A supermolecular curcumin for enhanced antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities: molecular characteristics, computer modeling and in vivo pharmacokinetics

Three-Dimensional Printing of Curcumin-Loaded Biodegradable and Flexible Scaffold for Intracranial Therapy of Glioblastoma Multiforme

A novel drug delivery system preventing Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) recurrence after resection surgery is imperatively required to overcome the mechanical limitation of the current local drug delivery system and to offer personalised treatment options for GBM patients. In this study, 3D printed biodegradable flexible porous scaffolds were developed via Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) three-dimensional (3D) printing technology for the local delivery of curcumin. The flexible porous scaffolds were 3D printed with various geometries containing 1, 3, 5, and 7% (w/w) of curcumin, respectively, using curcumin-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL) filaments. The scaffolds were characterised by a series of characterisation studies and in vitro studies were also performed including drug release study, scaffold degradation study, and cytotoxicity study. The curcumin-loaded PCL scaffolds displayed versatile spatiotemporal characteristics. The polymeric scaffolds obtained great mechanical flexibility with a low tensile modulus of less than 2 MPa, and 4 to 7-fold ultimate tensile strain, which can avoid the mechanical mismatch problem of commercially available GLIADEL wafer with a further improvement in surgical margin coverage. In vitro release profiles have demonstrated the sustained release patterns of curcumin with adjustable release amounts and durations up to 77 h. MTT study has demonstrated the great cytotoxic effect of curcumin-loaded scaffolds against the U87 human GBM cell line. Therefore, 3D printed curcumin-loaded scaffold has great promise to provide better GBM treatment options with its mechanical flexibility and customisability to match individual needs, preventing post-surgery GBM recurrence and eventually prolonging the life expectancy of GBM patients.

Oral administration of natural polyphenol-loaded natural polysaccharide-cloaked lipidic nanocarriers to improve efficacy against small-cell lung cancer

Oral administration shows good tolerance in patients. Botanic anticancer drugs without serious side effects have attracted increased attention worldwide. However, oral delivery of natural anticancer drugs faces great challenges due to low solubility, gastrointestinal side effects, first-pass effects, and P-glycoprotein efflux. Here, we loaded the natural polyphenol curcumin (Cc) into natural polysaccharide-cloaked lipidic nanocarriers (Cc@CLNs) to improve the efficacy in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) associated with oral administration. Compared to other nanoformulations, Cc@CLNs have advantages of simple operation, easy scale-up, low cost, and high safety. Cc@CLNs improve bioavailability by inducing synergistic effects (efficient cell membrane penetration, inherent muco-adhesiveness, resistance to pepsin and trypsin degradation, promoted dissolution, enhanced epithelia/M cellular uptake and inhibition of efflux transporters) and countering the tendency of nanocarriers to aggregate and fuse, which limit lipid-based nanosystems. In this study, we first evaluated the oral bioavailability of Cc@CLNs in rats and their efficacy in H446 tumor-bearing mice. The oral bioavailability increased by 8.94-fold, and the tumor growth inhibition rate doubled compared to that achieved with free Cc. We investigated the action of Cc against SCLC stem cells, and Cc@CLNs greatly enhanced this action. The expression of CD133 and ABCG2 in the Cc@CLNs group decreased by 38.05% and 32.57%, respectively, compared to the respective expression levels in the control.

Cytomembrane-mimicking nanocarriers with a scaffold consisting of a CD44-targeted endogenous component for effective asparaginase supramolecule delivery

Highly effective and safe delivery of therapeutic enzymes is pivotal to the success of antitumor therapy. Herein, we report on a targeted enzyme delivery system based on cytomembrane-mimicking nanocarriers (CmN) and a supramolecular technique (SmT). Specifically, each CmN had a scaffold that mainly consisted of a CD44-targeted endogenous component conjugated with polyethylene glycol 2000 (HA-g-PEG) that self-assembled with α-cyclodextrin (ACD). The CmN acted as a microbioreactor with an inner hollow space with the capacity to confine the large molecule asparaginase (Asp) in an Asp/ACD-supramolecular complex conjugated to the inner region. The supramolecular Asp loaded into the CmN (A-S-CmN) exhibited superior stability, kinetic properties, catalytic activity and antitumor effects compared to free Asp due to the dual protection of the supramolecular complex and the nanovesicle, the CD44 targeting-homing ability, the prolonged effects of HA-g-PEG, and the favorable inner microenvironment of the constructed supramolecular CmN. The A-S-CmN also showed a decrease in in vivo toxicity and immunogenicity. CmN combined with SmT therapeutics are easy to implement and extend for use in the delivery of various enzymes and for many types of cancer treatment.

