Exosomes are cell derived and membrane-surrounded particles that deliver bioactive molecules to various cells. Their small size, low immunogenicity, extended blood circulation, and involvement in cellular communication make them a potentially effective drug carrier. Exosomes found in different biological fluids including mare’s milk, a traditional drink in central Asia. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare exosomes isolation methodology and determine the stability of mare’s milk-derived exosomes as potential therapeutic carrier. Three extraction methods namely, immunoprecipitation, size exclusion chromatography, and total exosome isolation were compared in terms of exosome characteristics, purity, and content. The isolated exosomes then loaded with quercetin and their ability of increasing its bioavailability were tested in vitro and in vivo. Out of the three tested methods, total exosome isolation appeared to be the most efficient method that produced good quality exosomes, which were then loaded with quercetin and compared to free quercetin and exosomes only. Interestingly, exosomes loaded with 80µM quercetin significantly restored β-galactosidase activity and cellular viability in doxorubicin treated cells more than negative control and exosomes only, with a potency similar to that of 160µM free quercetin. Interestingly, aged model animals treated with exosomes loaded with quercetin showed significantly less frequent patterns of acute and subacute damage in the myocardium, kidneys, and liver compared to the untreated control group of aged models. The current study is a proof-of-concept that shows mare’s milk-derived exosomes are able to be absorbed by cells and animal tissues, which support their potential use as drug carrier.

Background and Purpose Development of core concepts in disciplines such as biochemistry, microbiology, and physiology transformed teaching. They provided the foundation for the development of teaching resources for global educators, as well as valid and reliable approaches to assessment. An international research consensus recently identified 25 core concepts of pharmacology. The current study aimed to define and unpack these concepts. Experimental approach A two-phase, iterative approach, involving 60 international pharmacology education experts was used. The first phase involved drafting definitions for the core concepts and identifying key sub-concepts via a series of online meetings and asynchronous work. These were refined in the second phase, through a two-day hybrid workshop followed by a further series of online meetings and asynchronous work. Key Results The project produced consensus definitions for a final list of 24 core concepts and 103 sub-concepts of pharmacology. The iterative, discursive methodology resulted in the modification concepts from the original study, including the change of ‘drug-receptor interaction’ to ‘drug-target interaction’ and the change of the core concept ‘agonists and antagonists’ to sub-concepts of drug-target interaction. Conclusion and Implications The definitions and sub-concepts of the 24 core concepts provide an evidence-based foundation for pharmacology curricula development and evaluation. The next steps for this project include the development of a concept inventory to assess acquisition of the concepts, as well as the development of cases studies and educational resources to support teaching by the global pharmacology community, and student learning of the most critical and fundamental concepts of the discipline.