Surfactant-Free Preparation of Au@Resveratrol Hollow Nanoparticles with Photothermal Performance and Antioxidant Activity

Nano-based drug delivery systems for active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine: Harnessing the power of nanotechnology

Introduction: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining worldwide popularity as a complementary and alternative medicine. The isolation and characterization of active ingredients from TCM has become optional strategies for drug development. In order to overcome the inherent limitations of these natural products such as poor water solubility and low bioavailability, the combination of nanotechnology with TCM has been explored. Taking advantage of the benefits offered by the nanoscale, various drug delivery systems have been designed to enhance the efficacy of TCM in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Methods: The manuscript aims to present years of research dedicated to the application of nanotechnology in the field of TCM. Results: The manuscript discusses the formulation, characteristics and therapeutic effects of nano-TCM. Additionally, the formation of carrier-free nanomedicines through self-assembly between active ingredients of TCM is summarized. Finally, the paper discusses the safety behind the application of nano-TCM and proposes potential research directions. Discussion: Despite some achievements, the safety of nano-TCM still need special attention. Furthermore, exploring the substance basis of TCM formulas from the perspective of nanotechnology may provide direction for elucidating the scientific intension of TCM formulas.

Steady-State Delivery and Chemical Modification of Food Nutrients to Improve Cancer Intervention Ability

Cancer is a crucial global health problem, and prevention is an important strategy to reduce the burden of the disease. Daily diet is the key modifiable risk factor for cancer, and an increasing body of evidence suggests that specific nutrients in foods may have a preventive effect against cancer. This review summarizes the current evidence on the role of nutrients from foods in cancer intervention. It discusses the potential mechanisms of action of various dietary components, including phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The findings of epidemiological and clinical studies on their association with cancer risk are highlighted. The foods are rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and ω-3 fatty acids, which have been proven to have anticancer properties. The effects of steady-state delivery and chemical modification of these food's bioactive components on anticancer and intervention are summarized. Future research should focus on identifying the specific bioactive compounds in foods responsible for their intervention effects and exploring the potential synergistic effects of combining different nutrients in foods. Dietary interventions that incorporate multiple nutrients and whole foods may hold promise for reducing the risk of cancer and improving overall health.

Enhancing the Bioavailability of Resveratrol: Combine It, Derivatize It, or Encapsulate It?

Overcoming the limited bioavailability and extensive metabolism of effective in vitro drugs remains a challenge that limits the translation of promising drugs into clinical trials. Resveratrol, despite its well-reported therapeutic benefits, is not metabolically stable and thus has not been utilized as an effective clinical drug. This is because it needs to be consumed in large amounts to overcome the burdens of bioavailability and conversion into less effective metabolites. Herein, we summarize the more relevant approaches to modify resveratrol, aiming to increase its biological and therapeutic efficacy. We discuss combination therapies, derivatization, and the use of resveratrol nanoparticles. Interestingly, the combination of resveratrol with established chemotherapeutic drugs has shown promising therapeutic effects on colon cancer (with oxaliplatin), liver cancer (with cisplatin, 5-FU), and gastric cancer (with doxorubicin). On the other hand, derivatizing resveratrol, including hydroxylation, amination, amidation, imidation, methoxylation, prenylation, halogenation, glycosylation, and oligomerization, differentially modifies its bioavailability and could be used for preferential therapeutic outcomes. Moreover, the encapsulation of resveratrol allows its trapping within different forms of shells for targeted therapy. Depending on the nanoparticle used, it can enhance its solubility and absorption, increasing its bioavailability and efficacy. These include polymers, metals, solid lipids, and other nanoparticles that have shown promising preclinical results, adding more "hype" to the research on resveratrol. This review provides a platform to compare the different approaches to allow directed research into better treatment options with resveratrol.

