Phospholipid/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin supramolecular complexes are promising candidates for efficient oral delivery of curcuminoids

Luteolin as a potential therapeutic candidate for lung cancer: Emerging preclinical evidence

Lung cancer is a prevalent malignant tumor and a leading cause of cancer-related fatalities globally. However, current treatments all have limitations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify a readily available therapeutic agent to counteract lung cancer development and progression. Luteolin is a flavonoid derived from vegetables and herbs that possesses preventive and therapeutic effects on various cancers. With the goal of providing new directions for the treatment of lung cancer, we review here the recent findings on luteolin so as to provide new ideas for the development of new anti-lung cancer drugs. The search focused on studies published between January 1995 and January 2024 that explored the use of luteolin in lung cancer. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the SCOPUS, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science databases using the keywords "luteolin" and "lung cancer." By collecting previous literature, we found that luteolin has multiple mechanisms of therapeutic effects, including promotion of apoptosis in lung cancer cells; inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis; and modulation of immune responses. In addition, it can be used as an adjuvant to radio-chemotherapy and helps to ameliorate cancer complications. This review summarizes the structure, natural sources, physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics of luteolin, and focuses on the anti-lung cancer mechanism of luteolin, so as to provide new ideas for the development of new anti-lung cancer drugs.

The Golden Spice for Life: Turmeric with the Pharmacological Benefits of Curcuminoids Components, Including Curcumin, Bisdemethoxycurcumin, and Demethoxycurcumins

BACKGROUND

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, is a perennial rhizomatous plant of tropical and subtropical regions. The three major chemical components responsible for the biological activities of turmeric are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.

METHODS

The literature search included review articles, analytical studies, randomized control experiments, and observations, which have been gathered from various sources, such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. A review of the literature was carried out using the keywords: turmeric, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Iranian medicine, traditional Indian medicine, curcumin, curcuminoids, pharmaceutical benefits, turmerone, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The main components of the rhizome of the leaf are α-turmerone, β-turmerone, and arturmerone.

RESULTS

The notable health benefits of turmeric are antioxidant activity, gastrointestinal effects, anticancer effects, cardiovascular and antidiabetic effects, antimicrobial activity, photoprotector activity, hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects, and appropriate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and inflammatory and edematic disorders.

DISCUSSION

Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds usually used as pigment spices with many health benefits, such as antiviral, antitumour, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, anticancer, and antifungal effects. Curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin are the major active and stable bioactive constituents of curcuminoids. Curcumin, which is a hydroponic polyphenol, and the main coloring agent in the rhizomes of turmeric, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anticarcinogenic activities, as well as beneficial effects for infectious diseases and Alzheimer's disease. Bisdemethoxycurcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-metastasis activities. Demethoxycurcumin, which is another major component, has anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-cancer activities and is the appropriate candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

CONCLUSION

The goal of this review is to highlight the health benefits of turmeric in both traditional and modern pharmaceutical sciences by considering the important roles of curcuminoids and other major chemical constituents of turmeric.

Therapeutic Potential of Phenolic Compounds in Medicinal Plants-Natural Health Products for Human Health

Phenolic compounds and flavonoids are potential substitutes for bioactive agents in pharmaceutical and medicinal sections to promote human health and prevent and cure different diseases. The most common flavonoids found in nature are anthocyanins, flavones, flavanones, flavonols, flavanonols, isoflavones, and other sub-classes. The impacts of plant flavonoids and other phenolics on human health promoting and diseases curing and preventing are antioxidant effects, antibacterial impacts, cardioprotective effects, anticancer impacts, immune system promoting, anti-inflammatory effects, and skin protective effects from UV radiation. This work aims to provide an overview of phenolic compounds and flavonoids as potential and important sources of pharmaceutical and medical application according to recently published studies, as well as some interesting directions for future research. The keyword searches for flavonoids, phenolics, isoflavones, tannins, coumarins, lignans, quinones, xanthones, curcuminoids, stilbenes, cucurmin, phenylethanoids, and secoiridoids medicinal plant were performed by using Web of Science, Scopus, Google scholar, and PubMed. Phenolic acids contain a carboxylic acid group in addition to the basic phenolic structure and are mainly divided into hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids. Hydroxybenzoic acids are based on a C6-C1 skeleton and are often found bound to small organic acids, glycosyl moieties, or cell structural components. Common hydroxybenzoic acids include gallic, syringic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, gentistic, and salicylic acids. Hydroxycinnamic acids are based on a C6-C3 skeleton and are also often bound to other molecules such as quinic acid and glucose. The main hydroxycinnamic acids are caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids.

