Formulation of curcumin delivery with functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes: characteristics and anticancer effects in vitro

Transforming cancer treatment: The potential of nanonutraceuticals

Chemotherapy in the management of cancer is constrained by limitations like off-target effects, poor bioavailability, and dose-dependent toxicity. Nutraceuticals have been explored as an innovative strategy to overcome chemotherapy drawbacks.However, the clinical utility of nutraceuticals is restricted due to their complex structures, less water solubility, reduced stability, decreased bioavailability and more obstacles in the gastrointestinal tract. Nanonutraceuticals are nanosized nutraceutical particles having enhanced solubility, improved bioavailability, stability, and targeted delivery to specific cells. Nutraceuticals can be co-delivered with other chemotherapeutic drugs in nanocarriers to elicit synergistic effects. The targeting of nutraceuticals against cancer cells can be enabled by coupling ligands with the nanocarriers, which direct to the overexpressed receptors found at the surface of the cancer cells. Transitioning a nanonutraceutical from pre-clinical research to clinical trials is a pivotal step. This focus on advancing their application holds great potential for impacting clinical research and improving the treatment landscape for cancer patients. This review focuses on the role of nutraceuticals for cancer treatment, various nanocarriers for the efficient delivery of nutraceuticals along with co-administration of nutraceuticals with chemotherapeutic drugs using nanocarriers. Also, emphasize the targeting of ligands coupled nanocarriers to the cancer cells along with patents and clinical trials for nanonutraceuticals.

Exploration of the photothermal role of curcumin-loaded targeted carbon nanotubes as a potential therapy for melanoma cancer

In this research, the hydrophilic structure of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was modified by synthesizing polycitric acid (PCA) and attaching folic acid (FA) to create MWCNT-PCA-FA. This modified nanocomplex was utilized as a carrier for the lipophilic compound curcumin (Cur). Characterization techniques including TGA, TEM, and UV-visible spectrophotometry were used to analyze the nanocomplex. The mechanism of cancer cell death induced by MWCNT-PCA-FA was studied extensively using the MTT assay, colony formation analysis, cell cycle assessment via flow cytometry, and apoptosis studies. Furthermore, we assessed the antitumor efficacy of these targeted nanocomplexes following exposure to laser radiation. The results showed that the nanocomposites and free Cur had significant toxicity on melanoma cancer cells (B16F10 cells) while having minimal impact on normal cells (NHDF cells). This selectivity for cancerous cells demonstrates the potential of these compounds as therapeutic agents. Furthermore, MWCNT-PCA-FA/Cur showed superior cytotoxicity compared to free Cur alone. Colony formation studies confirmed these results. The researchers found that MWCNT-FA-PCA/Cur effectively induced programmed cell death. In photothermal analysis, MWCNT-PCA-FA/Cur combined with laser treatment achieved the highest mortality rate. These promising results suggest that this multifunctional therapeutic nanoplatform holds the potential for combination cancer therapies that utilize various established therapeutic methods.

Curcumin coating: a novel solution to mitigate inherent carbon nanotube toxicity

Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) are inert structures with high aspect ratios that are widely used as vehicles for targeted drug delivery in cancer and many other diseases. They are largely non-toxic in nature however, when cells are exposed to these nanotubes for prolonged durations or at high concentrations, they show certain adverse effects. These include cytotoxicity, inflammation, generation of oxidative stress, and genotoxicity among others. To combat such adverse effects, various moieties can be attached to the surface of these nanotubes. Curcumin is a known anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytoprotective compound derived from a medicinal plant called Curcuma longa. In this study, we have synthesized and characterized Curcumin coated-lysine functionalized MWCNTs and further evaluated the cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic effect of Curcumin coating on the surface of MWCNTs. The results show a significant decrease in the level of inflammatory molecules like IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNFα and NFκB in cells exposed to Curcumin-coated MWCNTs as compared to the uncoated ones at both transcript and protein levels. Further, compared to the uncoated samples, there is a reduction in ROS production and upregulation of antioxidant enzyme-Catalase in the cells treated with Curcumin-coated MWCNTs. Curcumin coating also helped in recovery of mitochondrial membrane potential in the cells exposed to MWCNTs. Lastly, cells exposed to Curcumin-coated MWCNTs showed reduced cell death as compared to the ones exposed to uncoated MWCNTs. Our findings suggest that coating of Curcumin on the surface of MWCNTs reduces its ability to cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death.

