Augmented cytotoxicity using the physical adsorption of Poloxamer 188 on allicin-loaded gelatin nanoparticles

Combination chemotherapy via poloxamer 188 surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles that traverse the blood-brain-barrier in a glioblastoma model

The effect of chemotherapy for anti-glioblastoma is limited due to insufficient drug delivery across the blood-brain-barrier. Poloxamer 188-coated nanoparticles can enhance the delivery of nanoparticles across the blood-brain-barrier. This study presents the design, preparation, and evaluation of a combination of PLGA nanoparticles (PLGA NPs) loaded with methotrexate (P-MTX NPs) and PLGA nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel (P-PTX NPs), both of which were surface-modified with poloxamer188. Cranial tumors were induced by implanting C6 cells in a rat model and MRI demonstrated that the tumors were indistinguishable in the two rats with P-MTX NPs + P-PTX NPs treated groups. Brain PET scans exhibited a decreased brain-to-background ratio which could be attributed to the diminished metabolic tumor volume. The expression of Ki-67 as a poor prognosis factor, was significantly lower in P-MTX NPs + P-PTX NPs compared to the control. Furthermore, the biodistribution of PLGA NPs was determined by carbon quantum dots loaded into PLGA NPs (P-CQD NPs), and quantitative analysis of ex-vivo imaging of the dissected organs demonstrated that 17.2 ± 0.6% of the NPs were concentrated in the brain after 48 h. The findings highlight the efficacy of combination nanochemotherapy in glioblastoma treatment, indicating the need for further preclinical studies.

Therapeutic potentials of allicin in cardiovascular disease: advances and future directions

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the predominant cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Against this backdrop, finding effective drugs for the pharmacological treatment of CVD has become one of the most urgent and challenging issues in medical research. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the oldest plants and is world-renowned for its dietary and medicinal values. Allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) is one of the primary natural active ingredients in garlic, which has been proven to have powerful cardioprotective effects and mediate various pathological processes related to CVD, such as inflammatory factor secretion, myocardial cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, and more. Therefore, allicin holds a promising application prospect in the treatment of CVD. This review summarized the biological functions of allicin and its potential mechanisms in CVD, including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptosis effects. Reckoning with these, we delved into recent studies on allicin's cardioprotective effects concerning various CVDs, such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, and cardiotoxicity. Further, considering the tremendous advancement in nanomedicine, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems show promise in addressing limitations of allicin's clinical applications, including improving its solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Through this review, we hope to provide a reference for further research on allicin in cardioprotection and drug development.

Review on novel targeted enzyme drug delivery systems: enzymosomes

The goal of this review is to present enzymosomes as an innovative means for site-specific drug delivery. Enzymosomes make use of an enzyme's special characteristics, such as its capacity to accelerate the reaction rate and bind to a particular substrate at a regulated rate. Enzymosomes are created when an enzyme forms a covalent linkage with a liposome or lipid vesicle surface. To construct enzymosomes with specialized activities, enzymes are linked using acylation, direct conjugation, physical adsorption, and encapsulation techniques. By reducing the negative side effects of earlier treatment techniques and exhibiting efficient medication release, these cutting-edge drug delivery systems improve long-term sickness treatments. They could be a good substitute for antiplatelet medication, gout treatment, and other traditional medicines. Recently developed supramolecular vesicular delivery systems called enzymosomes have the potential to improve drug targeting, physicochemical characteristics, and ultimately bioavailability in the pharmaceutical industry. Enzymosomes have advantages over narrow-therapeutic index pharmaceuticals as focusing on their site of action enhances both their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles. Additionally, it reduces changes in normal enzymatic activity, which enhances the half-life of an enzyme and accomplishes enzyme activity on specific locations.

Enhancing Effector Jurkat Cell Activity and Increasing Cytotoxicity against A549 Cells Using Nivolumab as an Anti-PD-1 Agent Loaded on Gelatin Nanoparticles

The current research investigated the use of gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) for enhancing the cytotoxic effects of nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The unique feature of GNPs is their biocompatibility and functionalization potential, improving the delivery and the efficacy of immunotherapeutic drugs with fewer side effects compared to traditional treatments. This exploration of GNPs represents an innovative direction in the advancement of nanomedicine in oncology. Nivolumab-loaded GNPs were prepared and characterized. The optimum formulation had a particle size of 191.9 ± 0.67 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.027 ± 0.02, and drug entrapment of 54.67 ± 3.51%. A co-culture experiment involving A549 target cells and effector Jurkat cells treated with free nivolumab solution, and nivolumab-loaded GNPs, demonstrated that the latter had significant improvements in inhibition rate by scoring 87.88 ± 2.47% for drug-loaded GNPs against 60.53 ± 3.96% for the free nivolumab solution. The nivolumab-loaded GNPs had a lower IC50 value, of 0.41 ± 0.01 µM, compared to free nivolumab solution (1.22 ± 0.37 µM) at 72 h. The results indicate that administering nivolumab-loaded GNPs augmented the cytotoxicity against A549 cells by enhancing effector Jurkat cell activity compared to nivolumab solution treatment.

