TPGS-g-PLGA/Pluronic F68 mixed micelles for tanshinone IIA delivery in cancer therapy

Posaconazole-hemp seed oil loaded nanomicelles for invasive fungal disease

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) pose a significant health burden, leading to high morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. This study aims to develop and characterize nanomicelles for the codelivery of posaconazole and hemp seed oil for IFI via the oral route. The nanomicelles were prepared using a nanoprecipitation method and optimized through the Box Behnken design. The optimized nanomicelles resulted in satisfactory results for zeta potential, size, PDI, entrapment efficiency, TEM, and stability studies. FTIR and DSC results confirm the compatibility and amorphous state of the prepared nanomicelles. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the optimized nanomicelles penetrated the tissue more deeply (44.9µm) than the suspension (25µm). The drug-loaded nanomicelles exhibited sustained cumulative drug release of 95.48 ± 3.27% for 24 h. The nanomicelles showed significant inhibition against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans (22.4 ± 0.21 and 32.2 ± 0.46 mm, respectively). The pharmacokinetic study on Wistar rats exhibited a 1.8-fold increase in relative bioavailability for the nanomicelles compared to the suspension. These results confirm their therapeutic efficacy and lay the groundwork for future research and clinical applications, providing a promising synergistic antifungal nanomicelles approach for treating IFIs.

Research progress of nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine

INTRODUCTION

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years in China, characterizing with novel pharmacological mechanisms, low toxicity, and limited side effects. However, the application of TCM active ingredients is often hindered by their physical and chemical properties, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, short half-life, toxic side effects within therapeutic doses, and instability in biological environments. Consequently, an increasing number of researchers are directing their attention towards the discovery of nano-delivery systems for TCM to overcome these clinical challenges.

OBJECTIVES

This review aims to provide the latest knowledge and results concerning the studies on the nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from TCM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Recent literature relating to nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients from TCM is summarized to provide a fundamental understanding of how such systems can enhance the application of phytochemicals.

RESULTS

The nano-delivery systems of six types of TCM monomers are summarized and categorized based on the skeletal structure of the natural compounds. These categories include terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, quinones, polyphenols, and polysaccharides. The paper analyzes the characteristics, types, materials used, and the efficacy achieved by TCM-nano systems. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of nano-drug delivery systems for TCM are summarized in this paper.

CONCLUSION

Nano-delivery systems represent a promising approach to overcoming clinical obstacles stemming from the physical and chemical properties of TCM active ingredients, thereby enhancing their clinical efficacy.

Nanoparticles for Augmenting Therapeutic Potential and Alleviating the Effect of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Gastric Cancer

Changes in diet culture and modern lifestyle contributed to a higher incidence of gastrointestinal-related diseases, including gastritis, implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. This observation raised concerns regarding exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which is linked to adverse health effects, including reproductive and developmental problems, inflammatory response, and invasive adenocarcinoma. Research on the direct link between DEHP and gastric cancer is ongoing, and further studies are required to establish a conclusive association. In our study, extremely low concentrations of DEHP exerted significant effects on cell migration by promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells. This effect was mediated by the modulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Smad2 signaling pathways. To address the DEHP challenges, our initial design of TPGS-conjugated fucoidan, delivered via pH-responsive nanoparticles, successfully demonstrated binding to the P-selectin protein. This achievement has not only enhanced the antigastric tumor efficacy but has also led to a significant reduction in the expression of malignant proteins associated with the condition. These findings underscore the promising clinical therapeutic potential of our approach.

Design and Evaluation of a Dual-Sensitive In Situ Gel for the Controlled Release of Pranoprofen

Currently, the marketed ophthalmic preparations of pranoprofen (PF) are mainly eye drops, but due to the special clearance mechanism of the eye and corneal reflex, the contact time between the drug and the focal site is short, most of the drug is lost, and the bioavailability is less than 5%. In the present study, an in situ gel eye drop containing no bacteriostatic agent and sensitive to temperature and ions was designed for delivery of PF. It was demonstrated to meet the criteria for ophthalmic preparations by characterization such as appearance content sterility. Ocular irritation tests showed a favorable safety profile. In vivo ocular retention time experiments showed that the ocular retention time of the pranoprofen gel was 4.41 times longer than that of commercially available drops (Pranopulin®), and the nasal tear excretion of the pranoprofen gel was lower than that of Pranopulin®, which suggests that the drug loss was reduced relative to that of the drops. The efficacy of the pranoprofen gel against tincture of cayenne pepper-induced corneal and conjunctival inflammation was examined using Pranopulin® as a control and in conjunction with inflammation scores, H&E slice results, and levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The results showed that pranoprofen gel and Pranololin® had significant efficacy in the treatment of corneal and conjunctival inflammation, and the anti-inflammatory effect of pranoprofen gel was superior to that of Pranololin®. This study provides a new option for the treatment of corneal and conjunctival inflammation.

Encapsulation of Olive Leaf Polyphenol-Rich Extract in Polymeric Micelles to Improve Its Intestinal Permeability

In the present study, polymeric micelles were developed to improve the intestinal permeability of an extract of Olea europaea L. leaf with a high content of total polyphenols (49% w/w), with 41% w/w corresponding to the oleuropein amount. A pre-formulation study was conducted to obtain a stable formulation with a high loading capacity for extract. The freeze-drying process was considered to improve the stability of the formulation during storage. Micelles were characterized in terms of physical and chemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, stability, and in vitro release. The optimized system consisted of 15 mg/mL of extract, 20 mg/mL of Pluronic L121, 20 mg/mL of Pluronic F68, and 10 mg/mL of D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS), with dimensions of 14.21 ± 0.14 nm, a polydisersity index (PdI) of 0.19 ± 0.05 and an encapsulation efficiency of 66.21 ± 1.11%. The influence of the micelles on polyphenol permeability was evaluated using both Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA) and the Caco-2 cell monolayer. In both assays, the polymeric micelles improved the permeation of polyphenols, as demonstrated by the increase in Pe and Papp values.

Potential chemoprotective effects of active ingredients in Salvia miltiorrhiza on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo studies

Background

Recently, attention has been paid to the protective properties of active ingredients in Salvia miltiorrhiza (AISM) against organ toxicity induced by chemotherapy drugs. Purpose of the present systematic review is to evaluate the chemoprotective effects and mechanisms of AISM on in vitro and in vivo models of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC).

Methods

According to the PRISMA guideline, the current systematic review was conducted in the Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to collect all relevant in vitro and in vivo studies on "the role of AISM on DIC" published up until May 2023. The SYRCLE's tool was used to identify potential risk of bias.

Results

Twenty-two eligible articles were included in this systematic review. Eleven types of active ingredients in Salvia miltiorrhiza were used for DIC, which have the following effects: improvement of physical signs and biochemical indicators, reduction of cardiac function damage caused by DIC, protection of heart tissue structure, enhancement of myocardial cell viability, prevention of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, increase of the chemosensitivity of cancer cells to Doxorubicin, etc. The cardioprotective mechanism of AISM involves inhibiting apoptosis, attenuating oxidative stress, suppressing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, decreasing inflammation, improving mitochondrial structure and function, affecting cellular autophagy and calcium homeostasis. The quality scores of included studies ranged from 4 to 7 points (a total of 10 points), according to SYRCLE's risk of bias tool.