Carbon Nanomaterials (CNMs) in Cancer Therapy: A Database of CNM-Based Nanocarrier Systems

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) are an incredibly versatile class of materials that can be used as scaffolds to construct anticancer nanocarrier systems. The ease of chemical functionalisation, biocompatibility, and intrinsic therapeutic capabilities of many of these nanoparticles can be leveraged to design effective anticancer systems. This article is the first comprehensive review of CNM-based nanocarrier systems that incorporate approved chemotherapy drugs, and many different types of CNMs and chemotherapy agents are discussed. Almost 200 examples of these nanocarrier systems have been analysed and compiled into a database. The entries are organised by anticancer drug type, and the composition, drug loading/release metrics, and experimental results from these systems have been compiled. Our analysis reveals graphene, and particularly graphene oxide (GO), as the most frequently employed CNM, with carbon nanotubes and carbon dots following in popularity. Moreover, the database encompasses various chemotherapeutic agents, with antimicrotubule agents being the most common payload due to their compatibility with CNM surfaces. The benefits of the identified systems are discussed, and the factors affecting their efficacy are detailed.

Current advances in nanodrug delivery systems for malaria prevention and treatment

Malaria is a life-threatening, blood-borne disease with over two hundred million cases throughout the world and is more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa than anywhere else in the world. Over the years, several treatment agents have been developed for malaria; however, most of these active pharmaceutical ingredients exhibit poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability and may result in drug-resistant parasites, thus increasing malaria cases and eventually, deaths. Factors such as these in therapeutics have led to a better appreciation of nanomaterials. The ability of nanomaterials to function as drug carriers with a high loading capacity and targeted drug delivery, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity renders them an appealing alternative to conventional therapy. Nanomaterials such as dendrimers and liposomes have been demonstrated to be capable of enhancing the efficacy of antimalarial drugs. This review discusses the recent development of nanomaterials and their benefits in drug delivery for the potential treatment of malaria.

Nanoparticles loaded with pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: Biomedical applications and toxicity

Pharmacologically active natural products have played a significant role in the history of drug development. They have acted as sources of therapeutic drugs for various diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. However, most natural products suffer from poor water solubility and low bioavailability, limiting their clinical applications. The rapid development of nanotechnology has opened up new directions for applying natural products and numerous studies have explored the biomedical applications of nanomaterials loaded with natural products. This review covers the recent research on applying plant-derived natural products (PDNPs) nanomaterials, including nanomedicines loaded with flavonoids, non-flavonoid polyphenols, alkaloids, and quinones, especially their use in treating various diseases. Furthermore, some drugs derived from natural products can be toxic to the body, so the toxicity of them is discussed. This comprehensive review includes fundamental discoveries and exploratory advances in natural product-loaded nanomaterials that may be helpful for future clinical development.

Methods to Improve the Solubility of Curcumin from Turmeric

Turmeric is a strong-taste component of spices characteristic of Indian cuisine. It is obtained from the turmeric rhizome (Curcumae longae rhizoma) and has been used for thousands of years not only for culinary purposes, but also for medicinal purposes. It contains a group of organic compounds called curcuminoids. Curcumin is the main representative of this group of compounds which is also most frequently studied. In recent years, bioactive curcuminoids (including curcumin in the first place) have become more and more popular due to a wide spectrum of their biological activity. The anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiaging effects of curcumin have been confirmed by numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as in clinical trials. However, an obstacle to simple, clinical application of curcumin is its poor bioavailability (which is due to its hydrophobic nature) and its very weak water solubility. Therefore, many scientists are working on improving the solubility of curcumin in water, which is the topic of the present article. Attempts have been made to combine curcumin with nanoparticles (polysaccharide or silica). Nanosuspensions or complexes with cyclodextrins are also considered. A promising direction is the search for new polymorphic varieties as well as obtaining cocrystals with curcumin which are characterized by better water solubility.

Comparison of Cell-based and Nanoparticle-based Therapeutics in Treating Atherosclerosis

Today, cardiovascular diseases are among the biggest public health threats worldwide. Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease with complex aetiology and pathogenesis, predispose many of these conditions, including the high mortality rate-causing ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Nevertheless, despite the alarming prevalence and absolute death rate, established treatments for atherosclerosis are unsatisfactory in terms of efficacy, safety, and patient acceptance. The rapid advancement of technologies in healthcare research has paved new treatment approaches, namely cell-based and nanoparticle-based therapies, to overcome the limitations of conventional therapeutics. This paper examines the different facets of each approach, discusses their principles, strengths, and weaknesses, analyses the main targeted pathways and their contradictions, provides insights on current trends as well as highlights any unique mechanisms taken in recent years to combat the progression of atherosclerosis.

