Recent Advances in Liposomal Drug Delivery System for Drug Targeting

Advance cardiac nanomedicine by targeting the pathophysiological characteristics of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) has continued to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nanomedicine, which can deliver therapeutic drugs/biomolecules specifically to damaged myocardium and overcome the limitations of conventional therapies, shows great potential in the treatment of HF. Although a number of preclinical studies of cardiac nanoformulations have been published, targeted nanomedicine for HF is yet to be applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is meaningful to sum up past experiences and deepen the understanding of nanomedicine and HF. In this review, we first emphasized the key biological barriers to cardiac nanomedicine that hinder its targeting effect. Since the rational design of nanoparticles should take into account the specific characteristics of HF, we then summarized the key pathophysiological changes of HF to provide a clear understanding on HF, as well as the latest examples of nanotechnology-based delivery strategies for different pathophysiological characteristics. Finally, the major challenges are discussed in detail, aiming to provide guidance for future development of cardiac nanomedicine.

Type and position of linkage govern the cytotoxicity of oleanolic acid rhodamine B hybrids

Oleanolic acid/rhodamine B hybrids exhibit different cytotoxicity depending on the way these two structural elements are linked. While a hybrid holding a piperazinyl spacer at C-28 proved to be cytotoxic in the nano-molar concentration range, hybrids with a direct linkage of the Rho B residue to C-3 of the triterpenoid skeleton are cytotoxic only in the low micro-molar concentration range without any selectivity. This once again underlines the importance of selecting the right spacer and the most appropriate position on the skeleton of the triterpene to achieve the most cytotoxic hybrids possible.