Conclusion

This systematic review demonstrated that AISM have chemoprotective effects on DIC in vivo and in vitro models through several main mechanisms such as anti-apoptosis, antioxidant effects, anti-ER stress, and anti-inflammatory.

Tanshinone IIA and hepatocellular carcinoma: A potential therapeutic drug

Because of its high prevalence and poor long-term clinical treatment effect, liver disease is regarded as a major public health problem around the world. Among them, viral hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and autoimmune liver disease are common causes and inducements of liver injury, and play an important role in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tanshinone IIA (TsIIA) is a fat soluble polyphenol of Salvia miltiorrhiza that is extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza. Because of its strong biological activity (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant), it is widely used in Asia to treat cardiovascular and liver diseases. In addition, TsIIA has shown significant anti-HCC activity in previous studies. It not only has significant anti proliferation and pro apoptotic properties. It can also play an anti-cancer role by mediating a variety of signal pathways, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/rapamycin (mTOR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). This review not only reviews the existing evidence and molecular mechanism of TsIIA's anti-HCC effect but also reviews the liver-protective effect of TsIIA and its impact on liver fibrosis, NAFLD, and other risk factors for liver cancer. In addition, we also conducted network pharmacological analysis on TsIIA and HCC to further screen and explore the possible targets of TsIIA against hepatocellular carcinoma. It is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the development of anti-HCC-related drugs based on TsIIA.

Novel carvedilol-loaded pro-phytomicelles: formulation, characterization and enhanced protective efficacy against acetaminophen-inducedliverinjury in mice

The work describes a novel, small-molecule phytochemicals as nanomaterials based pro-micelles (pro-phytomicelles) drug delivery system, for oral delivery of carvedilol (CAR). This novel nanoformulation of CAR, named CAR pro-phytomicelles, was prepared with rebaudioside A (RA) and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate (DG) as mixed nanomaterials. The formulation was optimized, leading to a 502-fold increase in solubility of CAR in water as a result of encapsulation within mixed phytomicelles based on DG and RA. CAR pro-phytomicelles samples could be instantly dissolved into aqueous media to formulate clear phytomicelle solutions with CAR encapsulation efficiency of 99.67 ± 0.02 %, and small micelle size of 15.62 ± 0.27 nm. CAR pro-phytomicelles exhibited good storage stability, rapid in vitro release in simulated intestinal fluid, and improved in vitro antioxidant activity. CAR pro-phytomicelles had good biocompatibility. Protective efficacy evaluation revealed that acetaminophen overdose could induce high mortality and severe liver injury in mice, while CAR pro-phytomicelle treatment exhibited significant protective effect against acetaminophen overdose. This protective efficacy was due to a mechanism that involved the regulation of high-mobility group box 1 and its signaling-related proinflammatory cytokines. These results show that pro-phytomicelles could provide a new concept and promising therapeutics as nanomedicines for improving the activities of CAR against acetaminophen-induced liver injury.

Research Advances of Injectable Functional Hydrogel Materials in the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) has become one of the serious diseases threatening human life and health. However, traditional treatment methods for MI have some limitations, such as irreversible myocardial necrosis and cardiac dysfunction. Fortunately, recent endeavors have shown that hydrogel materials can effectively prevent negative remodeling of the heart and improve the heart function and long-term prognosis of patients with MI due to their good biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the research progress of injectable hydrogel in the treatment of MI in recent years and to introduce the rational design of injectable hydrogels in myocardial repair. Finally, the potential challenges and perspectives of injectable hydrogel in this field will be discussed, in order to provide theoretical guidance for the development of new and effective treatment strategies for MI.

Tanshinone IIA: New Perspective on the Anti-Tumor Mechanism of A Traditional Natural Medicine

The search for natural and efficacious antineoplastic drugs, with minimal toxicity and side effects, is an important part of antitumor drug research and development. Tanshinone IIA is the most evaluated lipophilic active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Tanshinone IIA is a path-breaking traditional drug applied in cardiovascular treatment. It has also been found that tanshinone IIA plays an important role in the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, as well as in other tumor diseases. Tanshinone IIA significantly inhibits the proliferation of several types of tumors, blocks the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and autophagic death, in addition to inhibiting cell migration and invasion. Among these, the regulation of tumor-cell apoptosis signaling pathways is the key breakthrough point in several modes of antitumor therapy. The PI3K/AKT/MTOR signaling pathway and the JNK pathway are the key pathways for tanshinone IIA to induce tumor cell apoptosis. In addition to glycolysis, reactive oxygen species and signal transduction all play an active role with the participation of tanshinone IIA. Endogenous apoptosis is considered the main mechanism of tumor apoptosis induced by tanshinone IIA. Multiple pathways and targets play a role in the process of endogenous apoptosis. Tanshinone IIA can protect chemotherapy drugs, which is mainly reflected in the protection of the side effects of chemotherapy drugs, such as neurotoxicity and inhibition of the hematopoietic system. Tanshinone IIA also has a certain regulatory effect on tumor angiogenesis, which is mainly manifested in the control of hypoxia. Our findings indicated that tanshinone IIA is an effective treatment agent in the cardiovascular field and plays a significant role in antitumor therapeutics. This paper reviews the pharmacological potential and inhibitory effect of tanshinone IIA on cancer. It is greatly anticipated that tanshinone IIA will be employed as an adjuvant in the treatment of various cancers.

Glycyrrhiza acid micelles loaded with licochalcone A for topical delivery: Co-penetration and anti-melanogenic effect

The co-penetration of micellar vehicles and the encapsulated drugs into the skin layers, as well as the mechanisms underlying the penetration enhancement have not been clearly elucidated. We developed licochalcone A (LA)-loaded glycyrrhiza acid (GA) (GA+LA) micelles for topical delivery of LA into the epidermis. The in vitro co-penetration, penetration pathways, mechanism of interaction between skin and the micelles, and the in vitro and in vivo whitening effect of GA+LA micelles were evaluated. Co-penetration and penetration pathways were visualized on the abdominal skin of rats model with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) using a nile blue A-labeled GA (GA-NB). We found that GA significantly increased the transport of LA into the skin predominantly via the hair follicles and GA mainly accumulated in the SC and epidermis, while LA was localized in the epidermis and dermis. Moreover, 73.4% of the LA deposited into the epidermis within 12 h and approximately 9.32% of the LA permeated across the SC in the form of entire micelles within 24 h. GA-NB+LA micelles disaggregated and accumulated in the specific skin layers, and the LA released from the carrier penetrated into deeper layers. Moreover, the GA+LA micelles promoted drug penetration via intracellular or intercellular routes by loosening the skin surface and enhancing fluidization through lipid distortion and keratin denaturation. Furthermore, GA+LA micelles exhibited synergistic whitening effect on B16 cells and UVB-exposed C57BL/6 mice. Collectively, GA micelles can enhance penetration of LA to the epidermis mainly via the hair follicles following topical application, and reduce skin pigmentation.

