Targeted delivery and controlled release of Paclitaxel for the treatment of lung cancer using single-walled carbon nanotubes

Shear Bond Strength to Enamel, Mechanical Properties and Cellular Studies of Fiber-Reinforced Composites Modified by Depositing SiO2 Nanofilms on Quartz Fibers via Atomic Layer Deposition

Introduction

Poor interfacial bonding between the fibers and resin matrix in fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) is a significant drawback of the composites. To enhance the mechanical properties of FRC, fibers were modified by depositing SiO2 nanofilms via the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. This study aims to evaluate the effect of ALD treatment of the fibers on the mechanical properties of the FRCs.

Methods

The quartz fibers were modified by depositing different cycles (50, 100, 200, and 400) of SiO2 nanofilms via the ALD technique and FRCs were proposed from the modified fibers. The morphologies, surface characterizations of nanofilms, mechanical properties, and cytocompatibility of FRCs were systematically investigated. Moreover, the shear bond strength (SBS) of FRCs to human enamel was also evaluated.

Results

The SEM and SE results showed that the ALD-deposited SiO2 nanofilms have good conformality and homogeneity. According to the results of FTIR and TGA, SiO2 nanofilms and quartz fiber surfaces had good chemical combinations. Three-point bending tests with FRCs showed that the deposited SiO2 nanofilms effectively improved FRCs' strength and Group D underwent 100 deposition cycles and had the highest flexural strength before and after aging. Furthermore, the strength of the FRCs demonstrated a crescendo-decrescendo tendency with SiO2 nanofilm thickness increasing. The SBS results also showed that Group D had outstanding performance. Moreover, the results of cytotoxicity experiments such as cck8, LDH and Elisa, etc., showed that the FRCs have good cytocompatibility.

Conclusion

Changing the number of ALD reaction cycles affects the mechanical properties of FRCs, which may be related to the stress relaxation and fracture between SiO2 nanofilm layers and the built-up internal stresses in the nanofilms. Eventually, the SiO2 nanofilms could enhance the FRCs' mechanical properties and performance to enamel by improving the interfacial bonding strength, and have good cytocompatibility.

A Review on Carbon Nanotubes Family of Nanomaterials and Their Health Field

The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are nanometric materials, in pathogen detection, protection of environments, food safety, and in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as efficient drug delivery systems, is relevant for the improvement and advancement of pharmacological profiles of many molecules employed in therapeutics and in tissue bioengineering. It has contributed to the advancement of science due to the development of new tools and devices in the field of medicine. CNTs have versatile mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, in addition to their great potential for association with other materials to contribute to applications in different fields of medicine. As, for example, photothermal therapy, due to the ability to convert infrared light into heat, in tissue engineering, due to the mechanical resistance, flexibility, elasticity, and low density, in addition to many other possible applications, and as biomarkers, where the electronic and optics properties enable the transduction of their signals. This review aims to describe the state of the art and the perspectives and challenges of applying CNTs in the medical field. A systematic search was carried out in the indexes Medline, Lilacs, SciELO, and Web of Science using the descriptors "carbon nanotubes", "tissue regeneration", "electrical interface (biosensors and chemical sensors)", "photosensitizers", "photothermal", "drug delivery", "biocompatibility" and "nanotechnology", and "Prodrug design" and appropriately grouped. The literature reviewed showed great applicability, but more studies are needed regarding the biocompatibility of CNTs. The data obtained point to the need for standardized studies on the applications and interactions of these nanostructures with biological systems.

Revolutionizing Cancer Care: Advances in Carbon-Based Materials for Diagnosis and Treatment