Unlocking the Potential of Pterostilbene: A Pharmaceutical Element for Aptamer-Based Nanomedicine

Natural compounds like pterostilbene (PTE) have gained recognition for their various biological activities and potential health benefits. However, challenges related to bioavailability and limited clinical efficacy have prompted efforts to strengthen their therapeutic potential. To meet these challenges, we herein rationally designed and successfully synthesized a pharmaceutical phosphoramidite that allows for the programmable incorporation of PTE into oligonucleotides. The resultant aptamer-PTE conjugate can selectively bind to cancer cells, leading to a specific internalization and drug release. Moreover, compared with free PTE, the conjugate exhibits superior cytotoxicity in cancer cells. Specifically, in a zebrafish xenograft model, the nanomedicine effectively inhibits tumor growth and neovascularization, highlighting its potential for targeted antitumor therapy. This approach presents a promising avenue for harnessing the therapeutic potential of natural compounds via a nanomedicine solution.

Exploration of inorganic nanoparticles for revolutionary drug delivery applications: a critical review

The nanosystems for delivering drugs which have evolved with time, are being designed for greater drug efficiency and lesser side-effects, and are also complemented by the advancement of numerous innovative materials. In comparison to the organic nanoparticles, the inorganic nanoparticles are stable, have a wide range of physicochemical, mechanical, magnetic, and optical characteristics, and also have the capability to get modified using some ligands to enrich their attraction towards the molecules at the target site, which makes them appealing for bio-imaging and drug delivery applications. One of the strong benefits of using the inorganic nanoparticles-drug conjugate is the possibility of delivering the drugs to the affected cells locally, thus reducing the side-effects like cytotoxicity, and facilitating a higher efficacy of the therapeutic drug. This review features the direct and indirect effects of such inorganic nanoparticles like gold, silver, graphene-based, hydroxyapatite, iron oxide, ZnO, and CeO2 nanoparticles in developing effective drug carrier systems. This article has remarked the peculiarities of these nanoparticle-based systems in pulmonary, ocular, wound healing, and antibacterial drug deliveries as well as in delivering drugs across Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) and acting as agents for cancer theranostics. Additionally, the article sheds light on the plausible modifications that can be carried out on the inorganic nanoparticles, from a researcher's perspective, which could open a new pathway.

Resveratrol-Coated Gold Nanoflowers for CT Imaging and Apoptosis/Photothermal Synergistic Therapy of Malignant Melanoma

In the past decade, photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumors based on gold nanomaterials has been widely studied because of their strong extinction ability and high photothermal conversion ability in the near-infrared (NIR) region. However, related research still faces two problems: First, the biosafety of the surface ligands on gold nanomaterials is not ideal and even has strong toxicity, so the surface modification or shell coating is very necessary; second, gold nanomaterials only have a single PTT function, which requires high temperature to achieve better treatment effect. Therefore, it is necessary to enrich the antitumor function of gold nanomaterials and realize synergistic therapy. Natural polyphenols can combine with each other or other substances through various supramolecular forces, forming shells on the surface of nanomaterials and reducing biotoxicity. In addition, natural polyphenols represented by resveratrol have antitumor activity and can induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Therefore, the surface coating method of gold nanomaterials with natural polyphenols with antitumor activity can effectively solve the above problems. In this work, we prepared resveratrol-coated gold nanoflowers (Au@Res NFs) and applied them to the treatment of malignant melanoma. Resveratrol in Au@Res NFs can induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, and Au@Res NFs can play a role in PTT under an NIR laser. In cell experiments, the synergistic effect of apoptosis/PTT on the A375 cells was extremely strong. In animal experiments, Au@Res NFs enriched in tumor sites identified the location and boundary of tumors by computed tomography (CT). The apoptosis induced by resveratrol had a certain inhibitory effect on tumor growth. Further applying the NIR laser, under the synergistic effect of apoptosis and PTT, the tumors were completely eliminated without recurrence during the experimental period.