Insight on nano drug delivery systems with targeted therapy in treatment of oral cancer

Oral cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the mouth and is one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. Currently surgical, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are most common treatments. Better treatment and early detection strategies are required. Chemotherapeutic drugs fail frequently due to toxicity and poor tumor targeting. There are high chances of failure of chemotherapeutic drugs due to toxicity. Active, passive, and immunity-targeting techniques are devised for tumor-specific activity. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems are the best available solution and important for precise targeting. Nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes, and cyclodextrins are nano-based carriers for drug delivery. Nanotechnology is being used to develop new techniques such as intratumoral injections, microbubble mediated ultrasonic therapy, phototherapies, and site-specific delivery. This systematic review delves into the details of such targeted and nano-based drug delivery systems in order to improve patient health and survival rates in oral cancer.

A Review of Cyclodextrin Encapsulation and Intelligent Response for the Release of Curcumin

To overcome the low water solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin (CUR), multiple delivery strategies have been proposed. Among these, cyclodextrin-based carriers have been widely used for the encapsulation and delivery of CUR. Cyclodextrins (CDs), as natural oligosaccharides, have been well known for their biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and internal hydrophobic and external hydrophilic structural features. This paper summarizes the recently reported CD-based carriers for encapsulating CUR. Particularly, the polymerization properties of CD self-assembly to enhance the encapsulation of CUR are discussed. In addition, the current progress on stimuli-responsive CD carriers for controlled release of CUR is described, which laid an important foundation for the development of CUR-based precision therapy in clinical practice. In conclusion, this review may provide ideas for the future development of a CD-based encapsulant for CUR.

Therapeutic potential of dietary flavonoid hyperoside against non-communicable diseases: targeting underlying properties of diseases

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global epidemic with diverse pathogenesis. Among them, oxidative stress and inflammation are the most fundamental co-morbid features. Therefore, multi-targets and multi-pathways therapies with significant anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are potential effective measures for preventing and treating NCDs. The flavonol glycoside compound hyperoside (Hyp) is widely found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, beverages, and medicinal plants and has various health benefits, especially excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties targeting nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis associated with oxidative stress and inflammation in NCDs and the biological activity and therapeutic potential of Hyp. Our findings reveal that the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities regulated by Hyp are associated with numerous biological mechanisms, including positive regulation of mitochondrial function, apoptosis, autophagy, and higher-level biological damage activities. Hyp is thought to be beneficial against organ injuries, cancer, depression, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and is a potent anti-NCDs agent. Additionally, the sources, bioavailability, pharmacy, and safety of Hyp have been established, highlighting the potential to develop Hyp into dietary supplements and nutraceuticals.

Oral supramolecular nanovectors for dual natural medicine codelivery to prevent gastric mucosal lesion

The oral administration of a single formulation loaded with more than one natural medicine to treat chronic diseases has advantages such as convenience, effectiveness, and economy. Here, using biomaterials approved by the drug administration, we fabricated supramolecular nanovectors containing dual natural medicines to prevent gastric mucosal lesions. Nanovectors exhibited superior intestinal absorption and bioavailability, which might be due to their high dispersion, good muco-adhesiveness, blood-lymph circulation transport, lipid sensing, and protective effects. Molecular docking results clarified the possible mechanisms in aspects of efflux pump (p-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance protein 1) inhibition effects, metabolic enzyme (cytochrome P450 3A4/1A2) blocking effects, serum albumin deposit effects, and dual drug interaction effects. Nanovectors decreased ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions by lowering the gastric ulcer index, preventing oxidative damage, decreasing interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and malondialdehyde, increasing glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and prostaglandin E2 levels. The interactions of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB or κB kinase-related proteins and dual drugs or nanovector components were simulated computationally to provide an understanding of the gastro-protective action mechanism. In all, industrializable supramolecular nanovectors could effectively co-deliver dual natural medicines via the oral route by improving the pharmacokinetic behavior and exerting protective efficacy of the gastric mucosa by decreasing the oxidative stress and inflammatory level.