Cancer involves intricate pathological mechanisms marked by complexities such as cytotoxicity, drug resistance, stem cell proliferation, and inadequate specificity in current chemotherapy approaches. Cancer therapy has embraced diverse nanomaterials renowned for their unique magnetic, electrical, and optical properties to address these challenges. Despite the expanding corpus of knowledge in this area, there has been less advancement in approving nano drugs for use in clinical settings. Nanotechnology, and more especially the development of intelligent nanomaterials, has had a profound impact on cancer research and treatment in recent years. Due to their large surface area, nanoparticles can adeptly encapsulate diverse compounds. Furthermore, the modification of nanoparticles is achievable through a broad spectrum of bio-based substrates, including DNA, aptamers, RNA, and antibodies. This functionalization substantially enhances their theranostic capabilities. Nanomaterials originating from biological sources outperform their conventionally created counterparts, offering advantages such as reduced toxicity, lower manufacturing costs, and enhanced efficiency. This review uses carbon nanomaterials, including graphene-based materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based nanomaterials, and carbon quantum dots (CQDs), to give a complete overview of various methods used in cancer theranostics. We also discussed their advantages and limitations in cancer diagnosis and treatment settings. Carbon nanomaterials might significantly improve cancer theranostics and pave the way for fresh tumor diagnosis and treatment approaches. More study is needed to determine whether using nano-carriers for targeted medicine delivery may increase material utilization. More insight is required to explore the correlation between heightened cytotoxicity and retention resulting from increased permeability.

Nano-mediated strategy for targeting and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer, with over 2.1 million cases diagnosed annually worldwide. It has a high incidence and mortality rate, leading to extensive research into various treatment options, including the use of nanomaterial-based carriers for drug delivery. With regard to cancer treatment, the distinct biological and physico-chemical features of nano-structures have acquired considerable impetus as drug delivery system (DDS) for delivering medication combinations or combining diagnostics and targeted therapy. This review focuses on the use of nanomedicine-based drug delivery systems in the treatment of lung cancer, including the use of lipid, polymer, and carbon-based nanomaterials for traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and phototherapy. The review also discusses the potential of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials for drug delivery in lung cancer, and the limitations and opportunities for improving the design of nano-based materials for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Gelatin-Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Loaded with Cisplatin for Anti-Cancer Therapy

Cisplatin (Cp), a chemotherapeutic agent, interacts with purines on tumor DNA, causing tumor cell apoptosis. However, cisplatin has the characteristics of non-specific distribution and lack of selectivity, resulting in systemic toxicity. Moreover, it cannot maintain the drug's high concentration in the tumor-weak acid environment. These flaws of cisplatin restrict its use in clinical applications. Therefore, a pH-responsive carbon nanotube-modified nano-drug delivery system (CNTs/Gel/Cp) was constructed in this study using gelatin (Gel)-modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs/Gel) loaded with cisplatin to release drugs precisely and slowly, preventing premature inactivation and maintaining an effective concentration. When MCp:MCNTs/Gel = 1:1, the drug reaches the highest loading rate and entrapment efficiency. To achieve the sustained-release effect, CNTs/Gel/Cp can release the medicine steadily for a long time in a pH environment of 6.0. Additionally, CNTs/Gel/Cp display antitumor properties comparable to cisplatin in a manner that varies with the dosage administered. These findings indicate that CNTs/Gel/Cp have an effective, sustained release of cisplatin and a good antitumor effect, providing a theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical application of modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a new drug delivery system.

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials as Drug Delivery Agents for Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Preface to Colorectal Cancer Citing Their Markers and Existing Theranostic Approaches

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the universally established cancers with a higher incidence rate. Novel progression toward cancer prevention and cancer care among countries in transition should be considered seriously for controlling CRC. Hence, several cutting edge technologies are ongoing for high performance cancer therapeutics over the past few decades. Several drug-delivery systems of the nanoregime are relatively new in this arena compared to the previous treatment modes such as chemo- or radiotherapy to mitigate cancer. Based on this background, the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, treatment possibilities, and theragnostic markers for CRC were revealed. Since the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the management of CRC has been less studied, the present review analyzes the preclinical studies on the application of carbon nanotubes for drug delivery and CRC therapy owing to their inherent properties. It also investigates the toxicity of CNTs on normal cells for safety testing and the clinical use of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) for tumor localization. To conclude, this review recommends the clinical application of carbon-based nanomaterials further for the management of CRC in diagnosis and as carriers or therapeutic adjuvants.

