Sanjay K Gowda

PLGA Encapsulated Ellagic acid for Potential Food and Nutraceutical Applications:
Synthesis, Characterization, In vitro Digestion and Release Studies (Under review)

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Gowda, S.K., Venkataramanamma, D., Singh, R.P. et al. Neuroprotective Potential of Encapsulated Pomegranate Peel Polyphenols in Doxorubicin- Induced Neurotoxicity. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 81, 56 (2026).
This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of pomegranate peel polyphenols (PPEP) and their nanoparticles in a rodent model of DOX-induced neurotoxicity. Polysorbate 80- coated PPEP poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA-NP) were synthesized by the double emulsification solvent evaporation technique. Successful encapsulation of PPEP was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analyses. Neurotoxicity was induced in male Wistar rats by administering DOX (2.5 mg/kg bw) once every five days i.p. Treatment with PPEP and its nanoparticles (10 mg/kg bw equivalent polyphenols p.o) was performed for 60 days. At the end of the treatment, the Morris water maze test was performed to assess cognitive function, and rat brains were removed for further histopathological, biochemical, and molecular analyses. To understand the pathophysiology of DOX-induced neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, inflammatory, and apoptosis markers were assessed by ELISA and Western blotting. Treatment with an encapsulated pomegranate peel polyphenolic extract reduced oxidative stress as evidenced by increased catalase and superoxide dismutase levels and decreased malondialdehyde levels. Mechanistically, it alleviated inflammation by downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory markers NF-kB (p65) and TNF-α; restored acetylcholine levels, and reduced apoptosis markers (caspase 3 and cytochrome c). Furthermore, histopathological findings supported the attenuation of DOX-induced pathologies in the hippocampus and cortex regions of the brain. Enhanced bioavailability and efficacy of polyphenols were observed for the encapsulated extract. Our results demonstrate the neuroprotective potential of free and encapsulated PPEP in DOX-induced neurotoxicity and highlight the effective valorization of pomegranate peel waste for health applications. Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-026-01508-x

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Gowda, S.K., Venkataramanamma, D., Singh, R.P. (2024). Targeting the Blood-Brain Barrier with Nano-Biomaterials. In: Pradhan, M., Yadav, K., Singh Chauhan, N. (eds) Biomaterial-Inspired Nanomedicines for Targeted Therapies. Springer, Singapore.
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the most selective and dynamic boundary that controls the exchange and transfer of molecules between blood circulation and the central nervous system (CNS). The main function of BBB is to shield the brain against substances that could be toxic; however, it also makes it difficult to deliver therapeutic medicines to treat neurological problems. Recent advancements in biomedical nanotechnology have shown great promise to overcome BBB through various mechanisms, including passive diffusion, receptor-mediated transcytosis, adsorptive-mediated transcytosis, and delivery of the drugs into the brain by crossing the BBB and facilitating targeted delivery. Small molecules, nucleic acids, proteins, and even gene-editing tools can now be delivered to parts of the CNS through nanomaterial-based techniques that were previously inaccessible. Various nanoparticle systems like polymeric (Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid); Poly(butyl cyanoacrylate)), liposomes, cyclodextrins, dendrimers, quantum dots, and nanogels have shown encouraging outcomes in the detection and management of brain tumors, neurocognitive and degenerative disorders, including their diagnosis. The functionalities like surfactants (Polysorbate-80), proteins, and antibodies attached to the nanoparticle surfaces further enhance the BBB traversing by increased circulation time and by interacting with receptors of endothelial cells in the brain. The current chapter reviews the physiology of BBB, nano-biomaterials, and recent developments in the brain-targeted delivery of drugs through BBB and their clinical status. Better awareness of BBB trafficking mechanisms, long-term toxicity assessments, robust clinical evaluation, and regulatory considerations are current challenges in the field. With the potential to revolutionize brain therapy strategies and enhance the quality of life for patients with CNS illnesses, nano-biomaterials offer a promising direction for targeted drug delivery across the BBB. Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-3925-7_3

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Gowda SK, Rupesh KM, Ahmed SS, Kowti R, K A, B R. Importance of Nanoparticulate systems in emerging Biomedical research - An update. International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2020;11(4):2134-2140. doi:10.26452/ijrps.v11iSPL4.4433
Nanotechnology is the branch of science and engineering accomplished by design, synthesis, characterisation, and application of materials or devices in the nanometer scale. It permits identification, development and establishes the use of material frameworks, devices and technologies withs unique properties and functions from their structures at the Subatomic, atomic, molecular as well as supermolecular levels. In recent decades, nanotechnology has attracted unparalleled attention in broad areas of research. It has been used in various fields like Engineering and Technology, Material Science, Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy, Biotechnology and other areas of Life science. Nanoparticles have been playing a promising role in the advancement of diagnosis and therapeutics of many health issues. They are providing the way for new approaches of drug delivery to target specific sites and achieve enhanced bioavailability. In this review, we provide an overview of the use of Metallic nanoparticles, lipid-based nanoparticles, Charge reverse nanoparticulate systems, Carbon nanotubes, Magnetic, Controlled release nanoparticles, Herbal nanoparticles etc., in Various biomedical fields like Drug delivery, Gene therapy, Tissue regeneration, Implants, Diagnosis, Imaging and treatment of various diseases. Even though numerous nanoparticulate systems were developed, only a few of them are transformed into practical use in clinical environments. Hence, focus on the development and commercialisation of nanoparticulate system is entailed.

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My Primary doctoral work focuses on natural product-based nanotechnology approaches to mitigate neurotoxicity caused by chemotherapeutic agents.

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I am equipped with skills in the synthesis and characterization of nanoformulations, in vitro cell culture studies, in vivo rodent studies, and molecular techniques such as ELISA, Western blotting, and RT-PCR.

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My future research interests include, but are not limited to, natural product drug discovery and mechanistic studies, Insilico tools for drug discovery, Network Pharmacology nutraceuticals, and Pharmafoods for neurological, lifestyle and other disorders.

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Research Interests

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Drug discovery, Molecular basis of diseases, Molecular Pharmacology, Neurotoxicology, Biomedical nanotechnology, Ethnopharmacology. Pharmafoods

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Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test Qualified with AIR-781
Qualified Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test 2019 with AIR 781 which was conducted by the National Testing Agency. The Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) is a premier national-level entrance exam in India for admission into Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) programs. Administered for eligibility and scholarships

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AICTE GPAT Scholar - 2019-2021
Obtained prestigious AICTE GPAT scholarship for PG students from AICTE for my Postgraduate studies from 2019 - 2021

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ICMR - Senior Research Fellowship
Selected for Senior Research Fellowship sponsored by Indian Council of Medical Research for my PhD studies from 2022 to 2025

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