Thymoquinone-Loaded Soy-Phospholipid-Based Phytosomes Exhibit Anticancer Potential against Human Lung Cancer Cells

Advancements in nanotechnology for the delivery of phytochemicals

Phytosomes (phytophospholipid complex) are dosage forms that have recently been introduced to increase the stability and therapeutic effect of herbal medicine. Currently, bioactive herbs and the phytochemicals they contain are considered to be the best remedies for chronic diseases. One promising approach to increase the efficacy of plant-based therapies is to improve the stability and bioavailability of their bio-active ingredients. Phytosomes employ phospholipids as their active ingredients, and use their amphiphilic properties to solubilize and protect herbal extracts. The unique properties of phospholipids in drug delivery and their use in herbal medicines to improve bioavailability results in significantly enhanced health benefits. The introduction of phytosome nanotechnology can alter and revolutionize the current state of drug delivery. The goal of this review is to explain the application of phytosomes, their future prospects in drug delivery, and their advantages over conventional formulations. Please cite this article as: Chauhan D, Yadav PK, Sultana N, Agarwal A, Verma S, Chourasia MK, Gayen JR. Advancements in nanotechnology for the delivery of phytochemicals. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(4): 385-398.

Magnetic Lipid-Based hybrid nanosystems: A combined stimuli- responsive nanocarriers for enriched chemotherapeutic potential of L-carnosine in induced breast Ehrlich ascites tumor model

Magnetic Lipid-Based Hybrid Nanosystems (M-LCNPs) is a novel nanoplatform that can respond to magnetic stimulus and are designed for delivering L-carnosine (CN), a challenging dipeptide employed in the treatment of breast cancer. CN exhibits considerable water solubility and undergoes in-vivo degradation, hence restricting its application. Consequently, it is anticipated that the developed M-LCNPs will enhance the effectiveness of CN. To ensure the physical stability of MNPs, they were initially coated with a mixture of oleic acid and oleylamine before being included in pegylated liquid crystalline nanoparticles (PLCNPs). The proposed M-LCNPs exhibited promising in-vitro characteristics, notably a small particle size (143.5 nm ± 1.25) and a high zeta potential (-39.5 mV ± 1.54), together with superparamagnetic behavior. The in-vitro release profile exhibited a prolonged release pattern. The IC50 values of M-LCNPs were 1.57 and 1.59 times lower than these of the CN solution after 24 and 48 hours, respectively. Female BALB/C female mice with an induced breast cancer (Ehrlich Ascites tumor [EAT] model) were used to study the influence of an external magnetic field on the chemotherapeutic activity and toxicity of CN loaded in the developed M-LCNPs. Stimuli-responsive M-LCNPs exhibited no apparent systemic toxicity in addition to enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy compared to nontargeted M-LCNPs and CN solution, as evidenced by a reduction of % tumor growth (11.7%), VEGF levels (22.95 pg/g tissue), and cyclin D1 levels (27.61 ng/g tissue), and an increase in caspase-3 level (28.9 ng/g tissue). Ultimately, the developed stimuli-responsive CN loaded M-LCNPs presented a promising nanoplatform for breast cancer therapy.

Phospholipid Complex Formulation Technology for Improved Drug Delivery in Oncological Settings: a Comprehensive Review

Addressing poor solubility and permeability issues associated with synthetic drugs and naturally occurring active compounds is crucial for improving bioavailability. This review explores the potential of phospholipid complex formulation technology to overcome these challenges. Phospholipids, as endogenous molecules, offer a viable solution, with drugs complexed with phospholipids demonstrating a similar absorption mechanism. The non-toxic and biodegradable nature of the phospholipid complex positions it as an ideal candidate for drug delivery. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of the mechanisms underlying phospholipid complexes. Special emphasis is placed on the solvent evaporation method, with meticulous scrutiny of formulation aspects such as the phospholipid ratio to the drug and solvent. Characterization techniques are employed to understand structural and functional attributes. Highlighting the adaptability of the phospholipid complex, the review discusses the loading of various nanoformulations and emulsion systems. These strategies aim to enhance drug delivery and efficacy in various malignancies, including breast, liver, lung, cervical, and pancreatic cancers. The broader application of the drug phospholipid complex is showcased, emphasizing its adaptability in diverse oncological settings. The review not only explores the mechanisms and formulation aspects of phospholipid complexes but also provides an overview of key clinical studies and patents. These insights contribute to the intellectual and translational advancements in drug phospholipid complexes.

RETRACTED: Alhakamy et al. Optimized Icariin Phytosomes Exhibit Enhanced Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis-Inducing Activities in Ovarian Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 346

The journal retracts the article, "Optimized Icariin Phytosomes Exhibit Enhanced Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis-Inducing Activities in Ovarian Cancer Cells" [...].

RETRACTED: Aldawsari et al. Lipidic Nano-Sized Emulsomes Potentiates the Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Raloxifene Hydrochloride in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells: Factorial Analysis and In Vitro Anti-Tumor Activity Assessment. Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 783

The journal retracts the article "Lipidic Nano-Sized Emulsomes Potentiates the Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Effects of Raloxifene Hydrochloride in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells: Factorial Analysis and In Vitro Anti-Tumor Activity Assessment" [...].

RETRACTED: Awan et al. The Enhanced Cytotoxic and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Optimized Simvastatin-Loaded Emulsomes on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 597

The journal retracts the article, "The Enhanced Cytotoxic and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Optimized Simvastatin-Loaded Emulsomes on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells" [...].