Microwave-Assisted Functionalization of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Biosensor and Drug Delivery Applications

Microwave-assisted synthetic methods have emerged as a popular technique for surface modification and the functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for diverse drug delivery applications. Microwave-induced functionalization of MWCNTs provides a high functionalization and requires less time than conventional techniques. Microwave methods are simple, fast, and effective for the covalent and noncovalent conjugation of MWCNTs with various biomolecules and polymers. The present review focuses on the synthetic and drug delivery applications of microwave irradiation techniques (MITs) for the functionalization of MWCNTs, using amino acids and other molecular frameworks containing amino groups, vitamins, proteins, epoxy moieties, metal nanoparticles, and polymers.

Carbon Nanotubes as Carriers in Drug Delivery for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Mechanistic Analysis of Their Carcinogenic Potential, Safety Profiling and Identification of Biomarkers

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a global burden leading to millions of deaths worldwide every year. Nanomedicine refers to the use of materials at the nanoscale for drug delivery and subsequent therapeutic approaches in cancer. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are widely used as nanocarriers for therapeutic molecules such as plasmids, siRNAs, antisense agents, aptamers and molecules related to the immunotherapy for several cancers. They are usually functionalized and loaded with standard drug molecules to improve their therapeutic efficiency. Functionalization and drug loading possibly decrease the genotoxic and carcinogenic potential of CNTs. In addition, the targeted cytotoxic properties of the drug improve and undesired toxicity decreases after drug loading and/or conjugation with proteins, including antibodies. For intended drug delivery, a lysosomal pH of 5.5 is more suitable and effective for the slow and extended release of cytotoxic drugs than a physiological of pH 7.4. Remarkably, CNTs possess intrinsic antitumor properties and are usually internalized by endocytosis. After being internalized, several mechanisms are involved in the therapeutic and carcinogenic effects of CNTs. They are generally safe for therapy, and their toxicity profile remains dependent on their physicochemical properties. Moreover, the dose, route, duration of exposure, surface properties and degradative potential determine the toxicity outcomes of CNTs locally or systemically. In summary, the use of CNTs in drug delivery and NSCLC therapy, as well as their genotoxic and carcinogenic potential and the possible mechanisms, has been discussed in this review. The therapeutic index is generally high for NSCLC cells treated with drug-loaded CNTs; therefore, they are effective carriers in implementing targeted therapy for NSCLC.

Herbal nanomedicines: Recent advancements, challenges, opportunities and regulatory overview

BACKGROUND

Herbal Nano Medicines (HNMs) are nano-sized medicine containing herbal drugs as extracts, enriched fractions or biomarker constituents. HNMs have certain advantages because of their increased bioavailability and reduced toxicities. There are very few literature reports that address the common challenges of herbal nanoformulations, such as selecting the type/class of nanoformulation for an extract or a phytochemical, selection and optimisation of preparation method and physicochemical parameters. Although researchers have shown more interest in this field in the last decade, there is still an urgent need for systematic analysis of HNMs.

PURPOSE

This review aims to provide the recent advancement in various herbal nanomedicines like polymeric herbal nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, phytosomes, nano-micelles, self-nano emulsifying drug delivery system, nanofibers, liposomes, dendrimers, ethosomes, nanoemulsion, nanosuspension, and carbon nanotube; their evaluation parameters, challenges, and opportunities. Additionally, regulatory aspects and future perspectives of herbal nanomedicines are also being covered to some extent.

METHODS

The scientific data provided in this review article are retrieved by a thorough analysis of numerous research and review articles, textbooks, and patents searched using the electronic search tools like Sci-Finder, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, ACS, Medline Plus and Web of Science.

RESULTS

In this review, the authors suggested the suitability of nanoformulation for a particular type of extracts or enriched fraction of phytoconstituents based on their solubility and permeability profile (similar to the BCS class of drugs). This review focuses on different strategies for optimising preparation methods for various HNMs to ensure reproducibility in context with all the physicochemical parameters like particle size, surface area, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, and drug release, along with the consistent therapeutic index.

CONCLUSION

A combination of herbal medicine with nanotechnology can be an essential tool for the advancement of herbal medicine research with enhanced bioavailability and fewer toxicities. Despite the challenges related to traditional medicine's safe and effective use, there is huge scope for nanotechnology-based herbal medicines. Overall, it is well stabilized that herbal nanomedicines are safer, have higher bioavailability, and have enhanced therapeutic value than conventional herbal and synthetic drugs.