Recent updates in curcumin delivery

Curcumin is a natural component extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a natural plat with known medicinal uses for more than 4000 years. Most turmeric therapeutic effects are attributed to curcumin, a yellow-coloured extract. Curcumin has received considerable attention due to its biological activities, such as its use in arthritis, liver and neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, and several types of cancers. Most of these curcumin therapeutic activities are related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the clinical application of curcumin is hampered by some limitations that prevent its extensive clinical application. Curcumin high hydrophobicity of curcumin and limited water solubility are among the most important limitations. This poor solubility will result in low bioavailability due to its poor absorption into plasma and the target tissues. Curcumin also has rapid metabolism, which will significantly lower its bioavailability and shorten its half-life. Moreover, curcumin is photosensitive with limited chemical stability during manufacturing and storage. These limitations have been overcome by applying nanotechnology using several types of nanoparticles (NPs). This includes using NPs such as liposomes, niosomes, gold nanoparticles, and many others to improve the curcumin solubility and bioavailability. This review focuses on the different types of NPs investigated and the outcomes generated by their use in the most recent studies in this field. To follow the latest advances in the field of site-specific drug delivery using nanomaterials, an electronic databases search was conducted using PubMed, Google scholar and Scopus using the following keywords: lipid-based nanoparticles, curcumin delivery, niosomes, and liposomes.

Boron Nitride Nanotubes for Curcumin Delivery as an Anticancer Drug: A DFT Investigation

The electrical properties and characteristics of the armchair boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) that interacts with the curcumin molecule as an anticancer drug were studied using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). In this study, a (5,5) armchair BNNT was employed, and two different interactions were investigated, including the interaction of the curcumin molecule with the outer and inner surfaces of the BNNT. The adsorption of curcumin molecules on the investigated BNNT inside the surface is a more favorable process than adsorption on the outside surface, and the more persistent and stronger connection correlates with curcumin molecule adsorption in this case. Furthermore, analysis of the HOMO–LUMO gap after the adsorption process showed that the HOMO value increased marginally while the LUMO value decreased dramatically in the curcumin-BNNT complexes. As a result, the energy gaps between HOMO and LUMO (Eg) are narrowed, emphasizing the stronger intermolecular bonds. As a result, BNNTs can be employed as a drug carrier in biological systems to transport curcumin, an anticancer medication, and thereby improve its bioavailability.

Carbon Nanotubes: Current Perspectives on Diverse Applications in Targeted Drug Delivery and Therapies

Current discoveries as well as research findings on various types of carbon nanostructures have inspired research into their utilization in a number of fields. These carbon nanostructures offer uses in pharmacy, medicine and different therapies. One such unique carbon nanostructure includes carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are one-dimensional allotropes of carbon nanostructure that can have a length-to-diameter ratio greater than 1,000,000. After their discovery, CNTs have drawn extensive research attention due to their excellent material properties. Their physical, chemical and electronic properties are excellent and their composites provide great possibilities for enormous nanometer applications. The current study provides a systematic review based on prior literature review and data gathered from various sources. The various research studies from many research labs and organizations were systematically retrieved, collected, compiled and written. The entire collection and compilation of this review concluded the use of CNT approaches and their efficacy and safety for the treatment of various diseases such as brain tumors or cancer via nanotechnology-based drug delivery, phototherapy, gene therapy, antiviral therapy, antifungal therapy, antibacterial therapy and other biomedical applications. The current review covers diverse applications of CNTs in designing a range of targeted drug delivery systems and application for various therapies. It concludes with a discussion on how CNTs based medicines can expand in the future.

Nipecotic-Acid-Tethered, Naphthalene-Diimide-Based, Orange-Emitting Organic Nanoparticles as Targeted Delivery Vehicle and Diagnostic Probe toward GABAA-Receptor-Enriched Cancer Cells

This article demonstrates target-specific cellular imaging of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptor (GABA_AR)-enriched cells (SH-SY5Y and A549) with therapeutic efficacy by naphthalene diimide (NDI)-derived fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONPs). Self-assembly-driven formation of spherical organic particles by nipecotic-acid-tethered l-aspartic acid appended NDI derivative (NDI-nip) took place in DMSO-water through J-type aggregation. NDI-nip having a naphthyl residue and a nipecotic acid unit at both terminals exhibited aggregation-induced emission (AIE) at and above 60% water content in DMSO because of excimer formation at λ_em = 579 nm. The orange-emitting NDI-nip FONPs (1:99 v/v DMSO-water) having excellent cell viability and high photostability were used for selective bioimaging and killing of GABA_AR-overexpressed cancer cells through target-specific delivery of the anticancer drug curcumin. The fluorescence intensity of NDI-nip FONPs were quenched in GABA_AR-enriched neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) and cancerous cells (A549). Notably, in the presence of GABA, the NDI-nip FONPs exhibited their native fluorescence within the same cell lines. Importantly, no such quenching and regaining of NDI-nip FONP emission in the presence of GABA was noted in the case of the noncancerous cell NIH3T3. The killing efficiency of curcumin-loaded NDI-nip FONPs ([curcumin] = 100 μM and [NDI-nip FONPs] = 50 μM) was significantly higher in the cases of SH-SY5Y (88 ± 3%) and A549 (72 ± 2%) than in NIH3T3 (37 ± 2). The presence of a nipecotic acid moiety facilitated the selective cellular internalization of NDI-nip FONPs into GABA_AR-overexpressing cells. Hence, these orange-emitting NDI-nip FONPs may be exploited as a targeted diagnostic probe as well as a drug delivery vehicle for GABA_AR-enriched cancer cells.