RETRACTED: Alhakamy et al. Thymoquinone-Loaded Soy-Phospholipid-Based Phytosomes Exhibit Anticancer Potential against Human Lung Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 761

The journal retracts the article, "Thymoquinone-Loaded Soy-Phospholipid-Based Phytosomes Exhibit Anticancer Potential against Human Lung Cancer Cells" [...].

Photoresponsive 'chemo-free' phytotherapy: formulation development for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

Aim: The present investigation aimed to develop a chemo-free, nanophytosomal system to treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) via a phyto-photo dual treatment strategy. Method: Size, shape, surface analysis, photoprovoked release profile, photothermal stability, (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, apoptotic assay, DNA fragmentation, in vitro cellular uptake evaluation, mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase-3 assay, and photodynamic evaluation. Results: Biological experiments using MDA-MB-231 cells displayed dose-dependent synergistic anti-TNBC activity of PhytoS/Houttuynia cordata extract (HCE)/IR780 as compared with Phyto/HCE, PhytoS/IR780 and even more promising under laser treatment. Apoptotic assay and DNA fragmentation analysis also showed enhanced anti-TNBC effects. Investigation found that HCE acts via suppression of mitochondrial membrane potential and inducing caspase-3 activity in cells. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that photo-empowered phytotherapy can be employed effectively and safely against TNBC.

Andrographolide nanophytosomes exhibit enhanced cellular delivery and pro-apoptotic activities in HepG2 liver cancer cells

Andrographolide (AG), a major active constituent of Andrographis paniculata, is known to hinder proliferation of several types of cancer cells. However, its poor solubility and cellular permeability restrict its use in clinical applications. In this study, AG-loaded phytosomes (AG-PTMs) were formulated and optimized with respect to particle size using l-α-phosphatidylcholine (PC):AG ratio and sonication time (ST) as independent variables. The optimized formula was prepared at 1:2.7 for AG:PC molar ratio and 4.9 min for ST and exhibited a particle size of 243.7 ± 7.3 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.310 and entrapment efficiency of 72.20 ± 4.53. Also, the prepared formula showed a slow release of AG over 24-h period. The antiproliferative activity of AG-PTMs was investigated against the liver cancer cell line HepG2. AG-PTMs significantly repressed the growth of HepG2 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 4.02 ± 0.14 µM. AG uptake by HepG2 cells was significantly enhanced in incubations containing the optimized formula. AG-PTMs also caused G2-M cell cycle phase arrest and increased the fraction of apoptotic cells in pre-G1 phase. These effects were associated with induction of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, AG-PTMs significantly upregulated mRNA expression of BAX and downregulated that of BCL2. Furthermore, AG-PTMs significantly enhanced the concentration of caspase-3 in comparison to raw AG. These data indicate that the phytosomal delivery of AG significantly inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation through enhanced cellular uptake, arresting cell cycle at the G2-M phase and inducing mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis.

Carvacrol-Loaded Phytosomes for Enhanced Wound Healing: Molecular Docking, Formulation, DoE-Aided Optimization, and in vitro/in vivo Evaluation

Background

Despite recent advances in wound healing products, phytochemicals have been considered promising and attractive alternatives. Carvacrol (CAR), a natural phenolic compound, has been reported to be effective in wound healing.

Purpose

This work endeavored to develop novel CAR-loaded phytosomes for the enhancement of the wound healing process.

Methods

Molecular docking was performed to compare the affinities of the different types of phospholipids to CAR. Phytosomes were prepared by three methods (thin-film hydration, cosolvency, and salting out) using Lipoid S100 and Phospholipon 90H with three levels of saturation percent (0%, 50%, and 100%), and three levels of phospholipid molar percent (66.67%, 75%, and 80%). The optimization was performed using Design Expert where particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential were chosen as dependent variables. The optimized formula (F1) was further investigated regarding entrapment efficiency, TEM, 1H-NMR, FT-IR, DSC, X-RD, in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, and stability. Furthermore, it was incorporated into a hydrogel formulation, and an in vivo study was conducted to investigate the wound-healing properties of F1.

Results

F1 was chosen as the optimized formula prepared via the thin-film hydration method with a saturation percent and a phospholipid molar percent of zero and 66.67, respectively. TEM revealed the spherical shape of phytosomal vesicles with uniform size, while the results of 1H-NMR, FT-IR, DSC, and X-RD confirmed the formation of the phytosomal complex. F1 demonstrated a higher in vitro release and a slower permeation than free CAR. The wound area of F1-treated animals showed a marked reduction associated with a high degree of collagen fiber deposition and enhanced cellular proliferation.

Conclusion

F1 can be considered as a promising remedy for the enhancement of wound healing and hence it would be hoped to undergo further investigation.

Therapeutic effects of medicinal plants and their constituents on lung cancer, in vitro, in vivo and clinical evidence

The most common type of cancer in the world is lung cancer. Traditional treatments have an important role in cancer therapy. In the present review, the most recent findings on the effects of medicinal plants and their constituents or natural products (NP) in treating lung cancer are discussed. Empirical studies until the end of March 2022 were searched using the appropriate keywords through the databases PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. The extracts and essential oils tested were all shown to effect lung cancer by several mechanisms including decreased tumour weight and volume, cell viability and modulation of cytokine. Some plant constituents increased expression of apoptotic proteins, the proportion of cells in the G2/M phase and subG0/G1 phase, and Cyt c levels. Also, natural products (NP) activate apoptotic pathways in lung cancer cell including p-JNK, Akt/mTOR, PI3/ AKT\ and Bax, Bcl2, but suppressed AXL phosphorylation. Plant-derived substances altered the cell morphology, reduced cell migration and metastasis, oxidative marker production, p-eIF2α and GRP78, IgG, IgM levels and reduced leukocyte counts, LDH, GGT, 5'NT and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Therefore, medicinal plant extracts and their constituents could have promising therapeutic value for lung cancer, especially if used in combination with ordinary anti-cancer drugs.