Hyaluronic Acid-Conjugated Carbon Nanomaterials for Enhanced Tumour Targeting Ability

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been implemented for chemo and photothermal therapy to target tumour cells overexpressing the CD44+ receptor. HA-targeting hybrid systems allows carbon nanomaterial (CNM) carriers to efficiently deliver anticancer drugs, such as doxorubicin and gemcitabine, to the tumour sites. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are grouped for a detailed review of the novel nanocomposites for cancer therapy. Some CNMs proved to be more successful than others in terms of stability and effectiveness at removing relative tumour volume. While the literature has been focused primarily on the CNTs and GO, other CNMs such as carbon nano-onions (CNOs) proved quite promising for targeted drug delivery using HA. Near-infrared laser photoablation is also reviewed as a primary method of cancer therapy-it can be used alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy to achieve promising chemo-photothermal therapy protocols. This review aims to give a background into HA and why it is a successful cancer-targeting component of current CNM-based drug delivery systems.

Carbon Based Nanodots in Early Diagnosis of Cancer

Detection of cancer at an early stage is one of the principal factors associated with successful treatment outcome. However, current diagnostic methods are not capable of making sensitive and robust cancer diagnosis. Nanotechnology based products exhibit unique physical, optical and electrical properties that can be useful in diagnosis. These nanotech-enabled diagnostic representatives have proved to be generally more capable and consistent; as they selectively accumulated in the tumor site due to their miniscule size. This article rotates around the conventional imaging techniques, the use of carbon based nanodots viz Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs), Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs), Nanodiamonds, Fullerene, and Carbon Nanotubes that have been synthesized in recent years, along with the discovery of a wide range of biomarkers to identify cancer at early stage. Early detection of cancer using nanoconstructs is anticipated to be a distinct reality in the coming years.

Carbon Nanotubes: Smart Drug/Gene Delivery Carriers

The unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (such as their high surface to volume ratios, enhanced conductivity and strength, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, optical properties, etc.) have led to their consideration to serve as novel drug and gene delivery carriers. CNTs are effectively taken up by many different cell types through several mechanisms. CNTs have acted as carriers of anticancer molecules (including docetaxel (DTX), doxorubicin (DOX), methotrexate (MTX), paclitaxel (PTX), and gemcitabine (GEM)), anti-inflammatory drugs, osteogenic dexamethasone (DEX) steroids, etc. In addition, the unique optical properties of CNTs have led to their use in a number of platforms for improved photo-therapy. Further, the easy surface functionalization of CNTs has prompted their use to deliver different genes, such as plasmid DNA (PDNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) as gene delivery vectors for various diseases such as cancers. However, despite all of these promises, the most important continuous concerns raised by scientists reside in CNT nanotoxicology and the environmental effects of CNTs, mostly because of their non-biodegradable state. Despite a lack of widespread FDA approval, CNTs have been studied for decades and plenty of in vivo and in vitro reports have been published, which are reviewed here. Lastly, this review covers the future research necessary for the field of CNT medicine to grow even further.

Novel Span-PEG Multifunctional Ultrasound Contrast Agent Based on CNTs as a Magnetic Targeting Factor and a Drug Carrier

Based on the targeting of ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) and the drug-loading property of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a novel Span-PEG-composited Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX multifunctional ultrasound contrast agent was designed and applied to tumor lesions. In situ liquid phase synthesis was employed to prepare the Fe3O4-CNTs magnetic targeting complex, and the physical method was used to obtain the Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX complex by loading doxorubicin (DOX) onto Fe3O4-CNTs. The targeted drug-loading complex Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX was combined with the membrane material of Span-PEG by the acoustic vibration cavitation method. The maximum tolerance for Span-PEG-composited Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX microbubbles was 450 times higher, which has good safety. The loading rate of DOX in the obtained composite microbubbles was 17.02%. The proliferation inhibition rate of Span-PEG-composited Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX microbubbles on liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells reached 48.3%. Span-PEG-composited Fe3O4-CNTs-DOX microbubbles could significantly enhance ultrasonic imaging and enrich at a specific location under an external magnetic field, and the extended imaging time could ensure the effective observation and diagnosis of lesions.