Effects of food matrix and probiotics on the bioavailability of curcumin in different nanoformulations

BACKGROUND

Nanoparticles can improve the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Concomitant intake of food can affect pharmacokinetic profiles by altering dissolution, absorption, metabolism, and elimination behavior. Studies on the effects of food and its supplements on the bioavailability of bioactives in nanoformulations are few. In this study, the effects of typical food (milk, sugar, high-fat diet, and regular kibble) and a widely consumed probiotic [Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12® (Bb-12)] on the bioavailability of curcumin in four formulations [simply suspended curcumin (Cur-SS) and curcumin in nanoemulsions (Cur-NEs), in single-walled carbon nanotubes (Cur-SWNTs), and in nanostructured lipid carriers (Cur-NLCs)] were investigated.

RESULTS

Fasting treatment and sugar co-ingestion can significantly enhance the bioavailability of curcumin in Cur-NEs and Cur-SWNTs, respectively. Compared with the fasting treatment, co-ingestion with regular kibble reduced the absorption of curcumin in Cur-NEs and Cur-SWNTs. Ingesting milk along with Cur-NE is also not recommended. The mechanisms behind these phenomena were briefly discussed. This study revealed for the first time that the intestinal colonization of Bb-12 reduces the bioavailability of curcumin and this reduction can be attenuated by nanoformulations SWNTs and NLCs, but not NEs. The reason for this difference was the protective effects of the former two nanoformulations against curcumin degradation by Bb-12 according to in vitro experiments.

CONCLUSION

Dietary status (including supplementary probiotics) can dramatically influence the bioavailability of curcumin in nanoformulations. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nanoscale Formulations: Incorporating Curcumin into Combination Strategies for the Treatment of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer remains the most common cancer worldwide. Although significant advances in screening have been made and early diagnosis strategies and therapeutic regimens have been developed, the overall survival rate remains bleak. Curcumin is extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric and exhibits a wide range of biological activities. In lung cancer, evidence has shown that curcumin can markedly inhibit tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, overcome resistance to therapy, and even eliminate cancer stem cells (CSCs). Herein, the underlying molecular mechanisms of curcumin were summarized by distinct biological processes. To solve the limiting factors that curtail the clinical applications of curcumin, nanoformulations encapsulating curcumin were surveyed in detail. Nanoparticles, including liposomes, micelles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanosuspensions, and nanoemulsions, were explored as proper carriers of curcumin. Moreover, it was firmly verified that curcumin has the ability to sensitize lung cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, and to various targeted therapies. Regarding the advantages and drawbacks of curcumin, we concluded that combination therapy based on nanoparticles would be the optimal approach to broaden the application of curcumin in the clinic in the near future.

Investigation of therapeutic effect of curcumin α and β glucoside anomers against Alzheimer's disease by the nose to brain drug delivery

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the greatest geriatric medicinal challenges of our century and is the main disease leading to dementia. Despite extensive scientific research advances, available disease-modifying treatment strategies remained limited; thus, increasing demand for new drugs. In recent years, medicinal plants attracted attention due to their potential role in dementia. In the present study, α and β anomers of curcumin glucosides (CGs) were synthesized and evaluated for Alzheimer's treatment. CGs were synthesized by fusion reaction as a novel and easy method with more advantages (high yield, short reaction time, and low chemicals), and the products were characterized using HNMR. Wistar male rats were used to administer different treatments. They divided into control, sham, Alzheimer, and test groups (Alzheimer + α anomer and Alzheimer + β anomer). Animals received normal saline, Scopolamine (1 mg/kg), high dose anomers, scopolamine, and two doses (12.5 and 25 mg/kg) of anomers, respectively, for 10 days. Then the Morris Water Maze (MWM) test was performed on all animals. Finally, the animals' brains were extracted and homogenized for glutathione, acetylcholine esterase activity, protein carbonyl, and lipid peroxide level detection. The escape latency and the distance towards the hidden platform in Morris water maze in the Alzheimer group were significantly higher than both the control and test groups. Besides, there were no significant differences between sham and control groups in all tests. Both anomers led to a significant increase in glutathione, and acetylcholine levels while they caused a decrease in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl levels in brain tissue. It seems that intranasal administration of both anomers positively influenced maze learning in scopolamine receiving subjects. Although both anomers resulted in similar biochemistry tests, a higher dose of β anomer indicated better results than α anomer not only in behavioral tests but also in biochemical tests.