Mixed micelles formulation for carvedilol delivery: In-vitro characterization and in-vivo evaluation

Carvedilol (CAR) is a widely studied, beta and alpha-1 blocker, antihypertensive drug due to its poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability (25-35%). The aim of this work is to improve poor water solubility and the pharmacokinetic parameters of carvedilol by using an optimized and self-assembly prepared micelle formulation. Optimized micelle formulation composed of Pluronic® F127, D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate, L-cysteine HCl in a ratio of 4:3:3. Micellar size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, critical micelle concentration, thermal behaviors, in-vitro dissolution of micelles and pharmacokinetic parameters in rats were characterized in this study. Carvedilol aqueous solubility increased (up to 271-fold) as a result of its encapsulation within a mixed micelle formulation. The measured micellar sizes of blank and carvedilol loaded mixed micelles are lower than 30 nm with size distributions of 26.69 ± 2.93 nm and 24.16 ± 4.89 nm, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the micelles were spherically shaped. There is a significant enhancement of carvedilol dissolution compared to commercially available tablet formulation (f2 < 50). The in-vivo test demonstrated that the t_1/2 and AUC_0-∞ values of micelles were approximately 10.89- and 2.65-fold greater than that of the commercial tablets, respectively. Based on our study, bring such applications into being may provide effective new drugs for treatment armamentarium of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension in near future.

Research progress on evodiamine, a bioactive alkaloid of Evodiae fructus: Focus on its anti-cancer activity and bioavailability (Review)

Evodiae fructus (Wu-Zhu-Yu in Chinese) can be isolated from the dried, unripe fruits of Tetradium ruticarpum and is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that is applied extensively in China, Japan and Korea. Evodiae fructus has been traditionally used to treat headaches, abdominal pain and menorrhalgia. In addition, it is widely used as a dietary supplement to provide carboxylic acids, essential oils and flavonoids. Evodiamine (EVO) is one of the major bioactive components contained within Evodiae fructus and is considered to be a potential candidate anti-cancer agent. EVO has been reported to exert anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, whilst inducing apoptosis in numerous types of cancer cells. However, EVO is susceptible to metabolism and may inhibit the activities of metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450. Clinical application of EVO in the treatment of cancers may prove difficult due to poor bioavailability and potential toxicity due to metabolism. Currently, novel drug carriers involving the use of solid dispersion techniques, phospholipids and nanocomplexes to deliver EVO to improve its bioavailability and mitigate side effects have been tested. The present review aims to summarize the reported anti-cancer effects of EVO whilst discussing the pharmacokinetic behaviors, characteristics and effective delivery systems of EVO.

Multifaceted role of phyto-derived polyphenols in nanodrug delivery systems

As naturally occurring bioactive products, several lines of evidence have shown the potential of polyphenols in the medical intervention of various diseases, including tumors, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Notably, owing to the particular molecular structure, polyphenols can combine with proteins, metal ions, polymers, and nucleic acids providing better strategies for polyphenol-delivery strategies. This contributes to the inherent advantages of polyphenols as important functional components for other drug delivery strategies, e.g., protecting nanodrugs from oxidation as a protective layer, improving the physicochemical properties of carbohydrate polymer carriers, or being used to synthesize innovative functional delivery vehicles. Polyphenols have emerged as a multifaceted player in novel drug delivery systems, both as therapeutic agents delivered to intervene in disease progression and as essential components of drug carriers. Although an increasing number of studies have focused on polyphenol-based nanodrug delivery including epigallocatechin-3-gallate, curcumin, resveratrol, tannic acid, and polyphenol-related innovative preparations, these molecules are not without inherent shortcomings. The active biochemical characteristics of polyphenols constitute a prerequisite to their high-frequency use in drug delivery systems and likewise to provoke new challenges for the design and development of novel polyphenol drug delivery systems of improved efficacies. In this review, we focus on both the targeted delivery of polyphenols and the application of polyphenols as components of drug delivery carriers, and comprehensively elaborate on the application of polyphenols in new types of drug delivery systems. According to the different roles played by polyphenols in innovative drug delivery strategies, potential limitations and risks are discussed in detail including the influences on the physical and chemical properties of nanodrug delivery systems, and their influence on normal physiological functions inside the organism.

Research progress on nanotechnology for delivery of active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines

There is growing acceptance of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) as potential sources of clinical agents based on the demonstrated efficacies of numerous bioactive compounds first identified in TCM extracts, such as paclitaxel, camptothecin, and artemisinin. However, there are several challenges to achieving the full clinical potential of many TCMs, particularly the generally high hydrophobicity and low bioavailability. Recently, however, numerous studies have attempted to circumvent the limited in vivo activity and systemic toxicity of TCM ingredients by incorporation into nanoparticle-based delivery systems. Many of these formulations demonstrate improved bioavailability, enhanced tissue targeting, and greater in vivo stability compared to the native compound. This review summarizes nanoformulations of the most promising and extensively studied TCM compounds to provide a reference for further research. Combining these natural compounds with nanotechnology-based delivery systems may further improve the clinical utility of these agents, in turn leading to more intensive research on traditional medicinal compounds.

Galactose-Modified PH-Sensitive Niosomes for Controlled Release and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Target Delivery of Tanshinone IIA

Increasing the drug tumor-specific accumulation and controlling their release is considered one of the most effective ways to increase the efficacy of drugs. Here, we developed a vesicle system that can target hepatoma and release drugs rapidly within tumor cells. This non-ionic surfactant vesicle is biodegradable. Galactosylated stearate has been used to glycosylate the vesicles to achieve liver targeting; replacement of a portion (Chol:CHEMS = 1:1) of cholesterol by cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHEMS) allows for a rapid release of drugs in an acidic environment. In vitro release experiments confirmed that galactose-modified pH-sensitive niosomes loaded with tanshinone IIA had excellent drug release performance in acid medium. In vitro experiments using ovarian cancer cells (A2780), colon cancer cells (HCT8), and hepatoma cell (Huh7, HepG2) confirmed that the preparation had specific targeting ability to hepatoma cells compared with free drugs, and this ability was dependent on the galactose content. Furthermore, the preparation also had a more substantial inhibitory effect on tumor cells, and subsequent apoptosis assays and cell cycle analyses further confirmed its enhanced anti-tumor effect. Results of pharmacokinetic experiments confirmed that the vesicle system could significantly extend the blood circulation time of tanshinone IIA, and the larger area under the curve indicated that the preparation had a better drug effect. Thus, the results of biodistribution experiments confirmed the in vivo liver targeting ability of this preparation. Niosomes designed in this manner are expected to be a safe and effective drug delivery system for liver cancer therapy.

