Synthesis, characterization, and formulation of poly-puerarin as a biodegradable and biosafe drug delivery platform for anti-cancer therapy

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

INTRODUCTION

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

OBJECTIVES

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

MATERIALS AND METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

Folic acid-functionalized chitosan nanoparticles with bioenzyme activity for the treatment of spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a central system disease with a high rate of disability. Pathological changes such as ischemia and hypoxia of local tissues, oxidative stress and apoptosis could lead to limb pain, paralysis and even life-threatening. It was reported that catalase (CAT) was the main antioxidant in organisms, which could remove reactive oxygen species (ROS) and release oxygen (O2). However, the efficacy of the drug is largely limited due to its poor stability, low bioavailability and inability to cross the blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB). Therefore, in this study, we prepared folic acid-functionalized chitosan nanoparticles to deliver CAT (FA-CSNCAT) for solving this problem. In vivo small animal imaging results showed that FA-CSN could carry CAT across the BSCB and target to the inflammatory site. In addition, Immunofluorescence, ROS assay and JC-1 probe were used to detect the therapeutic effect of FA-CSNCAT in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that FA-CSNCAT could alleviate the hypoxic environment at the injured site and remove ROS, thereby inhibiting oxidative stress and protecting neurons, which may provide a new idea for clinical medication of SCI.

Impact of Poly(Ester Amide) Structure on Properties and Drug Delivery for Prostate Cancer Therapy

Objective: We aim to develop a polymer library consisting of phenylalanine-based poly(ester amide)s (Phe-PEAs) for cancer therapy and investigate the structure-property relationship of these polymers to understand their impact on the drug delivery efficiency of corresponding nanoparticles (NPs). Impact Statement: Our study provides insights into the structure-property relationship of polymers in NP-based drug delivery applications and offers a potential polymer library and NP platform for enhancing cancer therapy. Introduction: Polymer NP-based drug delivery systems have demonstrated substantial potential in cancer therapy by improving drug efficacy and minimizing systemic toxicity. However, successful design and optimization of these systems require a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between polymer structure and physicochemical properties, which directly influence the drug delivery efficiency of the corresponding NPs. Methods: A series of Phe-PEAs with tunable structures was synthesized by varying the length of the methylene group in the diol part of the polymers. Subsequently, Phe-PEAs were formulated into NPs for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery in prostate cancer therapy. Results: Small adjustments in polymer structure induced the changes in the hydrophobicity and thermal properties of the PEAs, consequently NP size, drug loading capacity, cellular uptake efficacy, and cytotoxicity. Additionally, DOX-loaded Phe-PEA NPs demonstrated enhanced tumor suppression and reduced side effects in prostate tumor-bearing mice. Conclusion: Phe-PEAs, with their finely tunable structures, show great promise as effective and customizable nanocarriers for cancer therapy.

Pharmacological Activity, Pharmacokinetics, and Clinical Research Progress of Puerarin

As a kind of medicine and food homologous plant, kudzu root (Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi) is called an "official medicine" in Chinese folk medicine. Puerarin is the main active component extracted from kudzu root, and its structural formula is 8-β-D-grapes pyranose-4, 7-dihydroxy isoflavone, with a white needle crystal; it is slightly soluble in water, and its aqueous solution is colorless or light yellow. Puerarin is a natural antioxidant with high health value and has a series of biological activities such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-tumor effects, immunity improvement, and cardio-cerebrovascular and nerve cell protection. In particular, for the past few years, it has also been extensively used in clinical study. This review focuses on the antioxidant activity of puerarin, the therapy of diverse types of inflammatory diseases, various new drug delivery systems of puerarin, the "structure-activity relationship" of puerarin and its derivatives, and pharmacokinetic and clinical studies, which can provide a new perspective for the puerarin-related drug research and development, clinical application, and further development and utilization.