Current Understanding of Flavonoids in Cancer Therapy and Prevention

Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, with multiple pathophysiological manifestations. In particular, genetic abnormalities, inflammation, bad eating habits, radiation exposure, work stress, and toxin consumption have been linked to cancer disease development and progression. Recently, natural bioactive chemicals known as polyphenols found in plants were shown to have anticancer capabilities, destroying altered or malignant cells without harming normal cells. Flavonoids have demonstrated antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Flavonoid type, bioavailability, and possible method of action determine these biological actions. These low-cost pharmaceutical components have significant biological activities and are beneficial for several chronic disorders, including cancer. Recent research has focused primarily on isolating, synthesizing, and studying the effects of flavonoids on human health. Here we have attempted to summarize our current knowledge of flavonoids, focusing on their mode of action to better understand their effects on cancer.

Resveratrol-loaded selenium/chitosan nano-flowers alleviate glucolipid metabolism disorder-associated cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease

Resveratrol (Res) is a common natural polyphenol that inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the absorption efficiency and in vivo bioactivity of Res are poor. High fat diet-induced metabolic disorders, including obesity and insulin resistance, can promote AD-related β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation, Tau protein phosphorylation and neurotoxicity. Gut microbiota play a role in modulating metabolic syndrome and cognitive impairment. Herein, flower-like Res-loaded selenium nanoparticles/chitosan nanoparticles (Res@SeNPs@Res-CS-NPs) with higher loading capacity (64 %) were prepared to regulate gut microbiota in cases of AD with metabolic disorder. The nano-flowers could restore gut microbiota homeostasis to reduce lipopolysaccharide (LPS) formation and LPS-induced neuroinflammation. Additionally, Res@SeNPs@Res-CS-NPs can prevent lipid deposition and insulin resistance by decreasing Firmicutes levels and increasing Bacteroidetes levels in the gut, further inhibiting Aβ aggregation and Tau protein phosphorylation through the JNK/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway. Moreover, Res@SeNPs@Res-CS-NPs treatment was able to regulate the relative levels of gut microbiota associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and lipid deposition, including Entercoccus, Colidextribacter, Rikenella, Ruminococcus, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, Alloprevotella and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006. Overall, Res@SeNPs@Res-CS-NPs significantly enhances cognitive ability in AD mice with metabolic disorder, highlighting their potential for preventing cognitive impairments in AD.

Nanoparticles derived from naturally occurring metal chelators for theranostic applications

Metals are indispensable for the activities of all living things, from single-celled organisms to higher organisms, including humans. Beyond their intrinsic quality as metal ions, metals help creatures to maintain requisite biological processes by forming coordination complexes with endogenous ligands that are broadly distributed in nature. These types of naturally occurring chelating reactions are found through the kingdoms of life, including bacteria, plants and animals. Mimicking these naturally occurring coordination complexes with intrinsic biocompatibility may offer an opportunity to develop nanomedicine toward clinical applications. Herein, we introduce representative examples of naturally occurring coordination complexes in a selection of model organisms and highlight such bio-inspired metal-chelating nanomaterials for theranostic applications.

Facile approach for surfactant-free synthesis of Au@ginsenoside Rh2 nanoparticles and researches on anticancer activity

Background

Inorganic nanocomposites especially Au nanostructures have exhibited outstanding physicochemical properties in biomedical fields. For further clinical applications on theranostics, especially drug delivery, numerous explorations of green and facile synthesis methods combining with pharmacoactive natural components have been investigated to construct safe and multifunctional bioactive Au nanoparticles (NPs). Ginsenoside Rh2 is protopanaxadiol type compound isolated from plants of genus Panax, with excellent anticancer effect and antioxidant activity. In this research, we prepared the novel Au nanoparticles using ginsenoside Rh2 as both reducing and stabilizing agents.

Results

The synthesized Au@ginsenoside Rh2 NPs were proved to exhibit desirable inhibitory effect on different cancer cell lines, which benefited from the inherent anticancer effect of the ginsenoside Rh2. Investigations in vitro indicated that Au@ginsenoside Rh2 NPs inhibited cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion, induced cell cycle arrest, enhanced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and regulated the protein expressions of caspase-3, 8, 9 to trigger cell apoptosis as well.