Nanocarriers-loaded with natural actives as newer therapeutic interventions for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction: Cancer has always been a menace for the society. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal and 3rdlargest causes of deaths around the world.Area covered: The emergence of natural actives is considered as the greatest boon for fighting cancer. The natural actives take precedence over the traditional chemotherapeutic drugs in terms of their multi-target, multi-level and coordinated effects in the treatment of HCC. Literature reports have indicated the tremendous potential of bioactive natural products in inhibiting the HCC via molecular drug targeting, augmented bioavailability, and the ability for both passive or active targeting and stimulus-responsive drug release characteristics. This review provides a newer treatment approaches involved in the mechanism of action of different natural actives used for the HCC treatment via different molecular pathways. Besides, the promising advantage of natural bioactive-loaded nanocarriers in HCC treatment has also been also presented in this review. Expert opinion: The remarkable outcomes have been observed with therapeutic efficacy of the nanocarriers of natural actives in the treatment of HCC.Furthermore, it requires a thorough assessment of the safety and efficacy evaluation of the nanocarriers for the delivery of targeted natural active ingredients in HCC.].

Poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (D, L-lactide) (PEG-PLA) micelles for brain delivery of baicalein through nasal route for potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases due to oxidative stress and inflammation: An in vitro and in vivo study

The application of baicalein (BE) in central nervous system (CNS) neurodegenerative diseases is hampered by its poor solubility and low oral bioavailability despite its neuroprotective effects. In this study, BE was encapsulated into poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (D, L-lactide) micelles (BE-MC) and administrated through nasal inhalation to enhance its brain distribution. BE-MC showed comparable in-vitro antioxidant activity to BE solution. Cytotoxicity study illustrated BE-MC could reduce BE's toxicity in SH-SY5Y cells and BV-2 cells. BE solution at concentration higher than 5 µM caused significant BV-2 cells' death after stimulation of LPS while BE-MC were non-toxic to cells at concentrations up to 50 µM. BE solution at 5 µM had no anti-inflammatory effects in BV-2 cells while BE-MC could reduce the inflammatory factor TNF-α at 5 µM and IL-6 at 20 µM significantly. Pharmacokinetic studies in C57BL/6 mice showed the absolute AUC values of BE in plasma and brain of BE-MC through nasal inhalation group were 5.09-fold and 1.50-fold higher than that of BE coarse powder through oral administration group at the same dose. Thus, our study indicated BE-MC administered nasally could be useful for treatment of CNS neurodegenerative diseases due to oxidative stress and inflammation.

The Role of Necroptosis in ROS-Mediated Cancer Therapies and Its Promising Applications

Over the past decades, promising therapies targeting different signaling pathways have emerged. Among these pathways, apoptosis has been well investigated and targeted to design diverse chemotherapies. However, some patients are chemoresistant to these therapies due to compromised apoptotic cell death. Hence, exploring alternative treatments aimed at different mechanisms of cell death seems to be a potential strategy for bypassing impaired apoptotic cell death. Emerging evidence has shown that necroptosis, a caspase-independent form of cell death with features between apoptosis and necrosis, can overcome the predicament of drug resistance. Furthermore, previous studies have also indicated that there is a close correlation between necroptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS); both necroptosis and ROS play significant roles both under human physiological conditions such as the regulation of inflammation and in cancer biology. Several small molecules used in experiments and clinical practice eliminate cancer cells via the modulation of ROS and necroptosis. The molecular mechanisms of these promising therapies are discussed in detail in this review.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of Tanshinone IIA using lipid nanocapsules: Formulation, in-vitro appraisal and pharmacokinetics

Tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) is a promising phytomedicine that has been extensively studied due to its numerous biological activities, especially as an anticancer drug. However, it suffers from poor oral bioavailability owing to low aqueous solubility, poor permeability and exposure to first-pass metabolism. This study endeavored to improve TSIIA oral bioavailability by encapsulation into lipid nanocapsules (LNCs) for the first time. A previously reported phase-inversion method was used to prepare Tanshinone II A loaded LNCs (TSIIA-LNCs) with slight modifications based on a constructed phase diagram. They were then in-vitro characterized and their oral pharmacokinetics were studied in rats. TSIIA-LNCs showed excellent colloidal properties (size; 70 nm, PDI < 0.2 and zeta-potential; -13.5 mV), a high percent entrapment efficiency (98%) and a good drug payload (2.6 mg/g). Furthermore, the in-vivo pharmacokinetic study revealed a significant enhancement in both the rate and extent of absorption of TSIIA-LNCs compared with TSIIA suspension with about 3.6-fold increase in AUC _0-inf value (p ≤ 0.01). Additionally, a significant increase in both half-life and mean residence time was exhibited by TSIIA-LNCs (p ≤ 0.01), confirming their long circulating properties. Therefore, the elaborated LNCs could be addressed as a promising nanoplatform permitting higher TSIIA oral bioavailability.

Preparation of water-soluble chitosan/poly-gama-glutamic acid-tanshinone IIA encapsulation composite and its in vitro/in vivo drug release properties

Some diseases could be treated by Tanshinone IIA (TA), which is an isolated component from the Chinese medicinal herb Tanshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza). However, the poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability of TA limited its clinical application. In this paper, TA was encapsulated by water - soluble chitosan/poly - γ - glutamic acid (WCS-γ-PGA) to improve its dissolution and oral bioavailability. The in vitro dissolution and in vivo metabolism of the encapsulated composite in rats were employed to evaluate the efficiency of the improvement. FTIR spectroscopy was applied to confirm the validity of encapsulation for TA by WCS-γ-PGA. The study's results showed that the optimal ratio of TA to drug carrier (WCS + γ-PGA) was 1:5.5 in weight with a reaction time of 1 h at room temperature for the encapsulation. The proper concentrations for WCS and TA in preparing the encapsulated composite using γ-PGA 0.125 mg ml^-1 were 6 mg ml^-1 and 1 mg ml^-1, respectively; The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading efficiency of WCS-γ-PGA-TA composite were (93.99 ± 2.20)% and (10.73 ± 0.75)%, respectively. The cumulative release of TA from the WCS-γ-PGA-TA encapsulated composite reached to 81% within 60 min, which was 5.56 times of that of the original TA in vitro dissolution. The peak concentration C_max of TA from the encapsulated composite in rat blood as measured by an ultracentrifugation test of an intra - gastric administration was 4.43 times that of the original TA concentration, and the area under the drug-time curve AUC _(0-t) and AUC _(0-∞) (p<0.01) of the WCS-γ-PGA-TA encapsulated composite were 4.56 and 4.20 times that of the original TA, respectively. It indicated that the encapsulation of TA with WCS-γ-PGA improved its solubility and bioavailability significantly.

