Pressure-Gradient Counterwork of Dual-Fuel Driven Nanocarriers in Abnormal Interstitial Fluids for Enhancing Drug Delivery Efficiency

Polysaccharide-Based Micro/Nanomotors for Active Ingredient Delivery in Food

Micro/nanomotors (MNMs) are miniature devices that can generate energy through chemical reactions or physical processes, utilizing this energy for movement. By virtue of their small size, self-propulsion, precise positioning within a small range, and ability to access microenvironments, MNMs have been applied in various fields including sensing, biomedical applications, and pollutant adsorption. However, the development of food-grade MNMs and their application in food delivery systems have been scarcely reported. Currently, there are various issues with the decomposition, oxidation, or inability to maintain the activity of some nutrients or bioactive substances, such as the limited application of curcumin (Cur) in food. Compared to traditional delivery systems, MNMs can adjust the transport speed and direction as needed, effectively protecting bioactive substances during delivery and achieving efficient transportation. Therefore, this study utilizes polysaccharides as the substrate, employing a simple, rapid, and pollution-free template method to prepare polysaccharide-based microtubes (PMTs) and polysaccharide-based micro/nanomotors (PMNMs). PMNMs can achieve multifunctional propulsion by modifying ferrosoferric oxide (Fe3O4), platinum (Pt), and glucose oxidase (GOx). Fe-PMNMs and Pt-PMNMs exhibit excellent photothermal conversion performance, showing promise for applications in photothermal therapy. Moreover, PMNMs can effectively deliver curcumin, achieving the effective delivery of nutrients and exerting the anti-inflammatory performance of the system.

Electrospinning of bovine serum albumin-based nano-fibers: From synthesis to medical prospects; Challenges and future directions

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a globular non-glycoprotein that has gotten a lot of attention because of its unique properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-immunogenicity, non-toxicity, and strong resemblance to the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). Given its robust mechanical properties, such as interfacial tension, conductivity, swelling resistance, and viscoelasticity, it can be concluded that it is an appropriate matrix for producing novel BSA-based nanoconstructs. Thus, simple analytic methods are required for accurately detecting BSA as a model protein in medical sciences and healthcare. Furthermore, the characteristics mentioned above aid BSA in the electrospinning process, which results in fibers conjugated with other polymers. Electrospun synthesis has recently received much attention for its ability to produce stable, biomimicking, highly porous, 3D BSA-derived nano-fibers. As a result, BSA-based nano-fibers have achieved exclusive developments in the medical sector, such as tissue engineering for the remodeling of damaged tissue or organ repair by creating artificial ones. Meanwhile, they could be used as drug delivery systems (DDS) for target-specific drug delivery, wound dressings, and so on. This study illustrates the structural and physicochemical properties of BSA and the determination of BSA using various methods, by citing recent reports and current developments in the medical field. Furthermore, current challenges and future directions are also highlighted.