Complexation of phytochemicals with cyclodextrins and their derivatives- an update

Bioactive phytochemicals from natural source have gained tremendous interest over several decades due to their wide and diverse therapeutic activities playing key role as functional food supplements, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. Nevertheless, their application as therapeutically active moieties and formulation into novel drug delivery systems are hindered due to major drawbacks such as poor solubility, bioavailability and dissolution rate and instability contributing to reduction in bioactivity. These drawbacks can be effectively overcome by their complexation with different cyclodextrins. Present article discusses complexation of phytochemicals varying from flavonoids, phenolics, triterpenes, and tropolone with different natural and synthetic cyclodextrins. Moreover, the article summarizes complexation methods, complexation efficiency, stability, stability constants and enhancement in rate and extent of dissolution, bioavailability, solubility, in vivo and in vitro activities of reported complexed phytochemicals. Additionally, the article presents update of published patent details comprising of complexed phytochemicals of therapeutic significance. Thus, phytochemical cyclodextrin complexes have tremendous potential for transformation into drug delivery systems as substantiated by significant outcome of research findings.

Biomimetic lipidic nanovectors for effective asparaginase supramolecule delivery

Effectiveness of enzyme therapy is limited by enzyme drawbacks such as short half-life, low bioavailability and high immunogenicity. We loaded asparaginase (Aase) into hydroxypropyl- or sulfonbutylether-beta cyclodextrin to form supramolecular amphiphilic molecules by self-assembly followed by entrapment inside the cores of two biomimetic lipidic nanovectors (AS-XLNs). Supramolecular structure was simulated by molecular docking. AS-XLNs maintained superior activity through isolating Aase from external environment due to docking with cyclodextrin and coating with biomimetic membrane. Fluorescent probes and computational simulations were used to reveal possible interactions between serum albumin/trypsin and Aase/nanovector membrane components which were partly responsible for enhanced bioavailability and bioactivity of AS-XLNs compared to Aase. AS-XLNs significantly increased cytotoxicity against pulmonary tumor cells due to synergistic effects of Aase and nanovector membrane components (killing tumor cells through apoptosis induced by asparagine depletion and autophagy inhibition or via targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor A, alpha-amylase, p-selectin or androgen receptor).

Integrating diverse plant bioactive ingredients with cyclodextrins to fabricate functional films for food application: a critical review

The popularity of plant bioactive ingredients has become increasingly apparent in the food industry. However, these plant bioactive ingredients have many deficiencies, including low water solubility, poor stability, and unacceptable odor. Cyclodextrins (CDs), as cyclic molecules, have been extensively studied as superb vehicles of plant bioactive ingredients. These CD inclusion compounds could be added into various film matrices to fabricate bioactive food packaging materials. Therefore, in the present review, we summarized the extraction methods of plant bioactive ingredients, the addition of these CD inclusion compounds into thin-film materials, and their applications in food packaging. Furthermore, the release model and mechanism of active film materials based on various plant bioactive ingredients with CDs were highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and new opportunities based on these film materials have been discussed.

Formulation and Characterization Studies of Inclusion Complexes of Voriconazole for Possible Ocular Application

In our study Voriconazole (VOR) was selected as an active agent to be used for the treatment of ocular fungal infections. To overcome low aqueous solubility of VOR, inclusion complexes with α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD), hydroxypropyl-cyclodextrin (HP-CD), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) hydroxypropyl-γ-cyclodextrin (HP-γ-CD), methyl-β-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD) and sulfabutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) were formulated. Characterization studies revealed that inclusion complexes were formulated successfully with lyophilization method. Aqueous solubility of VOR was enhanced up to 86 fold with the formation of the inclusion complexes. MTT analyses results revealed the safety of the complexes on 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines while Microbroth Dilution Method revealed the remarkable antifungal activities of the complexes. Analyses results revealed that inclusion complexes will overcome the poor ocular bioavailability of VOR resulting in efficient treatment of severe ocular fungal infections.