Co-Delivery of an Innovative Organoselenium Compound and Paclitaxel by pH-Responsive PCL Nanoparticles to Synergistically Overcome Multidrug Resistance in Cancer

In this study, we designed the association of the organoselenium compound 5'-Seleno-(phenyl)-3'-(ferulic-amido)-thymidine (AFAT-Se), a promising innovative nucleoside analogue, with the antitumor drug paclitaxel, in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based nanoparticles (NPs). The nanoprecipitation method was used, adding the lysine-based surfactant, 77KS, as a pH-responsive adjuvant. The physicochemical properties presented by the proposed NPs were consistent with expectations. The co-nanoencapsulation of the bioactive compounds maintained the antioxidant activity of the association and evidenced greater antiproliferative activity in the resistant/MDR tumor cell line NCI/ADR-RES, both in the monolayer/two-dimensional (2D) and in the spheroid/three-dimensional (3D) assays. Hemocompatibility studies indicated the safety of the nanoformulation, corroborating the ability to spare non-tumor 3T3 cells and human mononuclear cells of peripheral blood (PBMCs) from cytotoxic effects, indicating its selectivity for the cancerous cells. Furthermore, the synergistic antiproliferative effect was found for both the association of free compounds and the co-encapsulated formulation. These findings highlight the antitumor potential of combining these bioactives, and the proposed nanoformulation as a potentially safe and effective strategy to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer therapy.

Bio synthesis, comprehensive characterization, and multifaceted therapeutic applications of BSA-Resveratrol coated platinum nanoparticles

This study examines the manufacturing, characterization, and biological evaluation of platinum nanoparticles, which were synthesized by Enterobacter cloacae and coated with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and Resveratrol (RSV). The formation of PtNPs was confirmed with the change of color from dark yellow to black, which was due to the bioreduction of platinum chloride by E. cloacae. BSA and RSV functionalization enhanced these nanoparticles' biocompatibility and therapeutic potential. TGA, SEM, XRD, and FTIR were employed for characterization, where PtNPs and drug conjugation-related functional groups were studied by FTIR. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of PtNPs and Pt-BSA-RSV NPs, while TGA and SEM showed thermal stability and post-drug coating morphological changes. Designed composite was also found to be biocompatible in nature in hemolytic testing, indicating their potential in Biomedical applications. After confirmation of PtNPs based nanocaompsite synthesis, they were examined for anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Pt-BSA-RSV NPs showed higher concentration-dependent DPPH scavenging activity, which measured antioxidant capability. Enzyme inhibition tests demonstrated considerable anti-inflammatory activity against COX-2 and 15-LOX enzymes. In in vitro anticancer studies, Pt-BSA-RSV NPs effectively killed human ovarian cancer cells. This phenomenon was demonstrated to be facilitated by the acidic environment of cancer, as the drug release assay confirmed the release of RSV from the NP formulation in the acidic environment. Finally, Molecular docking also demonstrated that RSV has strong potential as an anti-oxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agent. Overall, in silico and in vitro investigations in the current study showed good medicinal applications for designed nanocomposites, however, further in-vivo experiments must be conducted to validate our findings.

Revitalizing allicin for cancer therapy: advances in formulation strategies to enhance bioavailability, stability, and clinical efficacy

The main objective of this review is to highlight the therapeutic potential of allicin, a defense molecule in garlic known for its diverse health benefits, and address the key challenges of its bioavailability and stability. The research further aims to evaluate various formulation strategies and nanotechnology-based delivery systems that can resolve these issues and improve allicin's clinical efficacy, especially in cancer therapy. We conducted a comprehensive review of the available literature and previous studies, focusing on the therapeutic properties of allicin, its bioavailability, stability issues, and novel formulation strategies. We assessed the mechanism of action of allicin in cancer, including its effects on signaling pathways, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, and tumor development. We also evaluated the outcomes of both in vitro and in vivo studies on different types of cancers, such as breast, cervical, colon, lung, and gastric cancer. Despite allicin's significant therapeutic benefits, including cardiovascular, antihypertensive, cholesterol-lowering, antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and immune-modulatory activity, its clinical utility is limited due to poor stability and unpredictable bioavailability. Allicin's bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract is dependent on the activity of the enzyme alliinase, and its stability can be affected by various conditions like gastric acid and intestinal enzyme proteases. Recent advances in formulation strategies and nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems show promise in addressing these challenges, potentially improving allicin's solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Allicin offers substantial potential for cancer therapy, yet its application is hindered by its instability and poor bioavailability. Novel formulation strategies and nanotechnology-based delivery systems can significantly overcome these limitations, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of allicin. Future research should focus on refining these formulation strategies and delivery systems, ensuring the safety and efficacy of these new allicin formulations. Clinical trials and long-term studies should be carried out to determine the optimal dosage, assess potential side effects, and evaluate their real-world applicability. The comparative analysis of different drug delivery approaches and the development of targeted delivery systems can also provide further insight into enhancing the therapeutic potential of allicin.

