Dual-Purpose Materials Based on Carbon Xerogel Microspheres (CXMs) for Delayed Release of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Subsequent Aflatoxin Removal

Current Challenges and Opportunities for Improved Cannabidiol Solubility

Cannabidiol (CBD), derived from the cannabis plant, has gained significant attention due to its potential therapeutic benefits. However, one of the challenges associated with CBD administration is its low bioavailability, which refers to the fraction of an administered dose that reaches systemic circulation. This limitation necessitates the exploration of various approaches to enhance the bioavailability of CBD, thus helping to maximize its therapeutic potential. A variety of approaches are now emerging, including nanoemulsion-based systems, lipid-based formulations, prodrugs, nanocarriers, and alternative routes of administration, which hold promise for improving the bioavailability of CBD and pave the way for novel formulations that maximize the therapeutic potential of CBD in various medical conditions. This opinion piece presents the current understanding surrounding CBD bioavailability and considers strategies aimed at improving both its absorption and its bioavailability.

Occurrence of aflatoxins in water and decontamination strategies: A review

Aflatoxins are highly carcinogenic metabolites produced by some Aspergillus species and are the most prevalent mycotoxins. Although aflatoxins are commonly synthesized during fungal colonization in preharvest maize, cereals, and nuts, they can be transported by rainfall to surface water and are a common toxin found in wastewater from some food industries. Here, the occurrence of aflatoxins in bodies of water is reviewed for the first time, along with the decontamination methods. Aflatoxins have been detected in surface, wastewater and drinking water, including tap and bottled water. The specific sources of water contamination remain unclear, which is an important gap that must be addressed in future research. Two main kinds of decontamination methods have been reported, including degradation and adsorption. The best degradation rates were observed using gamma and UV irradiations, oxidoreductases and ozone, while the best adsorption abilities were observed with minerals, polyvinyl alcohol, durian peel and activated carbon. Synthetic polymers could be used as membranes in pipes to remove aflatoxins in water flows. Although most decontamination methods were screened using AFB₁, the other commonly found aflatoxins were not used in the screenings. Overall, the occurrence of aflatoxins in water could be a significant emerging public health concern largely ignored by local and international legislation. Numerous advances have been reported for the decontamination of aflatoxins in water; however, there is still a long way to go to put them into practice.

Cannabidiol-Loaded Nanocarriers and Their Therapeutic Applications

Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the most promising constituents isolated from Cannabis sativa, exhibits diverse pharmacological actions. However, the applications of CBD are restricted mainly due to its poor oral bioavailability. Therefore, researchers are focusing on the development of novel strategies for the effective delivery of CBD with improved oral bioavailability. In this context, researchers have designed nanocarriers to overcome limitations associated with CBD. The CBD-loaded nanocarriers assist in improving the therapeutic efficacy, targetability, and controlled biodistribution of CBD with negligible toxicity for treating various disease conditions. In this review, we have summarized and discussed various molecular targets, targeting mechanisms and types of nanocarrier-based delivery systems associated with CBD for the effective management of various disease conditions. This strategic information will help researchers in the establishment of novel nanotechnology interventions for targeting CBD.

Current trends on cannabidiol delivery systems: where are we and where are we going?

INTRODUCTION

Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid from Cannabis sativa, has several therapeutic properties. However, its high lipophilicity, metabolization, and instability impair its bioavailability and translational use in clinical settings. Several advanced drug delivery systems (ADDSs) have been evaluated as CBD carriers to overcome these drawbacks. These systems can improve the CBD dissolution profile, protect it against metabolization, and produce a site-specific release, increasing its bioavailability and making CBD administration clinically effective.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes scientific reports on cannabidiol advanced delivery systems (CBD-ADSs) that have been (i) developed, and (ii) applied therapeutically; reports published in the main scientific databases until January 2020 were included. Studies without experimental data and/or published in languages other than English were excluded. Moreover, pharmaceutical technology tools in CBD therapeutic use have been discussed, emphasizing the clinical translation of CBD carrier use.

EXPERT OPINION

Studies reporting CBD-ADS use for medicinal applications were reviewed and revealed multifaceted systems that can overcome the physicochemical drawbacks of CBD and improve its biological activities. Therefore, researchers concluded that the developed CBD-ADS can be used as an alternative to traditional formulations because they show comparable or superior effectiveness in treatment protocols. Although several criteria remain to be met, our findings emphasize the potential of CBD-ADSs for translational therapeutics, particularly for neurological-disorders.