The Applications of Carbon Nanotubes in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer: A Critical Review

The importance of timely diagnosis and the complete treatment of lung cancer for many people with this deadly disease daily increases due to its high mortality. Diagnosis and treatment with helping the nanoparticles are useful, although they have reasonable harms. This article points out that the side effects of using carbon nanotube (CNT) in this disease treatment process such as inflammation, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis are very problematic. Toxicity can reduce to some extent using the techniques such as functionalizing to proper dimensions as a longer length, more width, and greater curvature. The targeted CNT sensors can be connected to various modified vapors. In this regard, with helping this method, screening makes non-invasive diagnosis possible. Researchers have also found that nanoparticles such as CNTs could be used as carriers to direct drug delivery, especially with chemotherapy drugs. Most of these carriers were multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) used for cancerous cell targeting. The results of laboratory and animal researches in the field of diagnosis and treatment became very desirable and hopeful. The collection of researches summarized has highlighted the requirement for a detailed assessment which includes CNT dose, duration, method of induction, etc., to achieve the most controlled conditions for animal and human studies. In the discussion section, 4 contradictory issues are discussed which are invited researchers to do more research to get clearer results.

Carbon Nanotubes: An Emerging Drug Delivery Carrier in Cancer Therapeutics

BACKGROUND

The scope of nanotechnology has been extended to almost every sphere of our daily life. As a result of this, nanocarriers like Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are gaining considerable attention for their use in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the current article is to review various important features of CNTs that make them as efficient carriers for anticancer drug delivery in cancer therapeutics.

METHODS

In this review article, different works of literature are reported on various prospective applications of CNTs in the targeting of multiple kinds of cancerous cells of different organs via; the loading of various anticancer agents.

RESULTS

Actually, CNTs are the 3rd allotropic type of the carbon-fullerenes that are a part of the cylindrical tubular architecture. CNTs possess some excellent physicochemical characteristics and unique structural features that provide an effective platform to deliver anticancer drugs to target specific sites for achieving a high level of therapeutic effectiveness even in cancer therapeutics. For better results, CNTs are functionalized and modified with different classes of therapeutically bioactive molecules via; the formation of stable covalent bonding or by the use of supramolecular assemblies based on the noncovalent interaction(s). In recent years, the applications of CNTs for the delivery of various kinds of anticancer drugs and targeting of tumor sites have been reported by various research groups.

CONCLUSION

CNTs represent an emerging nanocarrier material for the delivery and targeting of numerous anticancer drugs in cancer therapeutics.

Nanotechnology, in silico and endocrine-based strategy for delivering paclitaxel and miRNA: Prospects for the therapeutic management of breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and reoccurring cancers and the second most common reason of death in women. Despite advancements in therapeutic strategies for breast cancer, early tumor recurrence and metastasis in patients indicate resistance to chemotherapeutic medicines, such as paclitaxel due to the abnormal expression of ER and EGF2 in breast cancer cells. Therefore, the development of alternatives to paclitaxel is urgently needed to overcome challenges involving drug resistance. An increasing number of studies has revealed miRNAs as novel natural alternative substances that play a crucial role in regulating several physiological processes and have a close, adverse association with several diseases, including breast cancer. Due to the therapeutic potential of miRNA and paclitaxel in cancer research, the current review focuses on the differential roles of various miRNAs in breast cancer development and treatment. miRNA delivery to a specific target site, the development of paclitaxel and miRNA formulations, and nanotechnological strategies for the delivery of nanopaclitaxel in the management of breast cancer are discussed. These strategies involve improving the cellular uptake and bioavailability and reducing the toxicity of free paclitaxel to achieve accumulation tumor site. Furthermore, a molecular docking study was performed to ascertain the enhanced anticancer activity of the nanoformulation of ANG1005 and Abraxane. An in silico analysis revealed that ANG1005 and Abraxane nanoformulations have superior and significantly enhanced interactions with the proteins α-tubulin and Bcl-2. Therefore, ANG1005 and Abraxane may be more suitable in the therapeutic management of breast cancer than the existing free paclitaxel. miRNAs can revert abnormal gene expression to normalcy; since miRNAs serve as tumor suppressors. Therefore, restoration of particular miRNAs levels as a replacement therapy may be an effective endocrine potential strategy for treating ER positive/ negative breast cancers.