Enhanced dissolution, permeation and oral bioavailability of aripiprazole mixed micelles: In vitro and in vivo evaluation

Aripiprazole (ARP) is an antipsychotic drug approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. It is poorly water-soluble and undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism and P-gp efflux, which lead to poor bioavailability and increased dose-related side effects. This study focuses on the preparation of mixed micelles (MM) to enhance the aqueous solubility, oral bioavailability, and blood-brain barrier permeation of ARP. For this purpose, Soluplus and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) were selected for micelle preparation (ARP-MM). Micelles with borneol as penetration enhancer were also considered (ARP-B-MM). The optimized formulations have sizes of ca 50 nm, defined in distilled water, narrow size distribution (polydispersity index ≤0.1), and high encapsulation efficiency (greater than98%). Both formulations can be freeze-dried without losing their chemical-physical characteristics and are stable during storage for three months. The mixed micelles resulted stable in enzyme free-simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8), and in serum. The in vitro ARP release was evaluated in the same biorelevant media, (SGF and SIF), and it disclosed that both micelles can give prolonged drug release. Furthermore, ARP solubility is greatly increased when loaded into mixed micelles. The absorption and efflux of ARP-loaded micelles were studied in vitro, employing two artificial membranes (Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay for the intestinal, PAMPA-GI, and the blood-brain barrier, PAMPA-BBB), to simulate the intestinal and brain epithelium, and the brain microvascular endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3. ARP-MM and ARP-B-MM increase the effective permeability of ARP by a factor of about three in the case of PAMPA-GI and about two for PAMPA-BBB. Furthermore, the P-gp mediated efflux was decreased by about six times in the case of ARP-MM and by about four times in the case of ARP-B-MM, compared to unformulated ARP. Finally, both ARP-loaded mixed micelles ameliorate the bioavailability of ARP, as demonstrated by the increase of the pharmacokinetic parameters, such as Cmax, AUC_0-24h, and t1/2.

Toward a better understanding of metabolic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of low-solubility, low-permeability natural medicines

Today, it is very challenging to develop new active pharmaceutical ingredients. Developing good preparations of well-recognized natural medicines is certainly a practical and economic strategy. Low-solubility, low-permeability natural medicines (LLNMs) possess valuable advantages such as effectiveness, relative low cost and low toxicity, which is shown by the presence of popular products on the market. Understanding the in vivo metabolic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of LLNMs contributes to overcoming their associated problems, such as low absorption and low bioavailability. In this review, the structure-based metabolic reactions of LLNMs and related enzymatic systems, cellular and bodily pharmacological effects and metabolic influences, drug-drug interactions involved in metabolism and microenvironmental changes, and pharmacokinetics and dose-dependent/linear pharmacokinetic models are comprehensively evaluated. This review suggests that better pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetic behaviors may be achieved by modifying the metabolism through using nanotechnology and nanosystem in combination with the suitable administration route and dosage. It is noteworthy that novel nanosystems, such as triggered-release liposomes, nucleic acid polymer nanosystems and PEGylated dendrimers, in addition to prodrug and intestinal penetration enhancer, demonstrate encouraging performance. Insights into the metabolic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of LLNMs may help pharmacists to identify new LLNM formulations with high bioavailability and amazing efficacy and help physicians carry out LLNM-based precision medicine and individualized therapies.

Comparison of Chitosan Nanoparticles and Soluplus Micelles to Optimize the Bioactivity of Posidonia oceanica Extract on Human Neuroblastoma Cell Migration

Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile is a marine plant endemic of Mediterranean Sea endowed with interesting bioactivities. The hydroalcholic extract of P. oceanica leaves (POE), rich in polyphenols and carbohydrates, has been shown to inhibit human cancer cell migration. Neuroblastoma is a common childhood extracranial solid tumor with high rate of invasiveness. Novel therapeutics loaded into nanocarriers may be used to target the migratory and metastatic ability of neuroblastoma. Our goal was to improve both the aqueous solubility of POE and its inhibitory effect on cancer cell migration. Methods: Chitosan nanoparticles (NP) and Soluplus polymeric micelles (PM) loaded with POE have been developed. Nanoformulations were chemically and physically defined and characterized. In vitro release studies were also performed. Finally, the inhibitory effect of both nanoformulations was tested on SH-SY5Y cell migration by wound healing assay and compared to that of unformulated POE. Results: Both nanoformulations showed excellent physical and chemical stability during storage, and enhanced the solubility of POE. PM-POE improved the inhibitory effect of POE on cell migration probably due to the high encapsulation efficiency and the prolonged release of the extract. Conclusions: For the first time, a phytocomplex of marine origin, i.e., P. oceanica extract, has enhanced in terms of acqueous solubility and bioactivity once encapsulated inside nanomicelles.

Soluplus®/TPGS mixed micelles for co-delivery of docetaxel and piperine for combination cancer therapy

In this study, mixed micelles of Soluplus^® and TPGS were developed for co-administering docetaxel (DTX) and piperine (PIP) for exerting the synergistic effect, which increased the cytotoxicity and improved the anti-cancer activity in HepG2 cell lines compared to free DTX. These in vitro (MTT assay, intracellular uptake of micelles) and in vivo (pharmacokinetic study, immunostaining, TUNEL analysis) studies exhibited the advantages of co-delivery of anticancer drugs with Soluplus^®/TPGS by mixed micelles and furthermore established that co-delivery of DTX and PIP via the mixed micelles of Soluplus^®/TPGS could be a promising strategy for the treatment of liver cancer.

Development of a Liposomal Formulation of Acetyltanshinone IIA for Breast Cancer Therapy

Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA), synthesized in our group exhibiting good anti-breast cancer effects, is expected to replace the commonly used anti-ER+ breast cancer (breast cancer cells overexpressing the estrogen receptor) drug tamoxifen. To promote the clinical progress of ATA, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified liposomes were used to encapsulate ATA along with improving its bioavailability and in vivo anticancer efficiency. The resulting liposomal ATA exhibited a spherical shape with an average size of 188.5 nm. In vitro evaluations showed that liposomal ATA retained the anti-breast cancer efficacy of ATA while exerting much less cytotoxicity toward noncancerous cells. Significantly, pharmacokinetics analysis showed that the AUC0-24h of liposomal ATA was 59 times higher than that of free ATA, demonstrating increased bioavailability of ATA. Preclinical experiments demonstrated that liposomal ATA reduced the growth of ER-positive human breast tumor xenografts by 73% in nude mice, and the liposomal ATA exhibited a much lower level of toxicity than that of free ATA with respect to zebrafish larval mortality, body formation, and heart function during development. Moreover, 7-day and 21-day tissue toxicity levels were determined in mice by intravenous administration of a maximum dosage of liposomal ATA (120 mg/kg). The results showed no obvious tissue damage in major organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, kidney, and brain. In summary, we have developed a clinical formulation of liposomal ATA with the high bioavailability and potent efficacy for the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer.

Like Dissolves Like? A Comprehensive Evaluation of Partial Solubility Parameters to Predict Polymer-Drug Compatibility in Ultrahigh Drug-Loaded Polymer Micelles

Despite decades of research, our understanding of the molecular interactions between drugs and polymers in drug-loaded polymer micelles does not extend much beyond concepts such as "like-dissolves-like" or hydrophilic/hydrophobic. However, polymer-drug compatibility strongly affects formulation properties and therefore the translation of a formulation into the clinics. Specific interactions such as hydrogen-bonding, π-π stacking, or coordination interactions can be utilized to increase drug loading. This is commonly based on trial and error and eventually leads to an optimized drug carrier. Unfortunately, due to the unique characteristics of each drug, the deduction of advanced general concepts remains challenging. Furthermore, the introduction of complex moieties or specifically modified polymers hampers systematic investigations regarding polymer-drug compatibility as well as clinical translation. In this study, we reduced the complexity to isolate the crucial factors determining drug loading. Therefore, the compatibility of 18 different amphiphilic polymers for five different hydrophobic drugs was determined empirically. Subsequently, the obtained specificities were compared to theoretical compatibilities derived from either the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters or the Hansen solubility parameters. In general, the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters were less suited to correctly estimate the experimental drug solubilization compared to the Hansen solubility parameters. The latter were able to correctly predict some trend regarding good and poor solubilizers, yet the overall predictive strength of Hansen solubility parameters is clearly unsatisfactory.