Different Types of Naturally based Drug Delivery Carriers: An Explanation and Expression of Some Anti-cancer Effects

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide and a major impediment to increasing life expectancy. However, survival rates with average standard cancer treatment strategies have not significantly improved in recent decades, with tumor metastasis, adverse drug reactions, and drug resistance still posing major challenges. Replacement therapies are essential for treating this terrible disease. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of phytochemical-derived conjugated chemotherapeutic agents due to their biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, low resistance, and dynamic physiochemical properties that distinguish normal cells in treating various types of cancer. The use of plant-based carriers has many advantages, such as the availability of raw materials, lower cost, lower toxicity in most cases, and greater compatibility with the body's structure compared to chemical and mineral types of carriers. Unfortunately, several challenges complicate the efficient administration of herbal medicines, including physicochemical disadvantages such as poor solubility and instability, and pharmacokinetic challenges such as poor absorption and low bioavailability that can cause problems in clinical trials. Novel delivery systems such as liposomes, phytosomes, nanoparticles, and nanocapsules are more suitable as delivery systems for phytomedicinal components compared to conventional systems. The use of these delivery systems can improve bioavailability, pharmacological activity, prolonged delivery, and provide physical and chemical stability that increases half-life. This article discusses different types of phytocompounds used in cancer treatment.

Overview of phytosomes in treating cancer: Advancement, challenges, and future outlook

One of the major causes of death on the globe is cancer. It has remained a significant obstacle for current therapies and has not yet been effectively treated. Conventional treatment strategies available for cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy etc. have severe adverse effects. The use of herbal active constituents in cancer treatment has tremendous potential to increase the effectiveness of conventional cancer therapy. Natural plant active components have been reported to have strong in vitro pharmacological activity but narrow in vivo absorption. In order to increase their bioavailability and absorption and get around the drawbacks and negative effects of traditional herbal extracts, Phytosomes are one of the growing nanotechnologies that can be used to improve the miscibility of bioactive phytoconstituents in lipid-rich barriers and overcome their poor bioavailability. Many novel drug delivery carriers are employed for targeted delivery of phytoconstituent at the site of action. Phytosomes are well-known biocompatible nanocarriers that can be employed to increase the solubility and permeability of phytopharmaceuticals among various novel drug delivery systems (NDDS). This review mainly focused on various conventional as well as novel approaches and various Nano carrier used in cancer therapies. Also comprising summary of the most recent research on the development and use of phytosomes as a better carrier for herbal constituents in the treatment of cancer. Additionally provides information about the formulation, characterization technique and mechanism of drug release from phytosome. Some of the major herbal active constituents made of phytosome which have shown proven anticancer activity are also studied. Finally, challenges and future perspective related to phytosome in cancer treatment are also discussed.

The Therapeutic Potential of Novel Carnosine Formulations: Perspectives for Drug Development

Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is an endogenous dipeptide synthesized via the activity of the ATP-dependent enzyme carnosine synthetase 1 and can be found at a very high concentration in tissues with a high metabolic rate, including muscles (up to 20 mM) and brain (up to 5 mM). Because of its well-demonstrated multimodal pharmacodynamic profile, which includes anti-aggregant, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as its ability to modulate the energy metabolism status in immune cells, this dipeptide has been investigated in numerous experimental models of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, and at a clinical level. The main limit for the therapeutic use of carnosine is related to its rapid hydrolysis exerted by carnosinases, especially at the plasma level, reason why the development of new strategies, including the chemical modification of carnosine or its vehiculation into innovative drug delivery systems (DDS), aiming at increasing its bioavailability and/or at facilitating the site-specific transport to different tissues, is of utmost importance. In the present review, after a description of carnosine structure, biological activities, administration routes, and metabolism, we focused on different DDS, including vesicular systems and metallic nanoparticles, as well as on possible chemical derivatization strategies related to carnosine. In particular, a basic description of the DDS employed or the derivatization/conjugation applied to obtain carnosine formulations, followed by the possible mechanism of action, is given. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that includes all the new formulations of carnosine (DDS and derivatives), allowing a decrease or complete prevention of the hydrolysis of this dipeptide exerted by carnosinases, the simultaneous blood-brain barrier crossing, the maintenance or enhancement of carnosine biological activity, and the site-specific transport to different tissues, which then offers perspectives for the development of new drugs.