Conclusions

Because of the absence of toxic chemical surfactants, the eco-friendly synthesis method of Au NPs modified by natural phytochemicals avoided tedious separation and modification processes. On the other hand, Au@ginsenoside Rh2 NPs also improved water solubility and bioavailability of the hydrophobic drug ginsenoside Rh2. It broadened minds for preparation and application of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) modified metal nanoparticles and deserved further study.

Outstanding flame retardancy for poly(vinyl alcohol) achieved using a resveratrol/tannic acid complex

Resveratrol/tannic acid-poly(vinyl alcohol) (RETA-PVA) blends have been prepared by compression molding using poly(vinyl alcohol), tannic acid and resveratrol as raw materials. The effects of different resveratrol/tannic acid ratios on the flammability of RETA-PVA blends have been studied. The flammability of the RETA-PVA blends was assessed using cone calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results indicate that RETA-PVA molecules occur through hydrogen bonding and RETA-PVA blends are amorphous. The glass transition temperature for RETA-PVA-2 is the highest among all blends and the peak of heat release rate and smoke production rate for RETA-PVA is 38.4% and 43.9% lower than that for PVA, respectively. With the addition of resveratrol, the residual amount of RETA-PVA after complete combustion is greatly increased, to 30 times that for PVA, indicating that RETA-PVA blends display excellent flame retardant properties.

The rigid molecular structure of biobased resveratrol/tannic acid (RETA) complex increases the residual amount of RETA-poly(vinyl alcohol) after complete combustion.

Natural Product-Based Hybrids as Potential Candidates for the Treatment of Cancer: Focus on Curcumin and Resveratrol

One of the main current strategies for cancer treatment is represented by combination chemotherapy. More recently, this strategy shifted to the "hybrid strategy", namely the designing of a new molecular entity containing two or more biologically active molecules and having superior features compared with the individual components. Moreover, the term "hybrid" has further extended to innovative drug delivery systems based on biocompatible nanomaterials and able to deliver one or more drugs to specific tissues or cells. At the same time, there is an increased interest in plant-derived polyphenols used as antitumoral drugs. The present review reports the most recent and intriguing research advances in the development of hybrids based on the polyphenols curcumin and resveratrol, which are known to act as multifunctional agents. We focused on two issues that are particularly interesting for the innovative chemical strategy involved in their development. On one hand, the pharmacophoric groups of these compounds have been used for the synthesis of new hybrid molecules. On the other hand, these polyphenols have been introduced into hybrid nanomaterials based on gold nanoparticles, which have many potential applications for both drug delivery and theranostics in chemotherapy.

Resveratrol-loaded nanomedicines for cancer applications

BACKGROUND

Resveratrol (3, 5, 4' -trihydroxystilbene), a natural polyphenol and phytoalexin, has drawn considerable attention in the past decade due to its wide variety of therapeutic activities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, its poor water solubility, low chemical stability, and short biological half-life limit its clinical utility.

RECENT FINDINGS

Nanoparticles overcome the limitations associated with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, such as limited availability of drugs to the tumor tissues, high systemic exposures, and consequent toxicity to healthy tissues. This review focuses on the physicochemical properties of resveratrol, the therapeutic potential of resveratrol nano-formulations, and the anticancer activity of resveratrol encapsulated nanoparticles on various malignancies such as skin, breast, prostate, colon, liver, ovarian, and lung cancers (focusing on both in vitro and in vivo studies).

CONCLUSIONS

Nanotechnology approaches have been extensively utilized to achieve higher solubility, improved oral bioavailability, enhanced stability, and controlled release of resveratrol. The resveratrol nanoparticles have markedly enhanced its anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus considering it as a potential strategy to fight various cancers.