Formulation of Nanomicelles to Improve the Solubility and the Oral Absorption of Silymarin

Two novel nanomicellar formulations were developed to improve the poor aqueous solubility and the oral absorption of silymarin. Polymeric nanomicelles made of Soluplus and mixed nanomicelles combining Soluplus with d-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (vitamin E TPGS) were prepared using the thin film method. Physicochemical parameters were investigated, in particular the average diameter, the homogeneity (expressed as polydispersity index), the zeta potential, the morphology, the encapsulation efficiency, the drug loading, the critical micellar concentration and the cloud point. The sizes of ~60 nm, the narrow size distribution (polydispersity index ≤0.1) and the encapsulation efficiency >92% indicated the high affinity between silymarin and the core of the nanomicelles. Solubility studies demonstrated that the solubility of silymarin increased by ~6-fold when loaded into nanomicelles. Furthermore, the physical and chemical parameters of SLM-loaded formulations stored at room temperature and in refrigerated conditions (4 °C) were monitored over three months. In vitro stability and release studies in media miming the physiological conditions were also performed. In addition, both formulations did not alter the antioxidant properties of silymarin as evidenced by the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay. The potential of the nanomicelles to increase the intestinal absorption of silymarin was firstly investigated by the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay. Subsequently, transport studies employing Caco-2 cell line demonstrated that mixed nanomicelles statistically enhanced the permeability of silymarin compared to polymeric nanomicelles and unformulated extract. Finally, the uptake studies indicated that both nanomicellar formulations entered into Caco-2 cells via energy-dependent mechanisms.

Rebuilding Postinfarcted Cardiac Functions by Injecting TIIA@PDA Nanoparticle-Cross-linked ROS-Sensitive Hydrogels

Drug-loaded injectable hydrogels have been proven to possess huge potential for applications in tissue engineering. However, increasing the drug loading capacity and regulating the release system to adapt to the microenvironment after myocardial infarction face a huge challenge. In this research, an ROS-sensitive injectable hydrogel strengthened by self-nanodrugs was constructed. A hyperbranched ROS-sensitive macromer (HB-PBAE) with multiacrylate end groups was synthesized through dynamic controlled Michael addition. Meanwhile, a simple protocol based on dopamine polymerization was employed to generate a polydopamine (PDA) layer deposited on the tanshinone IIA (TIIA) nanoparticles (NPs) formed from spontaneous hydrophobic self-assembly. The HB-PBAE reacted with thiolate-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-SH) to form an in situ hydrogel, where TIIA@PDA NPs can be conveniently entrapped through the chemical cross-link between thiolate and quinone groups on PDA, which doubles the modulus of hydrogels. The in vivo degradation behavior of the hydrogels was characterized by MRI, exhibiting a much slower degradation behavior that is markedly different from that of in vitro. Importantly, a significant improvement of cardiac functions was achieved after hydrogel injection in terms of increased ejection fraction and decreased infarction size, accompanied by inhibition of the expression of inflammation factors, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Tanshinone IIA reduces SW837 colorectal cancer cell viability via the promotion of mitochondrial fission by activating JNK-Mff signaling pathways

Background

Mitochondrial homeostasis has been increasingly viewed as a potential target of cancer therapy, and mitochondrial fission is a novel regulator of mitochondrial function and apoptosis. The aim of our study was to determine the detailed role of mitochondrial fission in SW837 colorectal cancer cell viability, mobility and proliferation. In addition, the current study also investigated the therapeutic impact of Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), a type of anticancer adjuvant drug, on cancer mitochondrial homeostasis.

Results

The results of our data illustrated that Tan IIA promoted SW837 cell death, impaired cell migration and mediated cancer proliferation arrest in a dose-dependent manner. Functional investigation exhibited that Tan IIA treatment evoked mitochondrial injury, as witnessed by mitochondrial ROS overproduction, mitochondrial potential collapse, antioxidant factor downregulation, mitochondrial pro-apoptotic protein upregulation, and caspase-9-dependent apoptotic pathway activation. Furthermore, we confirmed that Tan IIA mediated mitochondrial damage by activating mitochondrial fission, and the inhibition of mitochondrial fission abrogated the proapoptotic effects of Tan IIA on SW837 cells. To this end, our results demonstrated that Tan IIA modulated mitochondrial fission via the JNK-Mff pathways. The blockade of the JNK-Mff axis inhibited Tan IIA-mediated mitochondrial fission and promoted the survival of SW837 cells.

Conclusions

Altogether, our results identified mitochondrial fission as a new potential target to control cancer viability, mobility and proliferation. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that Tan IIA is an effective drug to treat colorectal cancer by activating JNK-Mff-mitochondrial fission pathways.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12860-018-0174-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Self-Assembling Raloxifene Loaded Mixed Micelles: Formulation Optimization, In Vitro Cytotoxicity and In Vivo Pharmacokinetics

Raloxifene (RLX) has been strongly recommended for postmenopausal women at high risk of invasive breast cancer and for prevention of osteoporosis. However, low aqueous solubility and reduced bioavailability hinder its clinical application. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of RLX loaded mixed micelles (RLX-MM) using Pluronic F68 and Gelucire 44/14 for enhanced bioavailability and improved anticancer activity on human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). RLX-MM were prepared by solvent evaporation method and optimized using 3² factorial design. The average size, entrapment efficiency and zeta potential of the optimized formulation were found to be 190 ± 3.3 nm, 79 ± 1.3%, 13 ± 0.8 mV, respectively. In vitro study demonstrated 74.68% drug release from RLX-MM in comparison to 42.49% drug release from RLX dispersion. According to the in vitro cytotoxicity assay, GI₅₀ values on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line for RLX-MM and free RLX were found to be 22.5 and 94.71 μg/mL, respectively. Significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the anticancer activity on MCF-7 cell line was observed in RLX-MM over RLX pure drug. Additionally, oral bioavailability of RLX-MM was improved by 1.5-fold over free RLX when administered in female Wistar rats. Incorporation of RLX in the hydrophobic core and improved solubility of the drug due to hydrophilic shell attributed to the enhanced cytotoxicity and bioavailability of RLX-MM. This research establishes the potential of RLX loaded mixed micelles of Pluronic F68 and Gelucire 44/14 for improved bioavailability and anticancer activity on MCF-7 cell line.