Antinociceptive Action of Thymoquinone-Loaded Liposomes in an In Vivo Model of Tendinopathy

Tendinopathies represent about 45% of musculoskeletal lesions and they are a big burden in clinics characterized by activity-related pain, focal tendon tenderness and intra-tendinous imaging changes. Many approaches have been proposed for tendinopathies' management (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, eccentric exercises, laser therapy), unfortunately with very little support of efficacy or serious side effects, thus making the identification of new treatments fundamental. The aim of the study was to test the protective and pain reliever effect of thymoquinone (TQ)-loaded formulations in a rat model of tendinopathy induced by carrageenan intra-tendon injection (20 µL of carrageenan 0.8% on day 1). Conventional (LP-TQ) and hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated TQ liposomes (HA-LP-TQ) were characterized and subjected to in vitro release and stability studies at 4 °C. Then, TQ and liposomes were peri-tendon injected (20 µL) on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 to evaluate their antinociceptive profile using mechanical noxious and non-noxious stimuli (paw pressure and von Frey tests), spontaneous pain (incapacitance test) and motor alterations (Rota rod test). Liposomes containing 2 mg/mL of TQ and covered with HA (HA-LP-TQ2) reduced the development of spontaneous nociception and hypersensitivity for a long-lasting effect more than the other formulations. The anti-hypersensitivity effect matched with the histopathological evaluation. In conclusion, the use of TQ encapsulated in HA-LP liposomes is suggested as a new treatment for tendinopathies.

Advanced Delivery System of Polyphenols for Effective Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Polyphenols from plants such as fruits and vegetables are phytochemicals with physiological and pharmacological activity as potential drugs to modulate oxidative stress and inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, and cancer. However, due to the limited water solubility and bioavailability of many natural compounds, their pharmacological applications have been limited. Researchers have made progress in the development of nano- and micro-carriers that can address these issues and facilitate effective drug delivery. The currently developed drug delivery systems maximize the fundamental effects in various aspects such as absorption rate, stability, cellular absorption, and bioactivity of polyphenols. This review focuses on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols enhanced by the introduction of drug delivery systems, and ultimately discusses the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, growth, and angiogenesis.

Development of Olive Oil Containing Phytosomal Nanocomplex for Improving Skin Delivery of Quercetin: Formulation Design Optimization, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Appraisals

The objective of the current work was to fabricate, optimize and assess olive oil/phytosomal nanocarriers to improve quercetin skin delivery. Olive oil/phytosomal nanocarriers, prepared by a solvent evaporation/anti-solvent precipitation technique, were optimized using a Box–Behnken design, and the optimized formulation was appraised for in vitro physicochemical characteristics and stability. The optimized formulation was assessed for skin permeation and histological alterations. The optimized formulation (with an olive oil/PC ratio of 0.166, a QC/PC ratio of 1.95 and a surfactant concentration of 1.6%), and with a particle diameter of 206.7 nm, a zeta potential of −26.3 and an encapsulation efficiency of 85.3%, was selected using a Box–Behnken design. The optimized formulation showed better stability at ambient temperature when compared to refrigerating temperature (4 °C). The optimized formulation showed significantly higher skin permeation of quercetin when compared to an olive-oil/surfactant-free formulation and the control (~1.3-fold and 1.9-fold, respectively). It also showed alteration to skin barriers without remarkable toxicity aspects. Conclusively, this study demonstrated the use of olive oil/phytosomal nanocarriers as potential carriers for quercetin—a natural bioactive agent—to improve its skin delivery.

Piperine Liposome-Embedded in Hyaluronan Hydrogel as an Effective Platform for Prevention of Postoperative Peritoneal Adhesion

This study aimed to prepare piperine (PIP) loaded liposomes in hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel to provide a hybrid superstructure for postoperative adhesion prevention. Liposomes were prepared using thin-film hydration method. The optimised formulation was characterised by size, SEM, TEM, FTIR, encapsulation efficiency (EE)% (w/w), and release pattern. Liposome-in-hydrogel formulation was investigated by rheology, SEM, and release studies. The efficacy was evaluated in a rat peritoneal abrasion model. EE% (w/w) increased with increasing lipid concentration from 10 to 30; however, a higher percentage of Chol reduced EE% (w/w). The optimised liposome (EE: 68.10 ± 4.18% (w/w), average diameter: 513 ± 14.67 nm, PDI: 0.15 ± 0.04) was used for hydrogel embedding. No sign of adhesion in 5/8 rats and no collagen deposition confirmed the in vivo effectiveness of the optimised formulation. Overall, providing a sustained delivery of PIP, the developed liposome-in-hydrogel formulation can be a promising carrier to prevent postoperative adhesion.

Effects of carnosine on the embryonic development and TiO2 nanoparticles-induced oxidative stress on Zebrafish

Oxidative stress is due to an unbalance between pro-oxidants, such as reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species, and antioxidants/antioxidant system. Under physiological conditions these species are involved in different cellular processes such as cellular homeostasis and immune response, while an excessive production of ROS/RNS has been linked to the development of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. In this context, the naturally occurring dipeptide carnosine has shown the ability to scavenge ROS, counteract lipid peroxidation, and inhibit proteins oxidation. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂-NPs) have been widely used to produce cosmetics, in wastewater treatment, in food industry, and in healthcare product. As consequence, these NPs are often released into aquatic environments. The Danio rerio (commonly called zebrafish) embryos exposure to TiO₂-NPs did not affect the hatching rate, but induced oxidative stress. According to this scenario, in the present study, we first investigated the effects of carnosine exposure and of a sub-toxic administration of TiO₂-NPs on the development and survival of zebrafish embryos/larvae measured through the acute embryo toxicity test (FET-Test). Zebrafish larvae represent a useful model to study oxidative stress-linked disorders and to test antioxidant molecules, while carnosine was selected based on its well-known multimodal mechanism of action that includes a strong antioxidant activity. Once the basal effects of carnosine were assessed, we then evaluated its effects on TiO₂-NPs-induced oxidative stress in zebrafish larvae, measured in terms of total ROS production (measured with 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate probe) and protein expression by immunohistochemistry of two cellular stress markers, 70 kDa-heat shock protein (Hsp70) and metallothioneins (MTs). We demonstrated that carnosine did not alter the phenotypes of both embryos and larvae of zebrafish at different hours post fertilization. Carnosine was instead able to significantly decrease the enhancement of ROS levels in zebrafish larvae exposed to TiO₂-NPs and its antioxidant effect was paralleled by the rescue of the protein expression levels of Hsp70 and MTs. Our results suggest a therapeutic potential of carnosine as a new pharmacological tool in the context of pathologies characterized by oxidative stress such as neurodegenerative disorders.