Hyaluronate Functionalized Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Filled with Carboplatin as a Novel Drug Nanocarrier against Murine Lung Cancer Cells

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged in recent years as a potential option for drug delivery, due to their high functionalization capacity. Biocompatibility and selectivity using tissue-specific biomolecules can optimize the specificity, pharmacokinetics and stability of the drug. In this study, we design, develop and characterize a drug nanovector (oxCNTs-HA-CPT) conjugating oxidated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (oxCNTs) with hyaluronate (HA) and carboplatin (CPT) as a treatment in a lung cancer model in vitro. Subsequently, we exposed TC-1 and NIH/3T3 cell lines to the nanovectors and measured cell uptake, cell viability, and oxidative stress induction. The characterization of oxCNTs-HA-CPT reveals that on their surface, they have HA. On the other hand, oxCNTs-HA-CPT were endocytosed in greater proportion by tumor cells than by fibroblasts, and likewise, the cytotoxic effect was significantly higher in tumor cells. These results show the therapeutic potential that nanovectors possess; however, future studies should be carried out to determine the death pathways involved, as well as their effect on in vivo models.

Synthesis, characterization, kinetic drug release and anticancer activity of bisphosphonates multi-walled carbon nanotube conjugates

The statistical proof that most forms of cancer metastasize to bone tissue has redirected research focus to the development of efficient secondary bone cancer treatment regimens. Bisphosphonates (BPs) have been earmarked as a drug of choice for bone metastasis. However, they have a shortcoming of being released before reaching targeted sites due to their low molecular weight. In haste to attain increased efficacy, there is a tendency for drug overdose to occur, resulting in systemic toxicity. One way to curb this is by employing drug delivery systems for targeted and controlled release of the drugs. Having been explored as versatile and innovative drug carriers, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have emerged as potential drug delivery systems. Hence, in the present study, alendronate, neridronate and pamidronate are three classes of bisphosphonates that were conjugated onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Conjugation was confirmed by characterization techniques including SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, Raman and TGA. Drug release studies were also conducted at pH 1.2, 5.5 and 7.4 to study the mechanism of release for neridronate. Results obtained were fitted into Zero order (42.6%), Higuchi (26%) and Korsmeyer-Peppas (22%). The best models describing the release of neridronate from MWCNTs were Zero order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas at pH 1.2, 5.5 and 7.4, respectively. A tetrazolium cell viability assay was performed to assess the anticancer activity of the MWCNTs conjugated BPs.

Recent advances in the use of carbon nanotubes as smart biomaterials

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have remarkable mechanical, thermal, electronic, and biological properties due to their particular atomic structure made of graphene sheets that are rolled into cylindrical tubes. Due to their outstanding properties, CNTs have been used in several technological fields. Currently, the most prominent research area of CNTs focuses on biomedical applications, using these materials to produce hybrid biosensors, drug delivery systems, and high performance composites for implants. Although a great number of research studies have already shown the advantages of CNT-based biomedical devices, their clinical use for in vivo application has not been consummated. Concerns related to their toxicity, biosafety, and biodegradation still remain. The effect of CNTs on the human body and the ecosystem is not well established, especially due to the lack of standardization of toxicological tests, which generate contradictions in the results. CNTs' toxicity must be clarified to enable the medical use of these exceptional materials in the near future. In this review, we summarize recent advances in developing biosensors, drug delivery systems, and implants using CNTs as smart biomaterials to identify pathogens, load/deliver drugs and enhance the mechanical and antimicrobial performance of implants.

