted Ar, O2 and SF6. Their structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties are rep...

This is a review about exposure of drugs solutions to uncoherent and laser radiation in order to induce changes in drugs’ molecules and to generate photoproducts that alone or in mixtures have photo-enhanced activity. This could be a way to combat the failure of treatments when multidrug resistance is acquired by microorganisms or tumors. The struc...

Background: The use of laser methods to irradiate currently used drugs in order to obtain photo-products with antimicrobial and anti-tumour activity constitutes a new approach in fighting antimicrobial resistance acquired by bacteria and tumours. Methods: The interaction of UV laser radiation with phenothiazine derivatives, such as chlorpromazine,...

Covalently functionalized single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) with the photosensitizer verteporfin (VP) were synthesized and studied. Photophysical properties of the obtained compounds like optical absorption, laser-induced fluorescence and generated singlet oxygen were investigated. In order to highlight the features of the conjugated compound, i...

A study of photosensitized cleavage of different olefins as potential linkers for drug carrier complexes is reported. The role of singlet oxygen and the kinetic rates for light induced reactions were estimated by time-resolved measurements of singlet oxygen phosphorescence (at 1270 nm) obtained via 532 nm pulse laser excitation of a photosensitizer...

This paper presents data about photophysics of two novel thio-hydantoins that exhibit promising pharmaceutical properties in multidrug resistance control. Time stability studies are necessary to establish the proper use of these compounds in different applications. As for their administration as drugs, it is imperative to know their shelf life, as...

The chapter presents a synthesis of results obtained on resonant interaction of laser radiation with medicines, in bulk, such as: cytostatics (methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil), phenothiazines (thioridazine, promethazine), quinazoline derivative (BG 1188) and hydantoin derivative (SZ-2). The effect of laser radiation on the studied samples is evaluated...

In this chapter, are introduced data about the laser induced fluorescence and Raman spectra obtained from microvolumetric (some microliters) droplets when they are exposed to laser radiation of suitable characteristics in terms of wavelength, power, focusing conditions. A comparison is made with the same spectra obtained for the same solutions and...

Resonant interaction of a laser beam with a single droplet takes place if the beam is absorbed in the droplet. Here are shown results regarding the resonant interactions of a pulsed laser beam with microliter droplets in pendant position that contain solutions of a laser dye-rhodamine 6G, phenothiazines (chlorpromazine, promazine), hydantoin deriva...

This chapter presents results regarding the production of emulsions and foams and their interaction with laser beams. Foams and emulsions are considered mainly as collections of bubbles, or drops of different kind with particular properties, respectively. Here, emulsions of oily vitamin A and water in which various surfactants were introduced are d...

The development of new medicines and alternatives to existing antimicrobial agents represents a high priority in treating infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria. This is reported mainly, as multiple resistance acquired by bacteria at treatment with antibiotics. The use of laser radiation to photo-generate new compounds from known medici...

Studies on the emission spectra of microdroplets containing Rh6G solutions in water doped with TiO2 nanoparticles are reported. The excitation is made by the second harmonic of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm, pulse duration at half maximum 6 ns and energy varied between 6–10 mJ. The laser induced emission spectra are analyzed function of TiO2 conc...

This study presents the optical properties of a new hydantoin derivative, generically called SZ-2. A stability assay using UV/VIS/NIR spectra was performed up to 250 days, as well as FTIR spectroscopic characterization. Liquid samples of SZ-2 in DMSO in bulk were exposed to 355 nm pulsed laser radiation emitted by a Nd:YAG laser for different time...

This paper deals with the rapid molecular changes induced by laser radiation on two novel hydantoin derivatives, generically named SZ-2 and SZ-7, having promising pharmaceutical properties as Szymanska et al. in 2002 and Subtelna et al. in 2010 have reported. Hydantoins solutions with concentration of 10-3 M in dimethyl sulfoxide were exposed both...

As a phenothiazine derivative, Promethazine may undergo structural modifications when it is exposed to light. This process consists in the degradation of the initial compound and in the generation of new photoproducts with possible anti-infectious qualities. Stability studies are necessary in order to establish the proper use of drug solutions in d...

Phenothiazine derivatives are non-antibiotics with antimicrobial, fungistatic and fungicidal effects. We exposed to a high energy UV laser beam phenothiazines solutions in water at 20mg/mL concentration to increase antibacterial activity of resulting mixtures. Compared to previous results obtained on bacteria, more research is needed about UV laser...

The Polidocanol microfoam sclerotherapy is a potential treatment of venous disease. Recently, four years conducted clinical trials confirm that the Polidocanol microfoam injections assisted by pulsed Nd:YAG laser therapy improves the cure's efficacy. Started from these, laser beams interaction of liquid as well as microfoam Polidocanol was investig...

Foam sclerotherapy is a widely used method to treat varicose veins disease. It is easy to use and apply, affordable, and has high efficiency that depends on foam stability upon injection. Since sclerotherapy is usually applied in a medical doctor's office, one of the most employed methods to generate foam is based on the Tessari technique which use...

To assess the efficacy and safety of a new method of clearing varicose veins in the long term. It consists of applying the long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser following the injection of polidocanol microfoam, in two consecutive sessions, treating both legs in full in each session. Randomized, Polidocanol-controlled, blind evaluation clinical trial comparing t...