Natural carriers: Recent advances in their use to improve the stability and bioaccessibility of food active compounds

In the last decades, the incorporation of bioactive compounds in food supplements aroused the attention of scientists. However, these ingredients often exhibit both low solubility and stability and their poor bioaccessibility within the gastrointestinal tract limits their effectiveness. To overcome these drawbacks, many carriers have been investigated for encapsulating nutraceuticals and enhancing their bioavailability. It is note that several different vegetable wall materials have been applied to build delivery systems. Considering their encapsulation mechanism, lipid and protein-based carriers display specific interaction patterns with bioactives, whereas polysaccharidic-based carriers can entrap them by creating porous highly stable networks. To maximize the encapsulation efficiency, mixed systems are very promising. Following the current goal of using natural and sustainable ingredients, only a limited number of studies about the isolation of new ingredients from agro-food waste are available. In this review, a comprehensive overview of the state of art in the development of innovative natural lipid-, protein- and polysaccharide-based plant carriers is presented, focusing on their application as food active compounds. Different aspects to be considered in the design of delivery systems are discussed, including the carrier structure and chemical features, the interaction between the encapsulating and the core material, and the parameters affecting bioactives entrapment.

Exploring cytotoxicity of cordycepin loaded nanovesicles against (HCT116) colon cancer cells: Optimization and cellular evaluation

Numerous researchers have investigated cordycepin (COR) as an anti-tumor compound. COR has been documented to have cytotoxic effects on several cancer cells. The current work used a Box-Behnken mathematical design to minimize COR's size. The design incorporated COR concentration, phospholipid concentration and sonication time as variables to minimize the vesicles of COR emulsomes (COR-EMLs). To evaluate degree of improvement of COR cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer (HCT116) cells, cell viability, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis have been assessed. In addition, wound scratching and mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated. Results of Box-Behnken design achieved COR-EMLs sizes in range from 91.54 ± 2.3-343.83 ± 3.7 nm. Moreover, the optimized formula morphology's was evaluated using transmission electron microscope and showed nanospheres in range of 100 nm. COR released from COR-EMLs exceeded 80% after 12 h.The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the refined COR-EML formula was about four times lower than that of COR-raw. The cell cycle study revealed that administration of COR-EML considerably hindered HCT116 cellular propagation in contrast to plain emulsomes (EMLs) and COR-raw with a denser cell compilation in G2/M. Moreover, the optimized formula notably enhanced the proportion of cells in both the initial and late phases of apoptosis. The augmentation of COR cytotoxicity was confirmed by its inhibition of cancer cell wound healing by approximately 40%. The mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly lower than in cells treated with COR-raw and EMLs. Finally, loading COR into the EMLs increased COR's capacity to lower mitochondrial membrane functionality and significantly improved its cytotoxicity.

Optimized Apamin-Mediated Nano-Lipidic Carrier Potentially Enhances the Cytotoxicity of Ellagic Acid against Human Breast Cancer Cells

Ellagic acid has recently attracted increasing attention regarding its role in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Surface functionalized nanocarriers have been recently studied for enhancing cancer cells’ penetration and achieving better tumor-targeted delivery of active ingredients. Therefore, the present work aimed at investigating the potential of APA-functionalized emulsomes (EGA-EML-APA) for enhancing cytototoxic activity of EGA against human breast cancer cells. Phospholipon^® 90 G: cholesterol molar ratio (PC: CH; X₁, mole/mole), Phospholipon^® 90 G: Tristearin weight ratio (PC: TS; X₂, w/w) and apamin molar concentration (APA conc.; X₃, mM) were considered as independent variables, while vesicle size (VS, Y₁, nm) and zeta potential (ZP, Y₂, mV) were studied as responses. The optimized formulation with minimized vs. and maximized absolute ZP was predicted successfully utilizing a numerical technique. EGA-EML-APA exhibited a significant cytotoxic effect with an IC₅₀ value of 5.472 ± 0.21 µg/mL compared to the obtained value from the free drug 9.09 ± 0.34 µg/mL. Cell cycle profile showed that the optimized formulation arrested MCF-7 cells at G2/M and S phases. In addition, it showed a significant apoptotic activity against MCF-7 cells by upregulating the expression of p53, bax and casp3 and downregulating bcl2. Furthermore, NF-κB activity was abolished while the expression of TNfα was increased confirming the significant apoptotic effect of EGA-EML-APA. In conclusion, apamin-functionalized emulsomes have been successfully proposed as a potential anti-breast cancer formulation.

Therapeutic implications and clinical manifestations of thymoquinone

Thymoquinone (TQ), a natural phytochemical predominantly found in Nigella sativa, has been investigated for its numerous health benefits. TQ showed anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, validated in various disease models. The anti-cancer potential of TQ is goverened by anti-proliferation, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS production, anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis, inhibition of cell migration and invasion action. Additionally, TQ exhibited antitumor activity via the modulation of multiple pathways and molecular targets, including Akt, ERK1/2, STAT3, and NF-κB. The present review highlighted the anticancer potential of TQ . We summarize the anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of TQ, focusing on its molecular targets and its promising action in cancer therapy. We further described the molecular mechanisms by which TQ prevents signaling pathways that mediate cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis.

