Potential use of fucose-appended dendrimer/α-cyclodextrin conjugates as NF-κB decoy carriers for the treatment of lipopolysaccharide-induced fulminant hepatitis in mice

Harnessing reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and inflammation: Nanodrugs for liver injury

Overall, 12% of the global population (800 million) suffers from liver disease, which causes 2 million deaths every year. Liver injury involving characteristic reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS) and inflammation plays a key role in progression of liver disease. As a key metabolic organ of the human body, the liver is susceptible to injury from various sources, including COVID-19 infection. Owing to unique structural features and functions of the liver, most current antioxidants and anti-inflammatory drugs are limited against liver injury. However, the characteristics of the liver could be utilized in the development of nanodrugs to achieve specific enrichment in the liver and consequently targeted treatment. Nanodrugs have shown significant potential in eliminating RONS and regulating inflammation, presenting an attractive therapeutic tool for liver disease through controlling liver injury. Therefore, the main aim of the current review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the latest developments contributing to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying nanodrugs in the treatment of liver injury via harnessing RONS and inflammation. Meanwhile, the prospects of nanodrugs for liver injury therapy are systematically discussed, which provides a sound platform for novel therapeutic insights and inspiration for design of nanodrugs to treat liver disease.

Twenty Years of Research on Cyclodextrin Conjugates with PAMAM Dendrimers

Recently, the number of gene and oligonucleotide drugs are increasing. Of various drug delivery systems (DDSs) for gene and oligonucleotide drugs, few examples of the clinical application of polymer as drug carriers are known, despite development of the novel polymers has been progressing. Cyclodextrin (CD) conjugates with starburst polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer (CDEs), as a new type of polymer-based carriers, were first published in 2001. After that, galactose-, lactose-, mannose-, fucose-, folate-, and polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-appended CDEs have been prepared for passive and active targeting for gene, oligonucleotide, and low-molecular-weight drugs. PEG-appended CDE formed polypsuedorotaxanes with α-CD and γ-CD, which are useful for a sustained release system of gene and oligonucleotide drugs. Interestingly, CDEs were found to have anti-inflammatory effects and anti-amyloid effects themselves, which have potential as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Most recently, CDE is reported to be a useful Cas9-RNA ribonucleoproteins (Cas9 RNP) carrier that induces genome editing in the neuron and brain. In this review, the history and progression of CDEs are overviewed.

Applications of Nanobiomaterials in the Therapy and Imaging of Acute Liver Failure

This review focuses on the therapeutic mechanisms, targeting strategies of various nanomaterials in acute liver failure, and recent advances of diverse nanomaterials for acute liver failure therapy, diagnosis, and imaging. This review provides an outlook on the applications of nanomaterials, especially on the new horizons in acute liver failure therapy, and inspires broader interests across various disciplines. Acute liver failure (ALF), a fatal clinical disease featured with overwhelming hepatocyte necrosis, is a grand challenge in global health. However, a satisfactory therapeutic option for curing ALF is still absent, other than liver transplantation. Nanobiomaterials are currently being developed for the diagnosis and treatment of ALF. The liver can sequester most of nanoparticles from blood circulation, which becomes an intrinsic superiority for nanobiomaterials targeting hepatic diseases. Nanobiomaterials can enhance the bioavailability of free drugs, thereby significantly improving the therapeutic effects in ALF. Nanobiomaterials can also increase the liver accumulation of therapeutic agents and enable more effective targeting of the liver or specific liver cells. In addition, stimuli-responsive, optical, or magnetic nanomaterials exhibit great potential in the therapeutical, diagnostic, and imaging applications in ALF. Therefore, therapeutic agents in combination with nanobiomaterials increase the specificity of ALF therapy, diminish adverse systemic effects, and offer a multifunctional theranostic platform. Nanobiomaterial holds excellent significance and prospects in ALF theranostics. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic mechanisms and targeting strategies of various nanobiomaterials in ALF. We highlight recent developments of diverse nanomedicines for ALF therapy, diagnosis, and imaging. Furthermore, the challenges and future perspectives in the theranostics of ALF are also discussed.

Potential therapeutic application of dendrimer/cyclodextrin conjugates with targeting ligands as advanced carriers for gene and oligonucleotide drugs

Despite the recent approval of some gene medicines and nucleic acid drugs, further improvement of delivery techniques for these drugs is strongly required. Several delivery technologies for these drugs have been developed, in other words, viral and two types of nonviral (lipofection and polyfection) vectors. Among the polyfection system, the potential use of various cyclodextrin (CyD) derivatives and CyD-appended polymers as carriers for gene and nucleic acid drugs has been demonstrated. The polyamidoamine dendrimer (G3) conjugates with α-CyD (α-CDE (G3)) have been reported to possess noteworthy properties as DNA and nucleic acid drugs carriers. This review will focus on the attempts to develop such cell-specific drug carriers by preparing polyethylene glycol, galactose, lactose, mannose, fucose and folic acid-appended α-CDEs as tissue and cell-selective carriers of gene and nucleic acid drugs.

Potential Use of Cyclodextrins as Drug Carriers and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Cyclodextrins (CyDs) are extensively used in various fields, and especially have been widely utilized as pharmaceutical excipients and drug carriers in the pharmaceutical field. Owing to the multi-functional and biocompatible characteristics, CyDs can improve the undesirable properties of drug molecules. This review outlines the current application of CyDs in pharmaceutical formulations, focusing on their use as CyD-based drug carriers for several kinds of drugs. Additionally, CyDs have great potential as active pharmaceutical ingredients against various diseases with few side effects.

Applications of cyclodextrins in medical textiles - review

This paper presents data on the general properties and complexing ability of cyclodextrins and assessment methods (phase solubility, DSC tests and X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectra, analytical method). It focuses on the formation of drug deposits on the surface of a textile underlayer, using a cyclodextrin compound favoring the inclusion of a drug/active principle and its release onto the dermis of patients suffering from skin disorders, or for protection against insects. Moreover, it presents the kinetics, duration, diffusion flow and release media of the cyclodextrin drug for in vitro studies, as well as the release modeling of the active principle. The information focuses on therapies: antibacterial, anti-allergic, antifungal, chronic venous insufficiency, psoriasis and protection against insects. The pharmacodynamic agents/active ingredients used on cotton, woolen and synthetic textile fabrics are presented.