Nanocarriers for Active Ingredients of Chinese Medicine (AIFCM) Used in Gastrointestinal Cancer Therapy

Active ingredients of Chinese medicine (AIFCM) are pharmacological substances taken from traditional Chinese medicine that show promise in treating gastrointestinal cancer. Compared with traditional chemotherapeutic drugs, AIFCM have advantages such as multi-target and multi-level treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. Nanocarriers have the following advantages, better bioavailability, passive or active targeting of tumor sites and responsive release of drugs. The use of nanocarriers for delivery of AIFCM in treatment of gastrointestinal cancer, can overcome the disadvantages of some AIFCM, such as insolubility and low bioavailability. In this review, we first outline the background on gastrointestinal cancer, main curative factors and conventional therapeutic approaches. Then, the mechanisms for AIFCM in gastrointestinal cancer therapy are presented in the following four aspects: gene regulation, immune modulation, cellular pathway transduction, and alteration of intestinal flora. Thirdly, preparation of various nanocarriers and results when combining AIFCM in gastrointestinal cancer are presented. Fourth, application of novel targeted nanocarriers and responsive nanocarriers in gastrointestinal tumors is further introduced. Finally, the application of AIFCM in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer is summarized and prospected, hoping to shed some light on the nanocarrier-bound AIFCM in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer.

Self-assembly and disassembly mechanisms of biomimetic peptides: Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental measurement

Drug-loaded pH-responsive nanoparticles are potential drug carriers in nanotherapeutics delivery because they can remain stable in normal tissues but can disassemble and release drug molecules in tumors. In this study, the mechanisms of self-assembly and disassembly were investigated by analyzing the characteristics of three kinds of biomimetic peptides with different components and sequences. The structural parameters and energy changes during self-assembly and disassembly were calculated by molecular dynamics simulation. Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to observe morphological changes and measure the strength of hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions between peptides. Results show that the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions play crucial roles in the self-assembly and disassembly processes of peptides. The structure of the peptide clusters after self-assembly became tighter as the difference between hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions increased, whereas a decrease in this difference led to the increased disassembly of the peptides. In general, polyethylene glycol chain modification was necessary in disassembly, and peptides with straight structures had stronger disassembly ability than that with branched structures with the same components. The morphology of peptide clusters can be controlled under different pH values by changing the composition and structure of the peptides for enhanced drug retention and sustained release.

Identification of the potential mechanism of Radix pueraria in colon cancer based on network pharmacology

Radix Puerariae (RP), a dry root of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, is used to treat a variety of diseases, including cancer. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the efficacy of RP in the treatment of colon cancer (CC). However, the biological mechanism of RP in the treatment of colon cancer remains unclear. In this study, the active component of RP and its potential molecular mechanism against CC were studied by network pharmacology and enrichment analysis. The methods adopted included screening active ingredients of Chinese medicine, predicting target genes of Chinese medicine and disease, constructing of a protein interaction network, and conducting GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Finally, the results of network pharmacology were further validated by molecular docking experiments and cell experiments. Eight active constituents and 14 potential protein targets were screened from RP, including EGFR, JAK2 and SRC. The biological mechanism of RP against CC was analysed by studying the relationship between active components, targets, and enrichment pathways. These findings provide a basis for understanding the clinical application of RP in CC.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome due to inhalation of acryloyl chloride

Background

Acryloyl chloride is a highly toxic volatile liquid that can cause pulmonary edema. However, no sufficient treatment reports have been published to date. Here, we report a case of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by acryloyl chloride inhalation.

Case presentation

The patient was a 36‐year‐old man with accidental exposure to acryloyl chloride. The patient had dyspnea and wet cough, with approximately 88% percutaneous oxygen saturation at room air. He was diagnosed with ARDS and admitted to the intensive care unit. Initially, he was treated with a high‐flow nasal cannula and sivelestat sodium. However, due to the possibility of delayed exacerbation, the patient was switched to methylprednisolone. Oxygenation gradually improved, and the patient was discharged on the day 8 of hospitalization.

Conclusion

We report the case of a patient who developed ARDS with delayed exacerbation after the inhalation of acryloyl chloride, which was treated without endotracheal intubation.

Puerarin induces platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cell apoptosis by targeting SIRT1

OBJECTIVE

Previous investigations indicated the anticancer activity of puerarin. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect and molecular mechanisms of puerarin in chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer cells.

METHODS

We examined the effects of puerarin in platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We also analyzed the molecular mechanism underlying Wnt/β-catenin inhibition and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) regulation following puerarin treatment.