Tailoring the multi-functional properties of phospholipids for simple to complex self-assemblies

The unique interfacial properties, huge diversity, and biocompatible nature of phospholipids make them an attractive pharmaceutical excipient. The amphiphilic nature of these molecules offers them the property to self-assemble into distinct structures. The solubility, chemical and structural properties, surface charge, and critical packing parameters of phospholipids play an essential role during formulation design. This review focuses on the relationship between the structural features of a phospholipid molecule and the formation of different lipid-based nanocarrier drug delivery systems. This provides a rationale and guideline for the selection of appropriate phospholipids while designing a drug delivery system. Finally, we refer to relevant recent case studies covering different types of phospholipid-based systems including simple to complex assemblies. Different carriers in the size range of 50 nm to a few microns can be prepared using phospholipids. The carriers can be delivered through oral, intravenous, nasal, dermal, transmucosal, and subcutaneous routes. A wide range of applicability can be achieved by incorporating various hydrophilic and lipophilic additives in the phospholipid bilayer. Advanced research has led to the discovery of phospholipid complexes and cell membrane mimicking lipids. Overall, phospholipids remain a versatile pharmaceutical excipient for drug delivery. They play multiple roles as solubilizer, emulsifier, surfactant, permeation enhancer, coating agent, release modifier, and liposome former.

How Should the Worldwide Knowledge of Traditional Cancer Healing Be Integrated with Herbs and Mushrooms into Modern Molecular Pharmacology?

Traditional herbal medicine (THM) is a “core” from which modern medicine has evolved over time. Besides this, one third of people worldwide have no access to modern medicine and rely only on traditional medicine. To date, drugs of plant origin, or their derivates (paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine, vinorelbine, etoposide, camptothecin, topotecan, irinotecan, and omacetaxine), are very important in the therapy of malignancies and they are included in most chemotherapeutic regimes. To date, 391,000 plant and 14,000 mushroom species exist. Their medical and biochemical capabilities have not been studied in detail. In this review, we systematized the information about plants and mushrooms, as well as their active compounds with antitumor properties. Plants and mushrooms are divided based on the regions where they are used in ethnomedicine to treat malignancies. The majority of their active compounds with antineoplastic properties and mechanisms of action are described. Furthermore, on the basis of the available information, we divided them into two priority groups for research and for their potential of use in antitumor therapy. As there are many prerequisites and some examples how THM helps and strengthens modern medicine, finally, we discuss the positive points of THM and the management required to transform and integrate THM into the modern medicine practice.

Curcumin, thymoquinone, and 3, 3′-diindolylmethane combinations attenuate lung and liver cancers progression

Cancer can develop due to abnormal cell proliferation in any body’s cells, so there are over a hundred different types of cancer, each with its distinct behavior and response to treatment. Therefore, many studies have been conducted to slow cancer progression and find effective and safe therapies. Nutraceuticals have great attention for their anticancer potential. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the anticancer effects of curcumin (Cur), thymoquinone (TQ), and 3, 3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) combinations on lung (A549) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines’ progression. Results showed that triple (Cur + TQ + DIM) and double (Cur + TQ, Cur + DIM, and TQ + DIM) combinations of Cur, TQ, and DIM significantly increased apoptosis with elevation of caspase-3 protein levels. Also, these combinations exhibited significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, colony formation activities, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (AKT) protein levels with S phase reduction. Triple and double combinations of Cur, TQ, and DIM hindered tumor weight and angiogenesis of A549 and HepG2 implants in the chorioallantoic membrane model. Interestingly, Cur, TQ, and DIM combinations are considered promising for suppressing cancer progression via inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. Further preclinical and clinical investigations are warranted.

Bax/Bcl-2 Cascade Is Regulated by the EGFR Pathway: Therapeutic Targeting of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) comprises 80%-85% of lung cancer cases. EGFR is involved in several cancer developments, including NSCLC. The EGFR pathway regulates the Bax/Bcl-2 cascade in NSCLC. Increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms of fundamental tumor progression has guided the development of numerous antitumor drugs. The development and improvement of rationally planned inhibitors and agents targeting particular cellular and biological pathways in cancer have been signified as a most important paradigm shift in the strategy to treat and manage lung cancer. Newer approaches and novel chemotherapeutic agents are required to accompany present cancer therapies for improving efficiency. Using natural products as a drug with an effective delivery system may benefit therapeutics. Naturally originated compounds such as phytochemicals provide crucial sources for novel agents/drugs and resources for tumor therapy. Applying the small-molecule inhibitors (SMIs)/phytochemicals has led to potent preclinical discoveries in various human tumor preclinical models, including lung cancer. In this review, we summarize recent information on the molecular mechanisms of the Bax/Bcl-2 cascade and EGFR pathway in NSCLC and target them for therapeutic implications. We further described the therapeutic potential of Bax/Bcl-2/EGFR SMIs, mainly those with more potent and selectivity, including gefitinib, EGCG, ABT-737, thymoquinone, quercetin, and venetoclax. In addition, we explained the targeting EGFR pathway and ongoing in vitro and in vivo and clinical investigations in NSCLC. Exploration of such inhibitors facilitates the future treatment and management of NSCLC.