Conjugates of Curcumin with Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes: A Review on Biomedical Applications

In the last decade, the use of carbon nanotubes and graphenes has been on the rise for various nanobiotechnological applications. Owing to their special characteristics, these two nanostructures of carbon allotropes have been studied for their capacity in the detection and treatment of many diseases. On the other hand, curcumin, a well-known antioxidant and anticancer natural product, is being extensively studied for numerous medicinal applications. Interestingly, many reports have shown great potentials of conjugates of curcumin and carbon nanotubes or graphenes. These conjugates, when properly designed and functionalized with biomolecules, could represent the valuable properties of each component alone while they could be effective in overcoming the poor solubility issues of both curcumin and Carbon Nanomaterials (CNMs). In this case, curcumin conjugates with CNMs seem to be very promising in biosensing applications and the detection of many biomolecules, especially, curcumin has been reported to be very effective with these conjugates. Also, the delivery of curcumin using functionalized SWCNTs was evaluated for its ability to load and release curcumin, to protect curcumin from degradation and to enhance its solubility. It is proposed that other properties of these conjugates are still to be discovered and the interdisciplinary approaches among biology, medicine, chemistry, and material engineering will accelerate the applications of these novel materials. This review aims to summarize the findings on the applications of CNM conjugates of curcumin.

Carbon-based Nanomaterials and Curcumin: A Review of Biosensing Applications

Curcumin, the main active constituent of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), is a naturally occurring phenolic compound with a wide variety of pharmacological activities. Although it has multiple pharmaceutical properties, its bioavailability and industrial usage are hindered due to rapid hydrolysis and low water solubility. Due to the growing market of curcumin, exact determination of curcumin in trade and human biological samples is important for monitoring therapeutic actions. Different nanomaterials have been suggested for sensing curcumin; and in this case, carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) are one of the most outstanding developments in nanomedicine, biosensing, and regenerative medicine. There are a considerable number of reports which have shown interesting potential of CNMs-based biosensors in the sensitive and selective detection of curcumin. Therefore, this review aims to increase understanding the interaction of curcumin with CNMs in the context of biosensing.

Phyto-drug conjugated nanomaterials enhance apoptotic activity in cancer

Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is a major obstacle to increased life expectancy. However, survival has not improved significantly with average cancer standard treatment strategies over the past few decades; survival rates have remained low, with tumor metastasis, adverse drug reactions, and drug resistance. Therefore, substitute therapies are essential to treat this dreadful disease. Recently, research has shown that natural compounds in plants, such as phytochemicals, are extensively exploited for their anticarcinogenic potential. Phytochemicals may show their anticancer activity different cancer cell markers may alter molecular pathways, which promote in cellular events such as cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, regulate antioxidant status, cell proliferation, migration, invasion and toxicity. Although their outstanding anticancer activity, however, their pharmacological budding is hindered by their low aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, and poor penetration into cells, hepatic disposition, narrow therapeutic index, and rapid uptake by normal tissues. In this situation, nanotechnology has developed novel inventions to increase the potential use of phytochemicals in anticancer therapy. Nanoparticles can improve the solubility and stability of phytochemicals, specific tumor cell/tissue targeting, enhanced cellular uptake, reduction of phytochemicals. Therapeutic doses of phytochemicals for a long time. Additional benefits include better blood stability, multifunctional design of nanocarriers and improvement in countermeasures. This review summarizes the advances in the use of nanoparticles for the treatment of cancer, as well as various nano-drug deliveries of phytochemicals against cancer. In particular, we are introducing several applications of nanoparticles in combination with phyto-drug for the treatment of cancer.