The extensive use of pharmaceuticals became a worldwide environmental issue. Most of these compounds are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants and, as a result, they are found in surface and ground water. In this report the behavior of two drugs, Thioridazine and BG1188 were investigated after their exposure in aqueous solutions to...

Treatment of micro-veins of less than 1.5 mm with laser and with chemical sclerosis is technically challenging because of their difficulty to remedy. Laser treatment is even more difficult when dark phototypes are involved.Three groups of 30 patients each, skin type IV, and vessels measuring less than 1.5 mm in diameter, were enrolled for two treat...

Literature reports show numerous studies concerning the occurrence, evolution, detection and removal of, generically, pharmaceutical pollutants in/from environment. The current report is focused on the Phenothiazines class, in particular on Thioridazine (Thr). We discuss the time evolution of the absorption spectra of Thioridazine HCl solutions in...

The goal of this study was to investigate the laser light scattering involved in the laser irradiation process of polidocanol foam samples. Clinical experimental results proved that exposure of tissues impregnated with foaming polidocanol to laser radiation emitted at 1064 nm improved the efficacy of the treatment. Previous absorption studies on Ae...

Clinical experimental results have proved that the exposure of tissues impregnated with POL to laser radiation emitted at 1.06 μm improves the efficacy of the treatment (Moreno Moraga, n.d., Trelles et al., 2011). It combines the effect of sclerotherpy with that of the laser therapy and more than this, with the capabilities of drug induced modifica...

This paper reports absorption, LIF and Raman spectra of samples of Polydocanol, Vancomycin hidrochloride and ultrapure water, exposed to laser radiation. Conclusions: -medicines molecules exposed to laser radiation are modified and foams may be produced out of them; -Raman measurements on water beads show an important potential for studies of the b...

There are many reports concerning the occurrence, evolution, detection and removal of some pharmaceutical pollutants from environment. This report is focused on the Phenothiazines, particularly on Thioridazine. It discusses the time evolution of the absorption spectra of Thioridazine HCl (Thr) solutions in ultra-pure water in three temperature/ligh...

Whereas exposure of combinations of a phenothiazine and bacterium to incoherent UV increases the activity of the phenothiazine, exposure of the phenothiazine alone does not yield an increase of its activity. Because the laser beam energy is greater than that produced by the incoherent UV sources, exposure of phenothiazines to specific lasers may yi...

The 3-[ 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-6-nitroquinazolin-4(3H)-one (BG1188) may modify the antibiotic susceptibility of human Gram-negative bacteria which present multidrug resistant phenotype. This application requires to know the time stability of BG1188 solutions. This paper reports for the first time about the time stability of the BG1188 solutions me...

Polidocanol (commercially available under the name Aetoxisclerol) is one of the medicines used in the treatment of varicose veins diseases. It seems that exposure of tissues impregnated with Polidocanol to Nd:YAG laser radiation at 1.06 mu m improves the treatment efficiency. Because the commercially available Aetoxisclerol is a mixture of substanc...

The multiple resistance to treatment, acquired by bacteria and malignant tumours requires to find alternatives to the existing medicines and treatment procedures. One of them is strengthening the effects of cytostatics by modifying their molecular structures through exposure to laser radiation. A method associated with this is the generation of mic...

Amongst the three series of quinazoline derivatives synthesised and studied in this work, some molecules increase the antibiotic susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria presenting multidrug-resistant phenotypes. N-alkyl compounds induced an increase in the activity of chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid and sparfloxacin, which are substrates of the Ac...

Aetoxisclerol (or Polidocanol in usual medical terms) is an intermediate sclerosing agent that contains a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic pole and acts by altering the surface tension at the interface between the endothelial cells and their environment. The understanding of the interaction between the Polidocanol and the target veins (tissues) become...

3-[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl]-6-nitroquinazolin-4(3H)-one, labeled BG1188, is a new synthesized compound, out of a series of quinazoline derivatives developed to fight the multidrug resistance of antibiotics acquired by bacteria. A characterization of the BG1188 powder was made using FTIR spectra in order to evidence the functional groups in the medi...

The effects of alkyl substituted benzo[b]pyridinium compounds (which are potential or effective cytostatics) on pseudotumoural tissues after exposure to uv‐vis optical beams are reported. The modifications study of absorption, fluorescence and FTIR spectra of these compounds was performed to evidence molecular changes after exposure to uncoherent...

Besides the biochemical action of methotrexate (MTX) and 5-fluorouracil (FU) their effect in destroying cancer tumours could be enhanced by exposure to light at different doses. Absorption, excitation and emission spectra of 10(-4)M-10(-5)M MTX solutions in natural saline and sodium hydroxide at pH = 8.4 were measured, while their exposure to coher...

The study of the photosensitiser properties of the cytostatics drugs was made since their effects cou ld be enhanced by exposure to UV radiation at different doses. Fluorouracil (FU) solutions 2.5x10-4M in natural saline and sodium hydroxide, irradiated with optical beams emitted by N2 laser and UV Hg classic lamp, were used. The FU was chosen due...

Pesticides monitoring at low concentrations using optical absorption, laser induced fluorescence (LIF), fluorescence lifetime measurements and gas chromatography are reported. The studied pesticides were chlortriasines (athrasine, propasine and simasine) and organophosphoric pesticides (dichlorvos and parathion). Since in normal conditions the...