Natural Oral Anticancer Medication in Small Ethanol Nanosomes Coated with a Natural Alkaline Polysaccharide

Oral medication is the most acceptable therapy to treat chronic diseases. Natural drugs and excipients have unique advantages, such as low cost and high safety. We first investigated modified ethanol nanosomes for tumor treatment via oral administration. We loaded curcumin (CM) into small ethanol nanosomes coated with the natural alkaline polysaccharide chitosan (CCSET) for increased absorption and bioavailability and enhanced efficacy against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Compared to CM and noncoated ethanol nanosomes, CCSETs exhibited superior physicochemical, in vitro-in vivo kinetic, and absorptive properties and treatment efficacy at the cellular and animal levels. The interaction of CM and serum albumin (the quantitative binding force) was analyzed. The bioavailability of CCSET increased by 11.84-fold and the tumor growth inhibition rate increased markedly compared to CM. We first confirmed the effect of CM on SCLC stem cells, and CCSET greatly enhanced this action. We first reported that CM had an antitumor effect on SCLC at the animal level and that CCSET enhanced this effect. Natural alkaline polysaccharide-coated small ethanol nanosomes delivering natural medicine may be a potential oral anticancer strategy.

Improved delivery of natural alkaloids into lung cancer through woody oil-based emulsive nanosystems

Most antitumor ingredients found in nature have poor solubility. These ingredients are expected to have much better absorption and higher bioavailability than synthetic antitumor agents. Woody oil emulsive nanosystems carrying poorly soluble natural alkaloids were fabricated (evodiamine (EA) carried by fructus bruceae oil-based emulsive nanosystems, or EFEN). Fructus bruceae oil has two excipient-like properties (oil phase and stabilizer) that contribute to the formulation and one drug-like property (antitumor effects) that synergizes with the antitumor effect of EA. The properties of EFEN were compared with free EA, a blank nanoemulsion, an EA-loaded emulsive nanosystem, and a fructus bruceae oil-loaded emulsive nanosystem. For the first time, this suggests that increases in the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to poorly soluble natural alkaloids can be achieved by delivering drugs using woody oil-based emulsive nanosystems. In this study, woody oil-based emulsive nanosystems efficiently deliver poorly soluble natural alkaloids.

Catan-ionic hybrid lipidic nano-carriers for enhanced bioavailability and anti-tumor efficacy of chemodrugs

To date there has not been any report on catan-ionic hybrid lipidic nano-carriers, let alone a report on applying them to deliver insoluble anti-tumor drugs. Catan-ionic hybrid lipidic nano-carriers containing curcumin (CUR-C-HLN) inherit the merits of catan-ionic systems, hybrid lipidic systems and nano-structured carriers (the second-generation substitute of solid lipidic nano-systems). Catan-ionic surfactants increased microvesicle stabilization by producing unordered isometric clusters, enhanced absorptive amount as an inhibitor of enzyme and protein, improved tumor accumulation by cellular endocytosis and membranous fusion; hybrid lipids helped to obtain high drug content and low leakage by forming a less-organized matrix arrangement. CUR-C-HLN favorably changed absorptive and pharmacokinetic properties after oral and/or intravenous administrations; improved cell growth inhibition, apoptotic inducing and anti-invasion effects; enhanced antitumor efficiency and reduced cancerous growth. Catan-ionic hybrid lipidic nano-carriers provide an alternative good choice for effective delivery of anticancerous chemodrugs.

Novel nanoemulsion based lipid nanosystems for favorable in vitro and in vivo characteristics of curcumin