Nano Spray-Dried Drugs for Oral Administration: A Review

Spray drying is an important technology that is fast, simple, reproducible, and scalable. It has a wide application range, that is, in food, chemicals, and encapsulation of pharmaceuticals. The technology can be divided into conventional spray drying and nano spray drying. The key advantage of nano spray drying is the production of drug-loaded nanosized particles for various drug delivery applications. The recent developments in nano spray dryer technology and the market launch of the Nano Spray Dryer B-90 by Büchi Labortechnik AG in 2009 enabled the production of submicron spray-dried particles. This review focuses on nanosized drug delivery systems intended for oral administration produced by nano spray drying. First, the nano spray drying concept, the basic technologies implemented in the equipment, and the effects of the various process parameters on the final dry submicron powder properties are presented. Then, the topics of new formulation strategies of oral drugs are highlighted with examples that have entered the research literature in recent years. Next, the subjects of direct conversion of poorly water-soluble drugs, encapsulation of drugs, and drying of preformed nanoparticles are considered. Finally, topics such as morphology, particle size, size distribution, surface analysis, bioavailability, drug release, release kinetics, and solid-state characterization (by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance) of oral drug delivery systems produced by nano spray drying are discussed. The review attempts to provide a comprehensive knowledge base with current literature and foresight to researchers working in the field of pharmaceutical technology and nanotechnology and especially in the field of nano spray drying.

Ternary supramolecular nanocomplexes for superior anticancer efficacy of natural medicines

The discovery of effective anticancer drug delivery systems and elucidation of the mechanism are enormous challenges. Using two drug administration-approved biomaterials, we constructed a natural medicine (NM)-loaded ternary supramolecular nanocomplex (TSN) suitable for large-scale production. The TSN has a better effect against cancer cells/stem cells than NM with differentially upregulated (27 versus 59) and downregulated (165 versus 66) proteins, respectively. Treatment with the TSN induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest, inhibited cell proliferation, metastasis and invasion, reduced colony/sphere formation, and decreased the frequency of side population cells and CD133⁺CD44⁺ABCG2⁺ cells. These results were revealed by multiple analyses (proteomic analysis, transwell migration and colony/sphere formation assays, biomarker profiling, etc.). We first reported the proteomic analysis of small lung cancer cells responding to a drug or its nanovesicles. We first conducted a proteomic evaluation of tumor cells responding to a drug supramolecular nanosystem. The supramolecular conformation of the TSN and the interactions of the TSN with albumin were verified by molecular docking experiments. The dominant binding forces in the TSN complexation process were electrostatic interactions, van der Waalsinteractions and bond stretching. The TSN binds to albumin more readily than NM does. The TSN has good in situ absorptive and in vitro/vivo kinetic properties. The relative bioavailability of the TSN to EA was 458.39%. The NM-loaded TSN is a supramolecular vesicle that can be produced at an industrial scale for efficient cancer therapy.

Current Trends of Targeted Drug Delivery for Oral Cancer Therapy

Oral cancer is an aggressive tumor that invades the local tissue and can cause metastasis and high mortality. Conventional treatment strategies, e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy alone or in combinations, possess innegligible issues, and significant side and adverse effects for the clinical applications. Currently, targeting drug delivery is emerging as an effective approach for oral delivery of different therapeutics. Herein we provide a state-of-the-art review on the current progress of targeting drug delivery for oral cancer therapy. Variously oral delivery systems including polymeric/inorganic nanoparticles, liposomes, cyclodextrins, nanolipids, and hydrogels-based forms are emphasized and discussed, and biomimetic systems with respect to oral delivery like therapeutic vitamin, exosomes, proteins, and virus-like particles are also described with emphasis on the cancer treatment. A future perspective is also provided to highlight the existing challenges and possible resolution toward clinical translation of current oral cancer therapies.

Biomimetic microbioreactor-supramolecular nanovesicles improve enzyme therapy of hepatic cancer

A novel biomimetic nanovesicle-loaded supramolecular enzyme-based therapeutics has been developed. Here, using a biomimetic lipid-D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) hybrid semi-permeable membrane, cyclodextrin supramolecular docking, metal-ion-aided coordination complexing, we combined multiple functional motifs into a single biomimetic microbioreactor-supramolecular nanovesicle (MiSuNv) that allowed effective transport of arginine deiminase (ADI) to hepatic tumor cells to enhance arginine depletion. We compared two intercalated enzyme-carrying supermolecular motifs mainly comprising of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and sulfobutyl-ether-β-cyclodextrin, the only two cyclodextrin derivatives approved for injection by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The ADI-specific antitumor effects were enhanced by TPGS (one constituent of MiSuNv, having synergistic antitumor effects), as ADI was separated from adverse external environment by a semi-permeable membrane and sequestered in a favorable internal microenvironment with an optimal pH and metal-ion combination. ADI@MiSuNv contributed to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy through the enhanced efficacy of enzyme treatment against Hep3B xenograft tumors in rats.