Luis Felipe Medeiros Romera

@unb.br

Departament of Cellular Biology
University of Brasilia

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Cancer Research, Immunology, Drug Discovery
3

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Integration of Amazonian resources and curcumin into Jamamina for sustainable nanomaterial development
    Luísa Schuh, Brenda Martins dos Santos, Luis Felipe Romera, Leonardo Froes de Azevedo Chang, Caio Leal, et al.
    Scientific Reports, 2025
  • Jamamina: A Green Nanostructured Lipid Carrier with NaDES and Curcumin for Redox Modulation and Inflammatory Disorders
    Luís Felipe Romera, Luísa Schuh, Caio Leal, Leonardo Froes de Azevedo Chang, Brenda Martins dos Santos, et al.
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
    Plant-derived compounds offer immense therapeutic potential, yet many suffer from limited solubility, instability, and poor bioavailability, restricting their clinical application. Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from Curcuma longa, is one such molecule, with proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. To overcome its pharmacokinetic limitations, we developed Jamamina, a sustainable nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) system incorporating curcumin and a Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NaDES) phase composed of malic acid and betaine. The bioinspired formulation, based on Amazonian tucumã butter and jambu oil, achieved high encapsulation efficiency (>80%) and curcumin amorphization, enhancing solubility and colloidal stability. In vitro assays with L132 demonstrated potent antioxidant activity (DPPH), a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), and upregulation of IL-10. The system also suppressed MMP-2/9 activity and preserved cytoskeletal integrity under oxidative stress. These findings highlight Jamamina as a multifunctional, eco-friendly nanoplatform that enables the pharmacological application of plant-derived curcumin, representing a promising platform for modulating redox balance and investigating inflammation in epithelial-like contexts.
  • Integrating Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents into Nanostructured Lipid Carriers: An Industrial Look
    Luísa Schuh, Luane Almeida Salgado, Tathyana Benetis Piau, Ariane Pandolfo Silveira, Caio Leal, et al.
    Pharmaceuticals, 2024
    The industries are searching for greener alternatives for their productions due to the rising concern about the environment and creation of waste and by-products without industrial utility for that specific line of products. This investigation describes the development of two stable nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs): one is the formulation of a standard NLC, and the other one is the same NLC formulation associated with a natural deep eutectic solvent (NaDES). The research presents the formulation paths of the NLCs through completeness, which encompass dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential tests, and pH. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal microscopy were performed to clarify the morphology. Cytotoxicity tests with zebrafish were realized, and the results are complementary to the in vitro outcomes reached with fibroblast L132 tests by the MTT technique and the zymography test. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry tests elucidated the link between the physicochemical characteristics of the formulation and its behavior and properties. Different cooling techniques were explored to prove the tailorable properties of the NLCs for any industrial applications. In conclusion, the compiled results show the successful formulation of new nanocarriers based on a sustainable, eco-friendly, and highly tailorable technology, which presents low cytotoxic potential.