Evaluation of the anti-oxidative and ROS scavenging properties of biomaterials coated with epigallocatechin gallate for tissue engineering

In tissue engineering, excessively generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) during biomaterial implantation or cell transplantation is a one of major causes of diminishing therapeutic effects. In this study, we prepared biomaterial surfaces coated with antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and metal ions, and evaluated their anti-oxidative and ROS scavenging properties. We revealed that EGCG-coating on polycaprolactone (PCL) film surface increased hydrophilicity and anti-oxidative properties as a function of total phenol content (TPC) potentially due to the increase in phenolic -OH and π-electrons from structural maintenance and directly removed the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by resonance-stabilization. Furthermore, EGCG-coated PCL film increased attachment, spreading area, and viability of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) against H₂O₂ treatment while stimulated the cellular signaling to reduce apoptotic gene and enhance anti-oxidative enzyme expression. Further, we applied EGCG coating on the surface of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) fibers. Spheroids incorporating EGCG-coated PLLA fibers were able to maintain their shape and showed improved viability and anti-oxidative activities in response to H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress than control spheroids. Therefore, metal-phenolic network (MPN) coating of EGCG is a suitable method to impart the anti-oxidative properties to biomaterials by evaluating the structural properties and biological effects.

On-demand responsive nanoplatform mediated targeting of CAFs and down-regulating mtROS-PYK2 signaling for antitumor metastasis

The desmoplastic tumor microenvironment (DTME), including overexpressed stromal cells and extracellular matrix, formed the first barrier for the accumulation and penetration of nanoparticles in tumors, which compromised the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis. In some metastatic cells, overactivity of the tricarboxylic cycle could overload the electron transport chain resulting in increased mtROS production, which triggered the mitochondria-driven tumor migration and metastasis. Hence, we developed HPBC@TRP/NPs for down-regulating the mtROS-PYK2 pathway and remodeling the DTME to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis for the first time. TPP-RSV prodrugs were synthesized and targeted at mitochondria, resulting in the scavenging of mtROS, lower PYK2 expression, and activation of the mitochondria-driven apoptotic pathway. Pirfenidone fully remodeled the DTME through inhibiting the expression of CAFs, hyaluronan and collagen I, thereby reducing IFP, eliminating the immunosuppressive microenvironment by decreasing the expression of TGF-β, and increasing the infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The combination therapy of different mechanisms via targeting the mtROS-PYK2 pathway and CAFs might provide deeper insights into the inhibition of malignant breast cancer growth and metastasis.

Spiral-Dextrin Complex Crystals: Efficient Approach for Colon-Targeted Resveratrol Delivery

In this work, spiral dextrin/resveratrol (SD/Res) crystal, a new colon-specific drug-delivery system, was established by a novel method of encapsulation and cocrystallization to improve the antidigestion ability compared with the SD/Res inclusion complex (SD/Res IC) prepared by encapsulation and coprecipitation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the SD/Res crystal formed a more regular and perfect crystallite than SD/Res IC. Moreover, the encapsulation ability and thermostability of the SD/Res crystal were enhanced as the chain length of SD was increased. In vitro digestion indicated that SD/Res IC merely achieved small intestine-targeted release of resveratrol, while the SD/Res crystal could act as a colon-specific delivery system to protect resveratrol from degradation by gastric acid and pancreatic enzymes. The SD-1/Res crystal presented much higher thermal stability and stronger gastrointestinal stability than other SD/Res crystals and SD/Res ICs, which facilitated its application as a novel colon-target delivery system for resveratrol.

Biosynthesis of silver capped magnesium oxide nanocomposite using Olea cuspidata leaf extract and their photocatalytic, antioxidant and antibacterial activity