Formulation of silymarin binary and ternary solid dispersions: Characterization, simulation study and cell viability assessment against lung cancer cell line

Silymarin (SL) is a water-insoluble flavonoid used in the treatment of different diseases, but its therapeutic activity is limited due to its low solubility. So, in the present study, SL solid dispersions (SDs) were developed using different carriers like Kollidone VA64 (KL), Soluplus (SP), and Poloxamer 188 (PL) by solvent evaporation (SE), microwave irradiation (MI), and freeze-drying (FD) methods. The phase solubility and saturation solubility studies were assessed to estimate the stability constant as well as the carrier effect. The dissolution studies were performed for prepared SL-SDs (binary and ternary) to select the optimum SL-SDs. The selected SL-SDs (F5, F9) were further characterized for infrared spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Finally, the comparative cell viability assay (lung cancer cell line) was performed to evaluate the change in activity after the formulation of SDs. The phase solubility and solubility study results displayed marked enhancements in solubility. The dissolution study findings showed significant enhancement in drug release from ternary solid dispersions (F7-F9) > ternary physical mixture (PM3) > binary solid dispersions (F1-F6) > binary physical mixture (PM1, PM2) in comparison to free SL. A greater release was observed from ternary SDs due to the addition of PL in the formulation, which had a synergistic effect on increasing the solubility. IR and NMR spectra revealed no chemical interaction between SL, KL, and PL. DSC, XRD, and SEM all confirmed the transformation of crystalline SL into amorphous SL. The cell viability assay demonstrated significantly enhanced results from ternary solid dispersion (F9) compared to free SL. Based on the study results, it can be said that SL-SDs are an alternative way to deliver drugs orally that can improve solubility and have anti-cancer activity.

Bioavailability, Health Benefits, and Delivery Systems of Allicin: A Review

Garlic has been used worldwide as a spice due to its pungent taste and flavor-enhancing properties. As a main biologically active component of the freshly crushed garlic extracts, allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) is converted from alliin by alliinase upon damaging the garlic clove, which has been reported to have many potent beneficial biological functions. In this work, allicin formation, stability, bioavailability, and metabolism process are examined and summarized. The biological functions of allicin and potential underlying mechanisms are reviewed and discussed, including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, antineurodegenerative, antitumor, and antiobesity effects. Novel delivery systems of allicin with enhanced stability, encapsulation efficiency, and bioavailability are also evaluated, such as nanoparticles, gels, liposomes, and micelles. This study could provide a comprehensive understanding of the physiochemical properties and health benefits of allicin, with great potential for further applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.

PEG 400:Trehalose Coating Enhances Curcumin-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticle Internalization in Neuronal Cells

This work proposes a combination of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG) and trehalose as a surface modification approach to enhance PLGA-based nanoparticles as a drug carrier for neurons. PEG improves nanoparticles' hydrophilicity, and trehalose enhances the nanoparticle's cellular internalization by inducing a more auspicious microenvironment based on inhibiting cell surface receptor denaturation. To optimize the nanoprecipitation process, a central composite design was performed; nanoparticles were adsorbed with PEG and trehalose. PLGA nanoparticles with diameters smaller than 200 nm were produced, and the coating process did not considerably increase their size. Nanoparticles entrapped curcumin, and their release profile was determined. The nanoparticles presented a curcumin entrapment efficiency of over 40%, and coated nanoparticles reached 60% of curcumin release in two weeks. MTT tests and curcumin fluorescence, with confocal imaging, were used to assess nanoparticle cytotoxicity and cell internalization in SH-SY5Y cells. Free curcumin 80 µM depleted the cell survival to 13% at 72 h. Contrariwise, PEG:Trehalose-coated curcumin-loaded and non-loaded nanoparticles preserved cell survival at 76% and 79% under the same conditions, respectively. Cells incubated with 100 µM curcumin or curcumin nanoparticles for 1 h exhibited 13.4% and 14.84% of curcumin's fluorescence, respectively. Moreover, cells exposed to 100 µM curcumin in PEG:Trehalose-coated nanoparticles for 1 h presented 28% fluorescence. In conclusion, PEG:Trehalose-adsorbed nanoparticles smaller than 200 nm exhibited suitable neural cytotoxicity and increased cell internalization proficiency.

Elaborated survey in the scope of nanocarriers engineering for boosting chemotherapy cytotoxicity: A meta-analysis study

Cancer is the prime cause of mortality throughout the world. Although the conventional chemotherapeutic agents damage the cancerous cells, they exert prominent injury to the normal cells owing to their lack of specificity. With advances in science, many research studies have been established to boost the cytotoxic effect of the chemotherapeutic agents via innovating novel nano-formulations having different variables. In the current meta-analysis study, combined data from different research articles were gathered for the evidence-based proof of the superiority of drug loaded nanocarriers over their corresponding conventional solutions in boosting the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy in terms of IC50 values. The meta-analysis was subdivided into three subgroups; nanoparticles versus nanofibers, surface functionalized nanocarriers versus naked ones, and protein versus non-protein-based platforms. The different subgroups interestingly showed distinct scoring outcome data paving the road for cytotoxicity enhancement of the anti-cancer drugs in an evidence-based manner.