Recent Nanocarrier Approaches for Targeted Drug Delivery in Cancer Therapy

Cancer is one of the most serious health concerns in the 21st century whose prevalence is beyond boundaries and can affect any organ of the human body. The conventional chemotherapeutic treatment strategies lack specificity to tumors and are associated with toxic effects on the immune system and other organ systems. In the past decades, there has been continuous progress in the development of smart nanocarrier systems for target-specific delivery of drugs against a variety of tumors, including intracellular gene-specific targeting. These nanocarriers are able to recognize the tumor cells and deliver the therapeutic agent in fixed proportions, causing no or very less harm to healthy cells. Nanosystems have modified physicochemical properties, improved bioavailability, and long retention in blood, which enhances their potency. A huge number of nanocarrier based formulations have been developed and are in clinical trials. Nanocarrier systems include polymeric micelles, liposomes, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, etc. Recent advancements in nanocarrier systems include mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), metal organic frameworks, and quantum dots. In the present review, various nanocarrier based drug delivery systems, along with their applications in the management of cancer, have been described with special emphasis on MSNs.

MWCNT-mediated combinatorial photothermal ablation and chemo-immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of melanoma

DOX and CpG loaded MWCNT with NIR irradiation could destroy tumor cells by photothermal and chemotherapy and release tumor-associated antigens, thus generating melanoma specific immune response to achieve synergistic therapeutic effect.

Enhancement of curcumin antitumor efficacy and further photothermal ablation of tumor growth by single-walled carbon nanotubes delivery system in vivo

Curcumin, a commonly used natural product for antitumor therapy, is unable to achieve full potential due to poor bioavailability. Based on our previous report of a novel delivery system for curcumin using functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes by phosphatidylcholine and polyvinylpyrrolidone (SWCNT-Cur), we further evaluated SWCNT-Cur's performance in vivo and characteristics in vitro. SWCNT-Cur significantly increased the blood concentration of curcumin, up to 18-fold, in mice. And in a murine S180 tumor model, SWCNT-Cur exhibited significantly higher inhibition efficacy on tumor growth and no obvious toxicity in main organs. Moreover, photothermal therapy induced by SWCNT under near-infrared radiation further facilitated SWCNT-Cur to inhibit the tumor growth in vivo. In addition, solvent residue is negligible in SWCNT-Cur formulation, and hydrogen bonding was formed between void carriers and curcumin, as demonstrated by GC chromatograph and IR spectra. Furthermore, experiments of confocal microscopy and spectrofluorometer showed that SWCNT-Cur gave a six-fold higher uptake for curcumin compared to native curcumin in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. In conclusion, curcumin delivery with functionalized SWCNT is a promising strategy to enhance anticancer activity in vivo by enhancing cell uptake and blood concentration, changing physicochemical properties of curcumin and combining phototherapeutic with chemotherapeutic effects.

Oral Curcumin via Hydrophobic Porous Silicon Carrier: Preparation, Characterization, and Toxicological Evaluation In Vivo

Curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic activities. However, the clinical application of curcumin has been restricted by the poor water solubility and low bioavailability of this molecule. In this work, hydrophobic porous silicon (pSi) particles were prepared by electrochemical etching method and grafted with the different hydrophobic groups on their surfaces. The loading efficiency of curcumin in pSi has been investigated. The properties of pSi particles have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The highest loading efficiency of curcumin can be obtained with pSi surface modified with the octadecyl silane group. The release properties of curcumin in hydrophobic pSi have been researched in vitro and in vivo. The curcumin in the hydrophobic pSi surface keeps a high antioxidant bioactivity. The toxicological evaluation of the hydrophobic pSi particles indicates they have a high in vivo biocompatibility within the observed dose ranges. The hydrophobic pSi particles could provide an effective and controlled release delivery carrier for curcumin, which may provide a new tool platform for the further development of curcumin.

The Advances in Biomedical Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

Unique chemical, physical, and biological features of carbon nanotubes make them an ideal candidate for myriad applications in industry and biomedicine. Carbon nanotubes have excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, high biocompatibility, flexibility, resistance to corrosion, nano-size, and a high surface area, which can be tailored and functionalized on demand. This review discusses the progress and main fields of bio-medical applications of carbon nanotubes based on recently-published reports. It encompasses the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and their application for bio-sensing, cancer treatment, hyperthermia induction, antibacterial therapy, and tissue engineering. Other areas of carbon nanotube applications were out of the scope of this review. Special attention has been paid to the problem of the toxicity of carbon nanotubes.

Curcumin-assisted ultrasound exfoliation of graphite to graphene in ethanol

In this paper, we demonstrated a simple and cost-effective method to produce graphene from graphite in ethanol using ultrasound assisted with curcumin. The influence of curcumin concentration, starting graphite amount, sonication power, and sonication time on the graphene concentration was studied schematically. The π-π interaction between curcumin and graphene, being confirmed by FTIR spectrum, facilitate the exfoliation of the graphite into graphene. The concentration of the graphene in the ethanol reached up to 1.44 mg mL^-1 and the exfoliated suspension was relatively stable. The content of monolayer, bilayer, and multilayer in the exfoliated graphene suspension were 21%, 37%, and 42%, respectively. The as-prepared graphene sheets were free-defect. This novel approach may not only enable to exfoliate the graphite into graphene but also to make the graphene-curcumin hybrid which might find applications in pharmaceutical industry.

