Sustainable Biodegradable Biopolymer-Based Nanoparticles for Healthcare Applications

A review on the recent advances of interaction studies of anticancer metal-based drugs with therapeutic targets, DNA and RNAs

Metal-based drugs hold promise as potent anticancer agents owing to their unique interactions with cellular targets. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of the intricate molecular interactions of metal-based anticancer compounds with specific therapeutic targets in cancer cells. Advanced computational and experimental methodologies delineate the binding mechanisms, structural dynamics and functional outcomes of these interactions. In addition, the review sheds light on the precise modes of action of these drugs, their efficacy and the potential avenues for further optimization in cancer-treatment strategies and the development of targeted and effective metal-based therapies for combating various forms of cancer.

Advances in Nanoparticles in the Prevention and Treatment of Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most prevalent types of cardiovascular disease. During MI, myocardial cells become ischemic and necrotic due to inadequate blood perfusion, leading to irreversible damage to the heart. Despite the development of therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of MI, their effects are still unsatisfactory. Nanoparticles represent a new strategy for the pre-treatment and treatment of MI, and novel multifunctional nanoparticles with preventive and therapeutic capabilities hold promise for the prevention and treatment of this disease. This review summarizes the common types and properties of nanoparticles, and focuses on the research progress of nanoparticles for the prevention and treatment of MI.

Starch biopolymer films containing chitosan nanoparticles: A review

Starch biopolymer films incorporated with chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) or starch/CNP films are promising alternatives to non-degradable food packaging materials. The films can be utilized for active food packaging applications because CNP exhibits antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, which can improve food shelf-life. Nonetheless, knowledge of the effects of CNP inclusion on the properties of starch films is not fully elucidated. This paper reviews the influences of various concentrations of CNP, sizes of CNP, and other additives on the mechanical, thermal, barrier, antimicrobial, antioxidant, biodegradability, and cytotoxicity properties of starch/CNP films as well as the mechanisms involved in relation to food packaging applications. The usage of starch/CNP films for active food packaging can help to reduce environmental issues and contribute to food safety and security.

Zein-Based Nanoparticles as Active Platforms for Sustainable Applications: Recent Advances and Perspectives

Nanomaterials, due to their unique structural and functional features, are widely investigated for potential applications in a wide range of industrial sectors. In this context, protein-based nanoparticles, given proteins' abundance, non-toxicity, and stability, offer a promising and sustainable methodology for encapsulation and protection, and can be used in engineered nanocarriers that are capable of releasing active compounds on demand. Zein is a plant-based protein extracted from corn, and it is biocompatible, biodegradable, and amphiphilic. Several approaches and technologies are currently involved in zein-based nanoparticle preparation, such as antisolvent precipitation, spray drying, supercritical processes, coacervation, and emulsion procedures. Thanks to their peculiar characteristics, zein-based nanoparticles are widely used as nanocarriers of active compounds in targeted application fields such as drug delivery, bioimaging, or soft tissue engineering, as reported by others. The main goal of this review is to investigate the use of zein-based nanocarriers for different advanced applications including food/food packaging, cosmetics, and agriculture, which are attracting researchers' efforts, and to exploit the future potential development of zein NPs in the field of cultural heritage, which is still relatively unexplored. Moreover, the presented overview focuses on several preparation methods (i.e., antisolvent processes, spry drying), correlating the different analyzed methodologies to NPs' structural and functional properties and their capability to act as carriers of bioactive compounds, both to preserve their activity and to tune their release in specific working conditions.

Applications of Bioengineered Polymer in the Field of Nano-Based Drug Delivery

The most favored route of drug administration is oral administration; however, several factors, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, and degradation, in the severe gastrointestinal environment frequently compromise the effectiveness of drugs taken orally. Bioengineered polymers have been developed to overcome these difficulties and enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents. Polymeric nanoparticles, including carbon dots, fullerenes, and quantum dots, have emerged as crucial components in this context. They provide a novel way to deliver various therapeutic materials, including proteins, vaccine antigens, and medications, precisely to the locations where they are supposed to have an effect. The promise of this integrated strategy, which combines nanoparticles with bioengineered polymers, is to address the drawbacks of conventional oral medication delivery such as poor solubility, low bioavailability, and early degradation. In recent years, we have seen substantially increased interest in bioengineered polymers because of their distinctive qualities, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and flexible physicochemical characteristics. The different bioengineered polymers, such as chitosan, alginate, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), can shield medications or antigens from degradation in unfavorable conditions and aid in the administration of drugs orally through mucosal delivery with lower cytotoxicity, thus used in targeted drug delivery. Future research in this area should focus on optimizing the physicochemical properties of these polymers to improve their performance as drug delivery carriers.