Basic principles of drug delivery systems - the case of paclitaxel

Cancer is the second cause of death worldwide, exceeded only by cardiovascular diseases. The prevalent treatment currently used against metastatic cancer is chemotherapy. Among the most studied drugs that inhibit neoplastic cells from acquiring unlimited replicative ability (a hallmark of cancer) are the taxanes. They operate via a unique molecular mechanism affecting mitosis. In this review, we show this mechanism for one of them, paclitaxel, and for other (non-taxanes) anti-mitotic drugs. However, the use of paclitaxel is seriously limited (its bioavailability is <10%) due to several long-standing challenges: its poor water solubility (0.3 μg/mL), its being a substrate for the efflux multidrug transporter P-gp, and, in the case of oral delivery, its first-pass metabolism by certain enzymes. Adequate delivery methods are therefore required to enhance the anti-tumor activity of paclitaxel. Thus, we have also reviewed drug delivery strategies in light of the various physical, chemical, and enzymatic obstacles facing the (especially oral) delivery of drugs in general and paclitaxel in particular. Among the powerful and versatile platforms that have been developed and achieved unprecedented opportunities as drug carriers, microemulsions might have great potential for this aim. This is due to properties such as thermodynamic stability (leading to long shelf-life), increased drug solubilization, and ease of preparation and administration. In this review, we define microemulsions and nanoemulsions, analyze their pertinent properties, and review the results of several drug delivery carriers based on these systems.

Nanohybrids of Dendrimers and Carbon Nanotubes: A Benefaction or Forfeit in Drug Delivery?

Introduction:

Nanomaterials are emerging as a fascinating delivery systems being explored for the delivery of different bioactives including drug, diagnostic agents and genetic materials etc. Among these nanomaterials dendrimers and Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are being investigated for various biomedical applications. Although both of these nanomaterials have shown great potential in drug delivery yet their promising clinical applications are still suspected due to problems like toxicity, dispersibility etc. Scientists have been investigating the potential of nanohybrids comprising of dendrimers and nanotubes for biomedical applications. Few reports are also available on the toxicological profile of CNTs and dendrimers nanohybrids.

Conclusion:

The results of these investigations suggest two possibilities, first, hybrids of CNTs and dendrimers could suppress each other’s demerits while synergizing the potentials; second, prospective toxicity of nanohybrids on which different reports have discrimination in results. Future biomedical applications of CNTs-dendrimers nanohybrids require a thorough investigation on their toxicity and biological interactions.

Preliminary study on conjugation of formononetin with multiwalled carbon nanotubes for inducing apoptosis via ROS production in HeLa cells

Background

The present work was conducted to prepare and evaluate multiwalled carbon nanotube–formononetin (MWCNT-FMN) composite for sustained delivery and inducing apop-tosis via reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in HeLa cells.

Methods

The composite was prepared by solution mixing with short carboxylic group-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH). Then the composite was characterized by laser particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Drug release rates in vitro were determined by dialysis method. The in vitro cytotoxicity study was performed using water soluble tetrazolium assay. The cellular apoptosis assay, ROS, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of HeLa cells were investigated by acridine orange and ethidium bromide double dye, 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, and 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′,3,3′-tetraethyl-imidacarbocyanine iodide probe, respectively.

Results

The entrapment efficiency was 28.77%±0.15%, and the loading capacity was 12.05%±0.20%. The release of MWCNT-FMN was sustained, and the cumulative release rate of formononetin (FMN) from MWCNT-COOH was higher at pH 7.4 than at pH 5.3. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that FMN, MWCNT-COOH, and MWCNT-FMN had no significant effects on the proliferation and viability of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells over 48 hours, while the cell growth inhibition of the three samples showed concentration-dependent for HeLa cells. Biological assay suggested FMN and MWCNT-FMN could induce apoptosis in HeLa cells, meanwhile the cells exhibited stronger ROS signal and more depolarized MMP than that of the control group.

Conclusion

These results preliminarily demonstrated that MWCNT-FMN exerted anticancer efficacy through cellular apoptosis induced by ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunctions in HeLa cells.

Incorporation of Levodopa into Biopolymer Coatings Based on Carboxylated Carbon Nanotubes for pH-Dependent Sustained Release Drug Delivery

Four drug delivery systems were formulated by non-covalent functionalization of carboxylated single walled carbon nanotubes using biocompatible polymers as coating agent (i.e., Tween 20, Tween 80, chitosan or polyethylene glycol) for the delivery of levodopa, a drug used in Parkinson’s disease. The chemical interaction between the coating agent and carbon nanotubes-levodopa conjugate was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman studies. The drug release profiles were revealed to be dependent upon the type of applied coating material and this could be further adjusted to a desired rate to meet different biomedical conditions. In vitro drug release experiments measured using UV-Vis spectrometry demonstrated that the coated conjugates yielded a more prolonged and sustained release pattern compared to the uncoated conjugate. Cytotoxicity of the formulated conjugates was studied by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay using normal mouse embryonic fibroblast 3T3 cell line. Compared to the non-coated conjugate, the MTT data indicated that the coating procedure improved the biocompatibility of all systems by 34–41% when the concentration used exceeded 100 μg/mL. In conclusion, the comprehensive results of this study suggest that carbon nanotubes-based drug carrier coated with a suitable biomaterial may possibly be a potential nanoparticle system that could facilitate drug delivery to the brain with tunable physicochemical properties.