Polydopamine-functionalized nanographene oxide: a versatile nanocarrier for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy

For releasing both drug and heat to selected sites, a combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in one system is a more effective way to destroy cancer cells than monotherapy. Graphene oxide (GO) with high drug-loading efficiency and near-infrared (NIR) absorbance has great potential in drug delivery and photothermal therapy, but it is difficult to load drugs with high solubility. Herein, we develop a versatile drug delivery nanoplatform based on GO for integrated chemotherapy and photothermal therapy by a facile method of simultaneous reduction and surface functionalization of GO with poly(dopamine) (PDA). Due to the excellent adhesion of PDA, both low and high solubility drugs can be encapsulated in the PDA-functionalized GO nanocomposite (rGO-PDA). The fabricated nanocomposite exhibits good biocompatibility, excellent photothermal performance, high drug loading capacity, an outstanding sustained release property, and efficient endocytosis. Moreover, NIR laser irradiation facilitates the release of loaded drugs from rGO-PDA. These features make the rGO-PDA nanocomposite achieve excellent in vivo synergistic antitumor therapeutic efficacy.

l-Phenylalanine-Tethered, Naphthalene Diimide-Based, Aggregation-Induced, Green-Emitting Organic Nanoparticles

The present article delineates the formation of green fluorescent organic nanoparticle through supramolecular aggregation of naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based, carboxybenzyl-protected, l-phenylalanine-appended bola-amphiphile, NDI-1. The amphiphilic molecule is soluble in DMSO, and, with gradual addition of water within the DMSO solution, the amphiphile starts to self-assemble via H-type aggregation to form spherical nanoparticles. These self-assembly of NDI-1 in the presence of a high amount of water exhibited aggregation-induced emission (AIE) through excimer formation. Notably, in the presence of 99% water content, the amphiphile forms spherical aggregated nanoparticles as confirmed from microscopic investigations and dynamic light scattering study. Interestingly, the emission maxima of molecularly dissolved NDI-1 (weak blue fluorescence) red-shifted upon aggregation with increase in water concentration and led to the formation of green-emitting fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONPs) at 99% water content. These green-emitting FONPs were utilized in cell imaging as well as for efficient transportation of anticancer drug curcumin inside mammalian cells.

Simultaneous monitoring of the drug release and antitumor effect of a novel drug delivery system-MWCNTs/DOX/TC

Monitoring drug release and therapeutic efficacy is crucial for developing drug delivery systems. Our preliminary study demonstrated that, as compared with pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), transactivator of transcription (TAT)-chitosan functionalized MWCNTs (MWCNTs-TC) were a more promising candidate for drug delivery in cancer therapy. In the present study, a MWCNTs/TC-based drug delivery system was developed for an anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). The drug loading and in vitro release profiles, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity were assessed. More importantly, the in vivo drug release and antitumor effect of MWCNTs/DOX/TC were evaluated by noninvasive fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. It was demonstrated that MWCNTs/DOX/TC can be efficiently taken up by BEL-7402 hepatoma cells. The release of DOX from MWCNTs/DOX/TC was faster under lower pH condition, which was beneficial for intrcellular drug release. The in vivo release process of DOX and antitumor effect in animal model were monitored simultaneously by noninvasive fluorescence and luminescence imaging, which demonstrated the application potential of MWCNTs/DOX/TC for cancer therapy.

Carbon nanotubes: a novel material for multifaceted applications in human healthcare

Remarkable advances achieved in modern material technology, especially in device fabrication, have facilitated diverse materials to expand the list of their application fields.

Curcumin Monoglucoside Shows Improved Bioavailability and Mitigates Rotenone Induced Neurotoxicity in Cell and Drosophila Models of Parkinson's Disease