Boosting curcumin activity against human prostatic cancer PC3 cells by utilizing scorpion venom conjugated phytosomes as promising functionalized nanovesicles

Prostate cancer (PC) is emerging as one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Curcumin (CUR) is a well-known phytochemical, and scorpion venom (SV) is a natural peptide with proven anticancer properties. However, these natural bioactive agents are limited by low solubility, low bioavailability, poor thermal stability, and short half-lives. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fabricate SV-conjugated CUR phytosomes as promising functionalized nanovesicles and assess their anticancer efficacy in human prostatic cancer PC3 cells. CUR-Phytosome-SV was fabricated using experimental design software in which the zeta potential and particle sizes were used as dependent variables. The anticancer effect of the fabricated formulation was determined by performing a tetrazolium (MTT) assay, cell cycle analysis, annexin V staining, and examining the expression levels of Bcl-associated X-protein (Bax), p53, caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kB), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The particle size of the nanoconjugates was found to be in the range of 137.5 ± 7.9 to 298.4 ± 11.9 nm, and the zeta potential was 2.9 ± 0.1 to 26.9 ± 1.2 mV. The outcome of the MTT assay showed that curcumin–Phospholipon^®–scorpion venom (CUR–PL–SV) exhibited a satisfactory level of cytotoxicity, and the IC₅₀ was found to be lower than CUR and PL-SV individually. Cell cycle analysis showed predominantly cell cycle arrest at the G2-M and pre-G1 phases. In contrast, annexin V staining showed significant early and late apoptosis events in addition to increased necrosis when PC3 cells were treated with CUR–PL–SV. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed a reduction in expression of Bax, p53, caspase-3, NF-kB, TNF-α, and an increase in Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, a MMP analysis showed a reduction in mitochondrial permeability and hence confirmed the superior anticancer potential of CUR–PL–SV. Thus, the present study showed significant anticancer potency of SV-conjugated CUR phytosomes against human prostatic cancer PC3 cells, making it a novel treatment approach for PC.

Alfaleh M, H. Abdulaal W, Bakhaidar RB, Alselami MO, Zahrani MAL, Alqarni HM, F. Alghaith A, Alshehri S, Badr-Eldin SM, Aldawsari HM, Al-hejaili OD, Aldhabi BM, Mahdi WA. Wasp venom peptide improves the proapoptotic activity of alendronate sodium in A549 lung cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer in men and women is considered the leading cause for cancer-related mortality worldwide. Anti-cancer peptides represent a potential untapped reservoir of effective cancer therapy.

METHODOLOGY

Box-Behnken response surface design was applied for formulating Alendronate sodium (ALS)-mastoparan peptide (MP) nanoconjugates using Design-Expert software. The optimization process aimed at minimizing the size of the prepared ALS-MP nanoconjugates. ALS-MP nanoconjugates' particle size, encapsulation efficiency and the release profile were determined. Cytotoxicity, cell cycle, annexin V staining and caspase 3 analyses on A549 cells were carried out for the optimized formula.

RESULTS

The results revealed that the optimized formula was of 134.91±5.1 nm particle size. The novel ALS-MP demonstrated the lowest IC50 (1.3 ± 0.34 μM) in comparison to ALS-Raw (37.6 ± 1.79 μM). Thus, the results indicated that when optimized ALS-MP nanoconjugate was used, the IC50 of ALS was also reduced by half. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of cells in the G2-M phase following the treatment with optimized ALS-MP nanoconjugates.

CONCLUSION

The optimized ALS-MP formula had significantly improved the parameters related to the cytotoxic activity towards A549 cells, compared to control, MP and ALS-Raw.

Lipid-Based Nanovesicular Drug Delivery Systems

In designing a new drug, considering the preferred route of administration, various requirements must be fulfilled. Active molecules pharmacokinetics should be reliable with a valuable drug profile as well as well-tolerated. Over the past 20 years, nanotechnologies have provided alternative and complementary solutions to those of an exclusively pharmaceutical chemical nature since scientists and clinicians invested in the optimization of materials and methods capable of regulating effective drug delivery at the nanometer scale. Among the many drug delivery carriers, lipid nano vesicular ones successfully support clinical candidates approaching such problems as insolubility, biodegradation, and difficulty in overcoming the skin and biological barriers such as the blood-brain one. In this review, the authors discussed the structure, the biochemical composition, and the drug delivery applications of lipid nanovesicular carriers, namely, niosomes, proniosomes, ethosomes, transferosomes, pharmacosomes, ufasomes, phytosomes, catanionic vesicles, and extracellular vesicles.

Phyto-Phospholipid Conjugated Scorpion Venom Nanovesicles as Promising Carrier That Improves Efficacy of Thymoquinone against Adenocarcinoma Human Alveolar Basal Epithelial Cells

Lung cancer is a dangerous type of cancer in men and the third leading cause of cancer-related death in women, behind breast and colorectal cancers. Thymoquinone (THQ), a main compound in black seed essential oils, has a variety of beneficial effects, including antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. On the other hand, scorpion venom peptides (SV) induce apoptosis in the cancer cells, making it a promising anticancer agent. THQ, SV, and Phospholipon^® 90H (PL) were incorporated in a nano-based delivery platform to assess THQ’s cellular uptake and antiproliferative efficacy against a lung cancer cell line derived from human alveolar epithelial cells (A549). Several nanovesicles were prepared and optimized using factorial experimental design. The optimized phytosome formulation contained 79.0 mg of PL and 170.0 mg of SV, with vesicle size and zeta potential of 209.9 nm and 21.1 mV, respectively. The IC50 values revealed that A549 cells were significantly more sensitive to the THQ formula than the plain formula and THQ. Cell cycle analysis revealed that THQ formula treatment resulted in significant cell cycle arrest at the S phase, increasing cell population in this phase by 22.1%. Furthermore, the THQ formula greatly increased cell apoptosis (25.17%) when compared to the untreated control (1.76%), plain formula (11.96%), or THQ alone (13.18%). The results also indicated that treatment with THQ formula significantly increased caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, and p53 mRNA expression compared to plain formula and THQ. In terms of the inflammatory markers, THQ formula significantly reduced the activity of TNF-α and NF-κB in comparison with the plain formula and THQ only. Overall, the findings from the study proved that a phytosome formulation of THQ could be a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