RESULTS

Our study demonstrated that puerarin effectively inhibited cell growth in vitro and in vivo by increasing apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. More importantly, puerarin sensitized cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy. Puerarin treatment decreased SIRT1 expression, which attenuated the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In addition, SIRT1 overexpression diminished the effects of puerarin treatment on cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Further analysis supported SIRT1/β-catenin expression as a candidate biomarker for the disease progression of epithelial ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Puerarin increased the apoptosis of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cells. The mechanism is partly related to the downregulation of SIRT1 and subsequent inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

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

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

Emerging nanotaxanes for cancer therapy

The clinical application of taxane (including paclitaxel, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel)-based formulations is significantly impeded by their off-target distribution, unsatisfactory release, and acquired resistance/metastasis. Recent decades have witnessed a dramatic progress in the development of high-efficiency, low-toxicity nanotaxanes via the use of novel biomaterials and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems (nano-DDSs). Thus, in this review, the achievements of nanotaxanes-targeted delivery and stimuli-responsive nano-DDSs-in preclinical or clinical trials have been outlined. Then, emerging nanotherapeutics against tumor resistance and metastasis have been overviewed, with a particular emphasis on synergistic therapy strategies (e.g., combination with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biotherapy, immunotherapy, gas therapy, phototherapy, and multitherapy). Finally, the latest oral nanotaxanes have been briefly discussed.

pH-Sensitive nanogels for drug delivery in cancer therapy

Compared to normal tissue, solid tumors exhibit a lower pH value. Such pH gradient can be used to design pH-sensitive nanogels for selective drug delivery. The acid-sensitive elements in the nanogel cause it to swell/degrade rapidly, followed by rapid drug release.

Advances of hydrogel dressings in diabetic wounds

The hydrogel dressings with various functions for diabetic wound treatment.

Poly-γ-glutamic acid derived nanopolyplexes for up-regulation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to augment tumor active targeting and enhance synergistic antitumor therapy by regulating intracellular redox homeostasis

The active targeting strategy has achieved inspiring progress for drug accumulation in tumor therapy; however, the insufficient expression level of many potential receptors poses challenges for drug delivery. Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-pGluA), a naturally occurring anionic biopolymer, showed high affinity with tumor-associated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), which localized on the cell surface and exhibited intracellular redox homeostasis-dependent expression pattern; thus, GGT was utilized for mediating endocytosis of nanoparticles. Herein, GGT-targeting nanopolyplexes (γ-pGluA-CSO@Fe³⁺, PCFN) consisting of cationic chitosan and GGT-targeting γ-pGluA blended with iron ion were constructed to load reactive oxygen species-induced menadione (MA) and doxorubicin, which were utilized to investigate the mechanism of GGT up-regulation. Briefly, the pretreated PCFN/MA induced an intracellular oxidative stress environment, which facilitated adjusted up-regulated GGT expression and boosted tumor targeting. Subsequently, the destroyed redox homeostasis sensitized tumors for synergistic therapy. The innovative strategy of augmenting active targeting by disturbing intracellular redox homeostasis offers insight for the application of γ-pGluA-derived nanopolyplexes.

Nano and microscale delivery platforms for enhanced oral peptide/protein bioavailability

In recent years, peptide/protein drugs have attracted considerable attention owing to their superior targeting and therapeutic effect and fewer side effects compared with chemical drugs. Oral administration modality with enhanced patient compliance is increasingly being recognized as an ideal route for peptide/protein delivery. However, the limited permeation efficiency and low oral bioavailability of peptide/protein drugs significantly hinder therapeutic advances. To address these problems, various nano and microscale delivery platforms have been developed, which offer significant advantages in oral peptide/protein delivery. In this review, we briefly introduce the transport mechanisms of oral peptide/protein delivery and the primary barriers to this delivery process. We also highlight the recent advances in various nano and microscale delivery platforms designed for oral peptide/protein delivery. We then summarize the existing strategies used in these delivery platforms to improve the oral bioavailability and permeation efficiency of peptide/protein therapeutics. Finally, we discuss the major challenges faced when nano and microscale systems are used for oral peptide/protein delivery. This review is expected to provide critical insight into the design and development of oral peptide/protein delivery systems with significant therapeutic advances.