Redox-sensitive micelles composed of disulfide-linked Pluronic-linoleic acid for enhanced anticancer efficiency of brusatol

Brusatol (Bru) exhibits promising anticancer effects, with both proliferation inhibition and chemoresistance amelioration activity. However, the poor solubility and insufficient intracellular delivery of Bru greatly restrict its application. Herein, to simultaneously utilize the advantages of Pluronics as drug carriers and tumor microenvironment-responsive drug release profiles, a flexible amphiphilic copolymer with a polymer skeleton, that is, Pluronic® F68 grafting with linoleic acid moieties by redox-reducible disulfide bonds (F68-SS-LA), was synthesized. After characterization by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the redox-sensitive F68-SS-LA micelles were self-assembled in a much lower critical micelle concentration than that of the unmodified F68 copolymer. Bru was loaded in micelles (Bru/SS-M) with high loading efficiency, narrow size distribution, and excellent storage stability. The redox-sensitive Bru/SS-M exhibited rapid particle dissociation and drug release in response to a redox environment. Based on the enhanced cellular internalization, Bru/SS-M achieved higher cytotoxicity in both Bel-7402 and MCF-7 cells compared with free Bru and nonreducible micelles. The improved anticancer effect was attributed to the remarkably decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased reactive oxygen species level as well as apoptotic rate. These results demonstrated that F68-SS-LA micelles possess great potential as an efficient delivery vehicle for Bru to promote its anticancer efficiency via an oxidation pathway.

Recent Advances in the Application of Vitamin E TPGS for Drug Delivery

D-ɑ-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (Vitamin E TPGS or TPGS) has been approved by FDA as a safe adjuvant and widely used in drug delivery systems. The biological and physicochemical properties of TPGS provide multiple advantages for its applications in drug delivery like high biocompatibility, enhancement of drug solubility, improvement of drug permeation and selective antitumor activity. Notably, TPGS can inhibit the activity of ATP dependent P-glycoprotein and act as a potent excipient for overcoming multi-drug resistance (MDR) in tumor. In this review, we aim to discuss the recent advances of TPGS in drug delivery including TPGS based prodrugs, nitric oxide donor and polymers, and unmodified TPGS based formulations. These potential applications are focused on enhancing delivery efficiency as well as the therapeutic effect of agents, especially on overcoming MDR of tumors. It also demonstrates that the clinical translation of TPGS based nanomedicines is still faced with many challenges, which requires more detailed study on TPGS properties and based delivery system in the future.

Enhancement of the bioavailability of a novel anticancer compound (acetyltanshinone IIA) by encapsulation within mPEG-PLGA nanoparticles: a study of formulation optimization, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics

The Poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (mPEG-PLGA) nanoparticles carrying acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA), a novel anti-breast cancer agent, were prepared by ultrasonic emulsion method to enhance the bioavailability and reduce the toxicity. Systematic optimization of encapsulation process was achieved using an orthogonal design. Drug efficacy analysis showed that ATA nanoparticles were as effective as free ATA against estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells, but much less toxic towards human endothelial cells. Furthermore, in zebrafish, ATA nanoparticles displayed much lower toxicity than free ATA. More importantly, the blood concentration of ATA nanoparticles indicated by 24 hour-area under the curve (AUC_0-24h) was 10 times higher than free ATA. These results indicated the potential of ATA-loaded mPEG-PLGA nanoparticles for the delivery of ATA in a clinical formulation, and their potential for use in tumor therapy in the future.

Recent advances in TPGS-based nanoparticles of docetaxel for improved chemotherapy

Docetaxel (DTX) is one of the important antitumor drugs, being used in several common chemotherapies to control leading cancer types. Severe toxicities of the DTX are prominent due to sudden parenteral exposure of desired loading dose to maintain the therapeutic concentration. Field of nanotechnology is leading to resist sudden systemic exposure of DTX with more specific delivery to the site of cancer. Further nanometric size range of the formulation aid for prolonged circulation, thereby extensive exposure results better efficacy. In this article, we extensively reviewed the therapeutic benefit of incorporating d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (vitamin E TPGS, or simply TPGS) in the nanoparticle (NP) formulation of DTX for improved delivery, tumor control and tolerability. TPGS is well accepted nonionic-ampiphilic polymer which has been identified in the role of emulsifier, stabilizer, penetration enhancer, solubilizer and in protection in micelle. Simultaneously, P-glycoprotein inhibitory activity of TPGS in the multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cells along with its apoptotic potential are the added advantage of TPGS to be incorporated in nano-chemotherapeutics. Thus, it could be concluded that TPGS based nanoparticulate application is an advanced approach to improve therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents by better internalization and sustained retention of the NPs.

pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for co-delivery of doxorubicin and curcumin to treat cancer via enhanced pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activities

Co-delivery of multiple drugs with complementary anticancer mechanisms by nano-carriers offers an effective strategy to treat cancer. The combination of drugs with pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic activities is potentially effective in treating human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we developed a co-delivery system for doxorubicin (Dox), a pro-apoptotic drug, and curcumin (Cur), a potent drug for antiangiogenesis, in pH-sensitive nanoparticles (NPs) constituted with amphiphilic poly(β-amino ester) copolymer. Dox & Cur co-loaded NPs ((D+C)/NPs) were prepared with optimized drug ratio, showing low polydispersity, high encapsulation efficiency, and enhanced release in the acidic environment of cancer cells. Furthermore, enhanced cellular internalization of cargoes delivered from (D+C)/NPs were observed in human liver cancer SMMC 7721 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared to the use of free drugs. The (D+C)/NPs induced a high rate of apoptosis in SMMC 7721 cells through decreased mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, (D+C)/NPs exhibited stronger anti-angiogenic effects including inhibition of HUVEC proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation mediated VEGF pathway modulation in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, encapsulation of the pro-apoptotic drug Dox and antiangiogenic agent Cur in pH-sensitive NPs provides a promising strategy to effectively inhibit HCC progression in a synergistic manner.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The combination of multiple drugs has been demonstrated to be more effective than single treatment. However, the different physicochemical and pharmacokinetic profiles of each drug render optimal delivery challenging. In view of the great delivery advantage of nanocarriers to unify the multiple drugs in vivo, stimulus-responsive nano-carriers are more crucial to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity from off-target exposure. Therefore, herein the pH-sensitive nanoparticles, composed by d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000-block-poly (β-amino ester) (TPGS-PAE) polymers, have been fabricated for doxorubicin (Dox) and curcumin (Cur) co-delivery, which exhibited diverse anticancer approaches, i.e. pro-apoptosis and antiangiogenesis. The precise intracellular target site and effective drug combination concentration result in the enhanced antitumor efficiency and the reduced systematic toxicity of Dox. The co-encapsulation of the pro-apoptotic drug and antiangiogenic agent in pH-sensitive NPs provides a promising strategy to effectively inhibit malignant neoplasm progression in a synergistic manner.

The targeting properties of folate-conjugated Pluronic F127/poly (lactic-co-glycolic) nanoparticles

Novel Folated Pluronic F127/poly (lactic-co-glycolic) (FA-F127-PLGA) and PLGA-F127-PLGA block copolymer were synthesized and nanoparticles self-assembled from these two copolymers were prepared by dialysis method. Paclitaxel (PTX) was successfully encapsulated in these two nanoparticles. According to in vitro release studies of PTX-loaded nanoparticles, after an initial burst release during the first 11h, the entrapped PTX released slowly in the following 82h. The cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that the in vitro antitumor effect of PTX could be improved by encapsulating PTX into PLGA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles. Moreover, folate-targeted FA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles were more effective than PLGA-F127-PLGA when delivering PTX in folate receptor overexpressing OVCAR-3 cells, which mainly due to the FA-receptor-meditated endocytosis. As the treatment time became longer, the targeting effects were more obvious. The targeting effect of FA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles was also investigated in vitro by measuring the cellular uptake of the nanoparticles. The results showed that FA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles were more easily to be uptaken by OVCAR-3 cells in comparison with PLGA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies indicated that FA-F127-PLGA nanoparticles prolong the circulation time of PTX in plasma, and delay the blood clearance of PTX. These results indicated that Folated FA-F127-PLGA could be a potential carrier in long-term PTX delivery.