The goal of this study was to assess the enhanced elementary characteristics, in vitro release, anti-cancer cytotoxicity, in situ absorption and in vivo bioavailability of a novel nanoemulsion based lipid nanosystems containing curcumin (CNELNs) when administered orally. The CNELNs were first fabricated by loading water-in-oil nanoemulsions into lipid nanosystems using a nanoemulsion-film dispersion-sonication method. The gastro-intestinal absorption, in vitro release and in vivo kinetic property of CNELNs were investigated using an in situ perfusion method, a dialysis method and a concentration-time curve based method, respectively. The inhibitory effects of CNELNs on human lung cancer A549 cell growth were determined using MTT assay. The absorption constants and effective permeabilities of CNELNs in different gastro-intestinal tracts increased 2.29-4.04 times and 4.06-8.27 times that of curcumin (CUR), respectively. The relative bioavailability of CNELNs to free CUR was 733.59%. CNELNs inhibited A549 growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CNELNs markedly improved the oral bioavailability of CUR which was probably due to the increased gastro-intestinal absorption. CNELNs had stronger inhibitory effects on the viabilities of A549 cells than that of free CUR. CNELNs might be promising nanosystems for oral delivery of CUR to satisfy clinical requirements.

Catanionic lipid nanosystems improve pharmacokinetics and anti-lung cancer activity of curcumin

Novel catanionic lipid nanosystems (CLNs) incorporating curcumin (CCM) were developed, and improvements in pharmacokinetics and enhanced anti-lung cancer activity were observed. CCM was present in a lipid matrix surrounded by cationic, anionic and zwitterionic surfactants, forming the core-shell nanosystems. Compared with free CCM, the CCM-CLNs had much higher oral and intravenous bioavailabilities due to enhanced absorption and reduced clearance. The CCM-CLNs exhibited greater cytotoxicity in Lewis lung cancer (LLC) cells, which might have been due to increased antiproliferative, proapoptotic and anti-invasive activities and induction of cell cycle arrest. The CCM-CLNs increased the antitumor efficacy of CCM and decreased the tumor growth rate in tumor-bearing mice. This is the first report of induction of apoptosis in LLC cells by CCM through the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1/Bim signaling pathway. Catanionic lipid nanocarriers show promise for the therapeutic delivery of insoluble anti-tumor drugs.

Evodiamine induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis via mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum pathways in H446 and H1688 human small-cell lung cancer cells

The goal of this study was to evaluate the ability of EVO to decrease cell viability and promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rates among all cancers. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for SCLC; however, the drugs that are currently used for SCLC are less effective than those used for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, it is necessary to develop new drugs to treat SCLC. In this study, the effects of evodiamine (EVO) on cell growth, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were investigated in the human SCLC cell lines NCI-H446 and NCI-H1688. The results represent the first report that EVO can significantly inhibit the viability of both H446 and H1688 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. EVO induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, induced apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of caspase-12 and cytochrome C protein, and induced the expression of Bax mRNA and by down-regulating of the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in both H446 and H1688 cells. However, there was no effect on the protein expression of caspase-8. Taken together, the inhibitory effects of EVO on the growth of H446 and H1688 cells might be attributable to G2/M arrest and subsequent apoptosis, through mitochondria-dependent and endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced pathways (intrinsic caspase-dependent pathways) but not through the death receptor-induced pathway (extrinsic caspase-dependent pathway). Our findings suggest that EVO is a promising novel and potent antitumor drug candidate for SCLC. Furthermore, the cell cycle, the mitochondria and the ER stress pathways are rational targets for the future development of an EVO delivery system to treat SCLC.

The formulation and delivery of curcumin with solid lipid nanoparticles for the treatment of on non-small cell lung cancer both in vitro and in vivo

Curcumin was determined to have anticancer potency on several kinds of carcinoma. However, its medical application was limited because of its poor bioavailability, unsatisfying dispersity and rapid metabolism in vivo. In this study, curcumin was delivered by solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) for lung cancer treatment. The physiochemical characters of SLN-curcumin were detected by HPLC, TEM, Zeta potential analysis and FTIR, and the anticancer efficiency on lung cancer was determined both in vitro and in vivo. SLN-curcumin was synthesized by sol-gel method with the size ranged from 20 to 80 nm. After being loaded in SLN, the IC50 of SLN-curcumin on A549 cells was 4 μM, only 1/20 of plain drug. The plasmid concentration of curcumin was highly increased in mice via i.p. after loaded with SLN. Furthermore, SLN-curcumin enhanced the targeting of curcumin to lung and tumor, which finally increased the inhibition efficiency of curcumin from 19.5% to 69.3%. The Flow Cytometry (FCM) analysis and immuno staining confirmed that the inhibition effect mostly came from apoptosis, but not necrosis. The tumor targeting and profound tumor inhibition effect of SLN-curcumin indicated its medical application on lung cancer treatment, and also provided a novel method for new anticancer agents' development.