Green chemistry is a modern area of research which covers synthesis of nanomaterials through useful, environmentally, economically friendly techniques and their use in different fields. The synthesis involves the formation of bimetallic nanomaterials to enhance their synergistic relationship and achieve special modulated properties. That's why bimetallic nanomaterials are extremely important and gaining interest among researchers in the field of medicinal chemistry for the treatment of various diseases. In this particular study, bimetallic nanoparticles synthesis was done by reduction procedure using leaf extract of Olea cuspidata. The phytochemicals in leaf extract act as stabilizing and capping agent in reduction of precursor's salts. The characterization of green synthesized Ag@MgO nanocomposite was done through several analytical techniques such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Zeta potential. To explore the biological potential of synthesized nanocomposite, antibacterial activities against gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) has been evaluated. The photocatalytic activity in contrary to methylene blue (MB) decomposition was seen efficiently. Moreover, the antioxidant nature of green synthesized Ag@MgO nanocomposite was analyzed by destabilizing and scavenging maximum percentage (93 %) of dangerous and harmful 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The best and surprising results provided the information for the presence of essential and vital components in Olea Cuspidata in the form of organic acids (Citrus Acid) aids in stabilizing the entire structure with enhanced properties. Up to the best of our knowledge, the facts and results obtained regarding the structure of Ag@MgO nanocomposite clearly illustrates the uniqueness of green chemistry and also its role in future developing multifunctional nanoparticles in the field of nanobiotechnology.

Stem cell spheroid engineering with osteoinductive and ROS scavenging nanofibers for bone regeneration

Stem cell spheroids have been widely investigated to accelerate bone tissue regeneartion. However, the directed differentiation of stem cells into osteoblastic lineage and the prevention of cells from damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) remain challenge. Here, we developed osteoinductive and ROS scavenging extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking synthetic fibers based on epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) coating. They were then utilized to fabricate engineered spheroids with human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) for bone tissue regeneation. The EGCG-mineral fibers (EMF) effectively conferred osteoinductive and ROS scavenging signals on the hADSCs within spheroids, demonstrating relative upregulation of antioxidant genes (SOD-1 (25.8±2.1) and GPX-1 (3.3±0.1) and greater level of expression of osteogenic markers, RUNX2 (5.8±0.1) and OPN (5.9±0.1), compared to hADSCs in the spheroids without EMF. The in vitro overexpression of osteogenic genes from hADSCs was achieved from absence of osteogenic supplenments. Furthermore, in vivo transplantation of hADSCs spheroids with the EMF significantly promoted calvarial bone regeneration (48.39±9.24%) compared to that from defect only (17.38±6.63%), suggesting that the stem cell spheroid biofabrication system with our novel mineralization method described here is a promising tool for bone tissue regeneration.

Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Mediated by Garcinia Fruits andTheir Biological Applications

Background: Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using medicinal plant extract is an emerging area of research due to their applicability in nanomedicines. Methods: In this study, aqueous extracts prepared from fruit-pericarps of two Garcinia species, G. indica (GI) and G. cambogia (GC) fruits which are important medicinally and commercially have been utilized for the synthesis of AuNPs. Various analytical techniques were utilized to characterize the synthesized AuNPs. The synthesized AuNPs were investigated for their biological properties such as antioxidant activity using the (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) DPPH model, cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (breast) cancer cell line, and antibacterial activity against two bacterial strains viz. B. subtilis and E. coli. Results: The absorption peak of the AuNPs is observed at 541 nm using UV–Visible spectroscopy. The high resolution – scanning electron microscopy images showed spherical with a triangular shape AuNPs and their average sizes were ranging from 2 – 10 nm and it was found to be in good agreement with the particle size of 8 – 11 nm determined using X-ray diffraction analysis. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that water-soluble biomolecules from the aqueous extracts of the Garcinia species played a crucial role in the formation of AuNPs. The synthesized AuNPs exhibited considerable cytotoxicity with IC50 values 34.55 µg/ml (GI) and 35.69 µg/ml (GC) against the MCF-7 cancer cell line. Furthermore, synthesized AuNPs also demonstrated significant antioxidant and antibacterial properties comparable to the standards used. Conclusion: AuNPs have been synthesized using a simple green approach. The synthesized AuNPs demonstrated promising cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.