Bioavailability and pharmacokinetic comparison of tanshinones between two formulations of Salvia miltiorrhiza in healthy volunteers

Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) is widely used to treat microcirculatory disturbance-related diseases; its lipophilic components play important roles in this application. Cryptotanshinone (CTS), tanshinone I (TSI) and tanshinone IIA (TSA) are the most widely-studied lipophilic ingredients, but low oral bioavailability limits their clinical application. It has been proven that micronization could improve the bioavailability of some drugs, so we’ve conducted this randomized study to investigate whether micronized granular powder (GP) of SM could improve the bioavailability of tanshinones compared with traditional decoction (TD). An oral dose of TD or GP of SM was administrated to subjects and blood samples were collected at predetermined time points. The plasma concentrations of tanshinones were detected by a validated method and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental model. GP of SM resulted in a significant increase in mean maximum plasma concentration (C_max), elimination half-life and area under concentration-time curve (AUC) of tanshinones, with the plasma AUC of CTS, TSI and TSA in GP 5–184, 4–619 and 5–130 times higher than TD. In addition, the individual variances of C_max and AUC were much lower after GP administration. Summarily, tanshinones in micronized GP of SM had higher oral bioavailability and lower individual variances, thus we speculate that it may indicate a better clinical efficacy and be a better choice than current treatments.

Lactobionic acid-conjugated TPGS nanoparticles for enhancing therapeutic efficacy of etoposide against hepatocellular carcinoma

Many effective anti-cancer drugs have limited use in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy due to the drug resistance mechanisms in liver cells. In recent years, tumor-targeted drug delivery and the inhibition of drug-resistance-related mechanisms has become an integrated strategy for effectively combating chemo-resistant cancer. Herein, lactobionic acid-conjugated d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS-LA conjugate) has been developed as a potential asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR)-targeted nanocarrier and an efficient inhibitor of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) to enhance etoposide (ETO) efficacy against HCC. The main properties of ETO-loaded TPGS-LA nanoparticles (NPs) were tested through in vitro and in vivo studies after being prepared using the nanoprecipitation method and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS). According to the results, smaller (∼141.43 nm), positively charged ETO-loaded TPGS-LA NPs were more suitable for providing efficient delivery to hepatoma cells by avoiding the clearance mechanisms. It was found that ETO-loaded TPGS-LA NPs were noticeably able to enhance the cytotoxicity of ETO in HepG2 cells. Besides this, markedly higher internalization by the ASGPR-overexpressed HepG2 cells and efficient accumulation at the tumor site in vivo were revealed in the TPGS-LA NP group. More importantly, animal studies confirmed that ETO-loaded TPGS-LA NPs achieved the highest therapeutic efficacy against HCC. Interestingly, ETO-loaded TPGS-LA NPs also exhibited a great inhibitory effect on P-gp compared to the ETO-loaded TPGS NPs. These results suggest that TPGS-LA NPs could be used as a potential ETO delivery system against HCC.

Nanosystem trends in drug delivery using quality-by-design concept

Quality by design (QbD) has become an inevitable trend because of its benefits for product quality and process understanding. Trials have been conducted using QbD in nanosystems' optimization. This paper reviews the application of QbD for processing nanosystems and summarizes the application procedure. It provides prospective guidelines for future investigations that apply QbD to nanosystem manufacturing processes. Employing the QbD concept in this way is a novel area in nanosystem quality.

Encapsulation of Sesbania grandiflora extract in polymeric micelles to enhance its solubility, stability, and antibacterial activity

Clinical applications of Sesbania grandiflora bark extract (SGE) are limited because of its poor water solubility and stability. SGE was loaded in micelles of Pluronics. In vitro and in vivo antibacterial and toxicity tests were investigated using broth dilution and silkworm model. Aqueous solubility of SGE was improved by these micelles. Activity and toxicity of SGE loaded micelles were dependent on type and concentration of Pluronics. The micelles composed of 1:3 SGE to Pluronic F68 (SGE-PF68-13) showed small size (24.95 ± 0.34 nm), narrow PdI (<0.2), high entrapment efficiency (99.63 ± 0.19%) and negative zeta potential (-41.53 ± 0.15 mV). Stability of SGE in SGE-PF68-13 was 10 times higher than the unentrapped SGE. SGE-PF68-13 showed a dose dependent activity and significantly higher therapeutic effect than the unentrapped SGE. It is concluded that encapsulation of SGE in Pluronic micelles can enhance SGE solubility, stability, and antibacterial activity. SGE-PF68-13 is suitable for further study in mammalian animals.

Glycyrrhetinic acid-decorated and reduction-sensitive micelles to enhance the bioavailability and anti-hepatocellular carcinoma efficacy of tanshinone IIA

It remains a challenge to increase drug tumor-specific accumulation as well as to achieve intracellular-controlled drug release for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) chemotherapy. Herein, we developed a dual-functional biodegradable micellar system constituted by glycyrrhetinic acid coupling poly(ethylene glycol)-disulfide linkage-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (GA-PEG-SS-PLGA) to achieve both hepatoma-targeting and redox-responsive intracellular drug release. Tanshinone IIA (TAN IIA), an effective anti-HCC drug, was encapsulated. Notably, it exhibited rapid aggregation and faster drug release in 10 mM dithiothreitol compared with the redox-insensitive control. Furthermore, GA-decorated micelles revealed HCC-specific cellular uptake in human liver cancer HepG2 cells with an energy-dependent manner, in which micropinocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis were demonstrated as the major cellular pathways. The enhanced cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic effects against HepG2 cells in vitro were observed, mediated by up-regulation of the intracellular ROS level, the increased cell cycle arrest at S phase, enhanced necrocytosis and up-regulation of caspase 3/7, P38 protein expression. In addition, TAN IIA-loaded micelles had a significantly prolonged circulation time, improved bioavailability, and resulted in an increased accumulation of TAN IIA in the liver. With the synergistic effects of HCC-targeting and controlled drug release, TAN IIA-loaded GA-PEG-SS-PLGA micelles significantly inhibited tumor growth and increased survival time in a mouse HCC-xenograft model. Collectively, the GA-PEG-SS-PLGA micelles with HCC-targeting and redox-sensitive characters would provide a novel strategy to deliver TAN IIA effectively for HCC therapy.

A simply triggered peptide-based hydrogel as an injectable nanocarrier of tanshinone IIA and tanshinones

An easily self-assembled and gelated octa-peptide FHFDFHFD was chosen as a novel drug delivery system (DDS) for both tanshinone IIA and total tanshinone extract.