Targeting matrix metalloproteinases with novel diazepine substituted cinnamic acid derivatives: design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico studies

Lung cancer is the notable cause of cancer associated deaths worldwide. Recent studies revealed that the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is extremely high in lung tumors compared with non-malignant lung tissue. MMPs (-2 and -9) play an important part in tumor development and angiogenesis, which suggests that creating potent MMP-2 and -9 inhibitors, should be an important goal in lung cancer therapy. In the present study, an effort has been made to develop new anti-metastatic and anti-invasive agents, wherein a series of novel diazepine substituted cinnamic acid derivatives were designed, synthesized and assayed for their inhibitory activities on MMP-2 and MMP-9. These derivatives were prepared via microwave assisted reaction of tert-butyl (3-cinnamamidopropyl)carbamate derivatives mixed with 2,3-dibromopropanoic acid and potassium carbonate was added to obtain 4-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-1-cinnamoyl-1,4-diazepane-2-carboxylic acid derivatives. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectroscopy. All the tested compounds showed good to excellent cytotoxic potential against A549 human lung cancer cells. The active compounds displaying good activity were further examined for the inhibitory activity against MMPs (-2 and -9). In addition, the structure and anticancer activity relationship were further supported by in silico docking studies of the active compounds against MMP-2 and MMP-9.

Resveratrol raises in vitro anticancer effects of paclitaxel in NSCLC cell line A549 through COX-2 expression

The aim of this study was to determine the raising anticancer effects of resveratrol (Res) on paclitaxel (PA) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549. The 10 µg/ml of Res had no effect on human fetal lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells or on A549 cancer cells and the 5 or 10 µg/ml of PA also had no effect on MRC-5 normal cells. PA-L (5 µg/ml) and PA-H (10 µg/ml) had the growth inhibitory effects in NSCLC cell line A549, and Res increased these growth inhibitory effects. By flow cytometry experiment, after Res (5 µg/ml)+PA-H (10 µg/ml) treatment, the A549 cells showed the most apoptosic cells compared to other group treatments, and after additional treatment with Res, the apoptosic cells of both two PA concentrations were raised. Res+PA could reduce the mRNA and protein expressions of COX-2, and Res+PA could reduce the COX-2 related genes of VEGF, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, NF-κB, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, procollagen I, collagen I, collagen III and CTGF, TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and raise the TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, IκB-α, p53, p21, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, Bax genes compared to the control cells and the PA treated cells. From these results, it can be suggested that Res could raise the anticancer effects of PA in A549 cells, thus Res might be used as a good sensitizing agent for PA.

Bio-synthesis of peppermint leaf extract polyphenols capped nano-platinum and their in-vitro cytotoxicity towards colon cancer cell lines (HCT 116)

Bio-synthesis of Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) was achieved using Mentha piperita (Peppermint) aqueous leaf extract. Further the ecofriendly synthesized Pt NPs were subjected for various characterization techniques. The characterization results inferred that the green synthesized Pt NPs were said to be in average particle size of 54.3nm. The particles are in spherical shape and it has been entrapped with secondary metabolites (Polyphenols). The polyphenols capped Pt NPs were screened for cytotoxicity against human colon cancer cell line (HCT 116). The results inferred that the ecofriendly synthesized Pt NPs decrease the viability of cancer cells at lower concentrations with IC₅₀ value of 20μg/mL.

Recent advances in carbon based nanosystems for cancer theranostics

This review deals with four different types of carbon allotrope based nanosystems and summarizes the results of recent studies that are likely to have applications in cancer theranostics. We discuss the applications of these nanosystems for cancer imaging, drug delivery, hyperthermia, and PDT/TA/PA.