Nanoformulations to Enhance the Bioavailability and Physiological Functions of Polyphenols

Polyphenols are micronutrients that are widely present in human daily diets. Numerous studies have demonstrated their potential as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, and for cancer prevention, heart protection and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, due to their vulnerability to environmental conditions and low bioavailability, their application in the food and medical fields is greatly limited. Nanoformulations, as excellent drug delivery systems, can overcome these limitations and maximize the pharmacological effects of polyphenols. In this review, we summarize the biological activities of polyphenols, together with systems for their delivery, including phospholipid complexes, lipid-based nanoparticles, protein-based nanoparticles, niosomes, polymers, micelles, emulsions and metal nanoparticles. The application of polyphenol nanoparticles in food and medicine is also discussed. Although loading into nanoparticles solves the main limitation to application of polyphenolic compounds, there are some concerns about their toxicological safety after entry into the human body. It is therefore necessary to conduct toxicity studies and residue analysis on the carrier.

Therapeutic efficacy of thermosensitive Pluronic hydrogel for codelivery of resveratrol microspheres and cisplatin in the treatment of liver cancer ascites

Ascites constitutes the most frequent decompensating event in patients with advanced liver cancer and is associated with poor quality of life and high mortality. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy appears to be a reliable treatment strategy for advanced liver cancer ascites. However, the rapid metabolism of drugs and ascites dilution limits the efficacy of chemotherapeutics. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a novel thermosensitive hydrogel drug system for targeted therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ascites through intraperitoneal administration. The system was prepared by blending resveratrol (RES) microspheres and cisplatin (DDP) into thermosensitive Pluronic F127 hydrogel. The in vitro anti-tumor activity against H22 cells indicated that the prepared drug system could initiate apoptosis and induce cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. The mice model of ascites with advanced HCC was established to validate the therapeutic potential of the F127 hydrogel drug system in vivo. The results revealed that intraperitoneal administration of F127 hydrogel drug could significantly inhibit the number of ascites, the proliferation of tumor cells, micro-angiogenesis, and prolong the survival of mice, thus, augmenting the efficacy of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Moreover, immunohistochemical staining revealed that the F127 hydrogel drug system was safe and presented low toxicity to major vital organs. Collectively, this study highlights the clinical application potential of the F127 hydrogel drug delivery system.

Polyphenol-Based Particles for Theranostics

Polyphenols, due to their high biocompatibility and wide occurrence in nature, have attracted increasing attention in the engineering of functional materials ranging from films, particles, to bulk hydrogels. Colloidal particles, such as nanogels, hollow capsules, mesoporous particles and core-shell structures, have been fabricated from polyphenols or their derivatives with a series of polymeric or biomolecular compounds through various covalent and non-covalent interactions. These particles can be designed with specific properties or functionalities, including multi-responsiveness, radical scavenging capabilities, and targeting abilities. Moreover, a range of cargos (e.g., imaging agents, anticancer drugs, therapeutic peptides or proteins, and nucleic acid fragments) can be incorporated into these particles. These cargo-loaded carriers have shown their advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, especially of cancer. In this review, we summarize the assembly of polyphenol-based particles, including polydopamine (PDA) particles, metal-phenolic network (MPN)-based particles, and polymer-phenol particles, and their potential biomedical applications in various diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Polyelectrolyte-Mediated Nontoxic AgGa xIn1- xS2 QDs/Low-Density Lipoprotein Nanoprobe for Selective 3D Fluorescence Imaging of Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells, which are a population of cancer cells sharing common properties with normal stem cells, have strong self-renewal ability and multi-lineage differentiation potential to trigger tumor proliferation, metastases, and recurrence. From this, targeted therapy for cancer stem cells may be one of the most promising strategies for comprehensive treatment of tumors in the future. We design a facile approach to establish the colon cancer stem cells-selective fluorescent probe based on the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the novel AgGa _xIn_{(1- x)}S₂ quantum dots (AGIS QDs). The AGIS QDs with a high crystallinity are obtained for the first time via cation-exchange protocol of Ga³⁺ to In³⁺ starting from parent AgInS₂ QDs. Photoluminescence peak of AGIS QDs can be turned from 502 to 719 nm by regulating the reaction conditions, with the highest quantum yield up to 37%. Subsequently, AGIS QDs-conjugated LDL nanocomposites (NCs) are fabricated, in which a cationic polyelectrolyte was used as a coupling reagent to guarantee the electrostatic self-assembly. The structural integrity and physicochemical properties of the LDL-QDs NCs are found to be maintained in vitro, and the NCs exhibit remarkable biocompatibility. The LDL-QDs can be selectively delivered into cancer stem cells that overexpress LDL receptor, and three-dimensional imaging of cancer stem cells is realized. The results of this study not only demonstrate the versatility of nature-derived lipoprotein nanoparticles, but also confirm the feasibility of electrostatic conjugation using cationic polyelectrolyte, allowing reseachers to design nanoarchitectures for targeted diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Targeting mitochondria with Au–Ag@Polydopamine nanoparticles for papillary thyroid cancer therapy