Curcumin (CUR), a dietary polyphenol has diverse pharmacologic effects, but is limited by poor bioavailability. This is probably due to decreased solubility, cellular uptake and stability. In order to enhance its solubility and bioavailability, we synthesized the CUR bioconjugate curcumin monoglucoside (CMG) and tested its bioavailability, neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic propensity against rotenone (ROT) induced toxicity in N27 dopaminergic neuronal cells and Drosophila models. Our results elucidate that CMG showed improved bioavailability than CUR in N27 cells. Pre-treatment with CMG protected against ROT neurotoxicity and exerted antioxidant effects by replenishing cellular glutathione levels and significantly decreasing reactive species. CMG pre-treatment also restored mitochondrial complex I and IV activities inhibited by ROT. ROT-induced nuclear damage was also restored by CMG as confirmed by comet assay. CMG induced anti-apoptotic effects was substantiated by decreased phosporylation of JNK3 and c-jun, which in turn decreased the cleavage of pro-caspase 3. Q-PCR analysis of redox genes showed up-regulation of NOS2 and down-regulation of NQO1 upon ROT exposure and this was attenuated by CMG pre-treatment. Studies in the Drosophila ROT model revealed that, CMG administration showed better survival rate and locomotor activity, improved antioxidant activity and dopamine content than ROT treated group and was comparable with the CUR group. Based on these data, we surmise that CMG has improved bioavailability and offered neuroprotection comparable with CUR, against ROT-induced toxicity both in dopaminergic neuronal cell line and Drosophila models, with therapeutic implications for PD.

SWCNTs as novel theranostic nanocarriers for cancer diagnosis and therapy: towards safe translation to the clinics

With their unique physicochemical properties, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) hold great promise for applications as drug delivery systems (DDS) for early and better diagnosis and therapy of cancer. While several in vitro and in vivo studies have validated their potential benefit, no SWCNT-based formulation has yet reached clinical trials. Towards prospective safe clinical applications, the main properties that were adopted to enhance the biocompatibility of SWCNTs were highlighted. Then, the recent progresses in the in vivo applications of SWCNTs as diagnostic nanoprobes using multimodality imaging techniques and as therapeutic nanocarriers delivering wide range of anticancer efficient drugs to tumors were reviewed. Finally, the efforts required for safe clinical applications of SWCNTs as DDS for cancer diagnosis and therapy were discussed.

Current application of phytocompound-based nanocosmeceuticals for beauty and skin therapy

Phytocompounds have been used in cosmeceuticals for decades and have shown potential for beauty applications, including sunscreen, moisturizing and antiaging, and skin-based therapy. The major concerns in the usage of phyto-based cosmeceuticals are lower penetration and high compound instability of various cosmetic products for sustained and enhanced compound delivery to the beauty-based skin therapy. To overcome these disadvantages, nanosized delivery technologies are currently in use for sustained and enhanced delivery of phyto-derived bioactive compounds in cosmeceutical sectors and products. Nanosizing of phytocompounds enhances the aseptic feel in various cosmeceutical products with sustained delivery and enhanced skin protecting activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles, transfersomes, ethosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes are some of the emerging nanotechnologies currently in use for their enhanced delivery of phytocompounds in skin care. Aloe vera, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, vitamins C and E, genistein, and green tea catechins were successfully nanosized using various delivery technologies and incorporated in various gels, lotions, and creams for skin, lip, and hair care for their sustained effects. However, certain delivery agents such as carbon nanotubes need to be studied for their roles in toxicity. This review broadly focuses on the usage of phytocompounds in various cosmeceutical products, nanodelivery technologies used in the delivery of phytocompounds to various cosmeceuticals, and various nanosized phytocompounds used in the development of novel nanocosmeceuticals to enhance skin-based therapy.

Molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive potential of curcumin: Current challenges and future perspectives

In recent years, natural compounds have received considerable attention in preventing and curing most dreadful diseases including cancer. The reason behind the use of natural compounds in chemoprevention is associated with fewer numbers of side effects than conventional chemotherapeutics. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane, PubMed CID: 969516), a naturally occurring polyphenol, is derived from turmeric, which is used as a common Indian spice. It governs numerous intracellular targets, including proteins involved in antioxidant response, immune response, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation and tumor progression. A huge mass of available studies strongly supports the use of Curcumin as a chemopreventive drug. However, the main challenge encountered is the low bioavailability of Curcumin. This extensive review covers various therapeutic interactions of Curcumin with its recognized cellular targets involved in cancer treatment, strategies to overcome the bioavailability issue and adverse effects associated with Curcumin consumption.

Functionalized halloysite nanotube by chitosan grafting for drug delivery of curcumin to achieve enhanced anticancer efficacy

A new HNTs-based drug delivery system to improve the bioavailability of curcumin for cancer therapy is proposed.

Recent developments in delivery, bioavailability, absorption and metabolism of curcumin: the golden pigment from golden spice

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a yellow pigment present in the spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) that has been associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities as indicated by over 6,000 citations. In addition, over one hundred clinical studies have been carried out with curcumin. One of the major problems with curcumin is perceived to be the bioavailability. How curcumin should be delivered in vivo, how bioavailable is it, how well curcumin is absorbed and how it is metabolized, is the focus of this review. Various formulations of curcumin that are currently available are also discussed.