Gut microbiome as therapeutic target for diabesity management: opportunity for nanonutraceuticals and associated challenges

Diabesity is showing rising prevalence. Current treatment modalities include pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, yet associated with various drawbacks. Recently, gut microbial dysbiosis is documented as a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of diabesity. Targeting gut microbiome using modulators shows promising therapeutic strategy for diabesity management. In this line, nanonutraceuticals represent new class of gut microbial modulators. The present article explores the potential of nanonutraceuticals including nanoprobiotics, nanoprebiotics, and plant-derived nanovesicles that are fabricated on the ecofriendly food based scaffold with gut microbial modulatory potential for diabesity management. A number of compelling evidences from different studies support Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, and Bacteroides genera and Lactobacillus plantarum and Akkermansia muciniphila species significant in diabesity management. The probable mechanisms reported for gut microbial dysbiosis-induced diabesity are mentioned. The review findings suggest gut microbiome as significant therapeutic target for diabesity management. Moreover, ecofriendly nanonutraceuticals developed using natural products including food-grade materials are efficient modulators of gut microbiome and indicate next-generation diabesity therapeutics. Clinical studies are imperative as further exploration may provide new dimensions to the future research.

Chitosan nanoparticles and based composites as a biocompatible vehicle for drug delivery: A review

The shellfish processing industry is one of the largest growing industries across the globe with a market size of around USD 62B. However, it also leads to a significant environmental issue as it produces >80,000 tons of waste shells globally. Unfortunately, the slow degradation of this waste causes it to accumulate over time, posing a serious threat to the marine environment. The key solution to this problem is to recycle this sea waste into a valuable product like chitin which is further used to produce chitosan. Chitosan is a natural biopolymeric substance obtained via N-deacetylation of the chitin. The chitosan-based nanoparticles are further useful for the fabrication of biopolymeric nanocomposites which are used in various biomedical applications specifically in drug delivery. Here, we review the recent advancements in the development of chitosan-based nanocomposites as a biocompatible carrier for drug delivery, specifically focusing on gene delivery, wound healing, microbial treatment, and anticancer drug delivery. By providing a valuable and up-to-date resource, this review illuminates the current state of research concerning chitosan's pivotal role in the biomedical domain as an efficacious drug delivery agent.

Green Biologics: Harnessing the Power of Plants to Produce Pharmaceuticals

Plants are increasingly used for the production of high-quality biological molecules for use as pharmaceuticals and biomaterials in industry. Plants have proved that they can produce life-saving therapeutic proteins (Elelyso™-Gaucher's disease treatment, ZMapp™-anti-Ebola monoclonal antibodies, seasonal flu vaccine, Covifenz™-SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine); however, some of these therapeutic proteins are difficult to bring to market, which leads to serious difficulties for the manufacturing companies. The closure of one of the leading companies in the sector (the Canadian biotech company Medicago Inc., producer of Covifenz) as a result of the withdrawal of investments from the parent company has led to the serious question: What is hindering the exploitation of plant-made biologics to improve health outcomes? Exploring the vast potential of plants as biological factories, this review provides an updated perspective on plant-derived biologics (PDB). A key focus is placed on the advancements in plant-based expression systems and highlighting cutting-edge technologies that streamline the production of complex protein-based biologics. The versatility of plant-derived biologics across diverse fields, such as human and animal health, industry, and agriculture, is emphasized. This review also meticulously examines regulatory considerations specific to plant-derived biologics, shedding light on the disparities faced compared to biologics produced in other systems.

Advances in Functionalization of Bioresorbable Nanomembranes and Nanoparticles for Their Use in Biomedicine

Bioresorbable nanomembranes (NMs) and nanoparticles (NPs) are powerful polymeric materials playing an important role in biomedicine, as they can effectively reduce infections and inflammatory clinical patient conditions due to their high biocompatibility, ability to physically interact with biomolecules, large surface area, and low toxicity. In this review, the most common bioabsorbable materials such as those belonging to natural polymers and proteins for the manufacture of NMs and NPs are reviewed. In addition to biocompatibility and bioresorption, current methodology on surface functionalization is also revisited and the most recent applications are highlighted. Considering the most recent use in the field of biosensors, tethered lipid bilayers, drug delivery, wound dressing, skin regeneration, targeted chemotherapy and imaging/diagnostics, functionalized NMs and NPs have become one of the main pillars of modern biomedical applications.