A mitochondria-targeted and exocytosis inhibition strategy of polydopamine-coated inorganic nanoparticles for enhanced papillary thyroid cancer therapy is demonstrated.

Photoinduced Rapid Transformation from Au Nanoagglomerates to Drug-Conjugated Au Nanovesicles

Gold (Au) agglomerates (AGs) are reassembled using Triton X-100 (T) and doxorubicin (D) dissolved in ethanol under 185 nm photoirradiation to form TAuD nanovesicles (NVs) under ambient gas flow conditions. The positively charged Au particles are then electrostatically conjugated with the anionic chains of TD components via a flowing drop (FD) reaction. Photoirradiation of the droplets in a tubular reactor continues the photophysicochemical reactions, resulting in the reassembly of Au AGs and TD into TAuD NVs. The fabricated NVs are electrostatically collected onto a polished aluminum rod in a single-pass configuration. The dispersion of NVs is employed for bioassays to confirm uptake by cells and accumulation in tumors. The chemo-photothermal activity is determined both in vitro and in vivo. Different combinations of components are also used to fabricate NVs using the FD reaction, and these NVs are suitable for gene delivery as well. This newly designed gaseous single-pass process results in the reassembly of Au AGs for incorporation with TD without the need of batch wet chemical reactions, modifications, separations, or purifications. Thus, this process offers an efficient platform for preparing biofunctional Au nanostructures that requires neither complex physicochemical steps nor special storage techniques.

Green biosynthesis of CuO & Ag–CuO nanoparticles from Malus domestica leaf extract and evaluation of antibacterial, antioxidant and DNA cleavage activities

The reactivity of metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles of copper and silver towards in vitro study has been quantitatively investigated.

Structure and dynamics of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride-sodium dodecylsulfate (CTAC-SDS) catanionic vesicles: High-value nano-vehicles from low-cost surfactants

HYPOTHESIS

Catanionic vesicles based on large-scale produced surfactants represent a promising platform for the design of innovative, effective and relatively inexpensive nano-vehicles for a variety of actives. Structural, dynamic and functional behavior of these aggregates is finely tuned by the molecular features of their components and can be opportunely tailored for their applications as drug carriers.

EXPERIMENTS

Here we investigate the aggregates formed by CTAC and SDS, two of the most diffused surfactants, by means of Dynamic Light Scattering, Small Angle Neutron Scattering and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy (EPR). The exploitation of these aggregates as nano-vehicles is explored using the poorly water-soluble antioxidant trans-resveratrol (t-RESV), testing t-RESV solubility and antioxidant activity by means of UV, fluorescence spectroscopy and EPR.

FINDINGS

The presence of a large stability region of catanionic vesicles on the CTAC-rich side of the phase diagram is highlighted and interpreted in terms of the mismatch between the lengths of the surfactant tails and of first reported effects of the chloride counterions. CTAC-SDS vesicles massively solubilize t-RESV, which in catanionic vesicles exerts a potent antioxidant and radical-scavenging activity. This behavior arises from the positioning of the active at the surface of the vesicular aggregates thus being sufficiently exposed to the external medium.

Facile fabrication of a resveratrol loaded phospholipid@reduced graphene oxide nanoassembly for targeted and near-infrared laser-triggered chemo/photothermal synergistic therapy of cancer in vivo

A resveratrol-loaded phospholipid coated reduced graphene oxide was prepared using a sonication method.