Nanomedicine - a promising therapy for hematological malignancies

Hematological tumors are a group of diseases defined as the clonal proliferation of blood-forming cells. In recent years, incidences of hematological malignancies have increased. Traditional methods of diagnosing hematological tumors are primarily based on observing morphological features under light microscopy, and molecular diagnostics and immunological indicators are powerful auxiliary diagnostic methods. However, traditional methods cannot efficiently identify tumor markers and limit the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis. Although treatment methods have been improved continuously, chemotherapy remains a primary technique for the treatment of hematological tumors. Traditional chemotherapy exhibits poor drug selectivity and lacks good biocompatibility and pharmacokinetic properties. The therapeutic effect is not ideal and the risk of toxic side effects is high. The nanosize and surface charge properties of nanodrugs are effective in improving drug delivery efficiency. The high load and rich surface modification methods of nanomaterials provide various possibilities for improving the biocompatibility and pharmacokinetics of drugs, as well as the targeting of drugs. In addition, a nanomedicine loading platform can load multiple drugs simultaneously and design the optimal proportion of combined drug schemes, which can improve the efficacy of drugs and reduce the occurrence of drug resistance. With their unique physical and chemical properties and biological characteristics, the application of nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of hematological tumors has received considerable attention. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the application of various types of nanostructures for the diagnosis and treatment of hematological malignancies, investigate the advantages of nanomedicine compared with the traditional diagnosis and treatment of hematological tumors, and discuss their biological security and application prospects.

Metal-free semi-aromatic polyester as nanodrug carrier: A novel tumor targeting drug delivery vehicle for potential clinical application

Polyester nanomaterials have been widely used in drug delivey application from a longer period of time. This study reports the synthesis of metal-free semi-aromatic polyester (SAP) nanomaterial for drug delivery and evaluate its in vivo acute and systemic toxicity for potential clinical application. The ring opening coplymerization of commercially available cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and phthalic anhydride (PA) monomers was carried out to synthesize fully alternating poly(CHO-co-PA) copolymer using metal-free activators. The obtained low M_n SAP was found to be biocompatible, hemocompataible and biodegradable nature. This copolymer was first-time used to fabricate curcumin (CUR) loaded nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs were physicochemically characterized by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV/visible spectrophotometer analysis. Further, these negatively charged core-shell spherical NPs exhibited slow sustained release behavior of CUR with anomalous transport and further displayed its higher intracellular uptake in SiHa cells at different time-periods compared to free CUR. In vitro anti-cancer therapeutic effects of free CUR and poly(CHO-alt-PA)-CUR NPs were evaluated on different cancer cells. We observed the increased cytotoxicity of CUR NPs with low IC₅₀ values compared to free CUR. These results were further substantiated with ex vivo data where, a significant reduction was observed in CUR NPs treated tumor spheroid's size as compared to free CUR. Furthermore, the different doses of metal-free poly(CHO-alt-PA) nanomaterial were tested for its acute and systemic toxicity in BALB/c mice. We did not observe any significant toxicity of tested nanomaterial on vital organs, blood cells and the body weight of mice. Our study suggest that this metal-free SAP nanomaterial can be used for potential clinical application.

Cysteine-based redox-responsive nanoparticles for small-molecule agent delivery

As a significant part of molecular-targeted therapies, small-molecule agents (SMAs) have been increasingly used for cancer treatment. Nevertheless, most SMAs are currently administered orally due to their poor solubility, resulting in a low bioavailability and unavoidable side effects. Herein, we proposed a promising SMA delivery strategy using a biocompatible and redox-responsive nanoparticle (NP) delivery system to improve their bioavailability, alleviate side effects and enhance therapeutic performance. To demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy, a type of cysteine-based hydrophobic polymer was employed to construct a redox-sensitive nanoplatform for the delivery of various hydrophobic oral SMAs. These SMA-loaded nanoparticles (SMA-NPs) all have a small particle size and good drug-loading capacity. Particularly, lapatinib-loaded nanoparticles (LAP-NPs) with a minimal particle size (79.71 nm) and an optimal drug-loading capacity (12.5%) were utilized as a model to systemically explore the in vitro and in vivo anticancer potential of SMA-NPs. As expected, the LAP-NPs exhibited rapid redox-responsive drug release, enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis, and demonstrated notable anti-metastasis ability and desirable intracellular localization. Additionally, the in vivo results demonstrated the preferential accumulation of LAP-NPs in tumor tissues and the significant suppression of tumor growth. Therefore, the generated SMA-NP delivery system shows great SMA delivery potential for advanced molecular-targeted therapies.