Formulation, optimization, and nephrotoxicity evaluation of an antifungal in situ nasal gel loaded with voriconazole‒clove oil transferosomal nanoparticles

Fungal infections of the paranasal cavity are among the most widely spread illnesses nowadays. The aim of the current study was to estimate the effectiveness of an in situ gel loaded with voriconazole‒clove oil nano-transferosomes (VRC-CO-NT) in enhancing the activity of voriconazole against Aspergillus flavus, which causes rhinosinusitis. The nephrotoxic side effects of voriconazole may be reduced through the incorporation of the clove oil, which has antioxidant activity that protects tissue. The Box‒Behnken design was applied to formulate the VRC-CO-NT. The particle size, entrapment efficiency, antifungal inhibition zone, and serum creatinine concentration were considered dependent variables, and the soybean lecithin, VRC, and CO concentrations were considered independent ones. The final optimized formulation was loaded into a deacetylated gellan gum base and evaluated for its gelation, rheological properties, drug release profile, permeation capabilities, and in vivo nephrotoxicity. The optimum formulation was determined to be composed of 50 mg/mL lecithin, 18 mg/mL VRC, and 75 mg/mL CO, with a minimum particle size of 102.96 nm, an entrapment efficiency of 71.70%, an inhibition zone of 21.76 mm, and a serum creatinine level of 0.119 mmol/L. The optimized loaded in situ gel released 82.5% VRC after 12 hours and resulted in a 5.4-fold increase in drug permeation. The in vivo results obtained using rabbits resulted in a nonsignificant differentiation among the renal function parameters compared with the negative control group. In conclusion, nasal in situ gel loaded with VRC-CO-NT is considered an efficient novel carrier with enhanced antifungal properties with no signs of nephrotoxicity.

Development and Optimization of Luliconazole Spanlastics to Augment the Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans

Luliconazole is a new topical imidazole antifungal drug for the treatment of skin infections. It has low solubility and poor skin penetration which limits its therapeutic applications. In order to improve its therapeutic efficacy, spanlastics nanoformulation was developed and optimized using a combined mixture-process variable design (CMPV). The optimized formulation was converted into a hydrogel formula to enhance skin penetration and increase the efficacy in experimental cutaneous Candida albicans infections in Swiss mice wounds. The optimized formulation was generated at percentages of Span and Tween of 48% and 52%, respectively, and a sonication time of 6.6 min. The software predicted that the proposed formulation would achieve a particle size of 50 nm with a desirability of 0.997. The entrapment of luliconazole within the spanlastics carrier showed significant (p < 0.0001) antifungal efficacy in the immunocompromised Candida-infected Swiss mice without causing any irritation, when compared to the luliconazole treated groups. The microscopic observation showed almost complete removal of the fungal colonies on the skin of the infected animals (0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU), whereas the control animals had 0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU. Therefore, luliconazole spanlastics could be an effective formulation with improved topical delivery for antifungal activity against C. albicans.

Recent Findings on Thymoquinone and Its Applications as a Nanocarrier for the Treatment of Cancer and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Cancer causes a considerable amount of mortality in the world, while arthritis is an immunological dysregulation with multifactorial pathogenesis including genetic and environmental defects. Both conditions have inflammation as a part of their pathogenesis. Resistance to anticancer and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) happens frequently through the generation of energy-dependent transporters, which lead to the expulsion of cellular drug contents. Thymoquinone (TQ) is a bioactive molecule with anticancer as well as anti-inflammatory activities via the downregulation of several chemokines and cytokines. Nevertheless, the pharmacological importance and therapeutic feasibility of thymoquinone are underutilized due to intrinsic pharmacokinetics, including short half-life, inadequate biological stability, poor aqueous solubility, and low bioavailability. Owing to these pharmacokinetic limitations of TQ, nanoformulations have gained remarkable attention in recent years. Therefore, this compilation intends to critically analyze recent advancements in rheumatoid arthritis and cancer delivery of TQ. This literature search revealed that nanocarriers exhibit potential results in achieving targetability, maximizing drug internalization, as well as enhancing the anti-inflammatory and anticancer efficacy of TQ. Additionally, TQ-NPs (thymoquinone nanoparticles) as a therapeutic payload modulated autophagy as well as enhanced the potential of other drugs when given in combination. Moreover, nanoformulations improved pharmacokinetics, drug deposition, using EPR (enhanced permeability and retention) and receptor-mediated delivery, and enhanced anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. TQ's potential to reduce metal toxicity, its clinical trials and patents have also been discussed.

Optimization of Thymoquinone-Loaded Self-Nanoemulsion for Management of Indomethacin-Induced Ulcer

To improve the water solubility of thymoquinone (TQ), a major constituent of Nigella sativa seed oil, a TQ-loaded self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) was prepared. The SNEDDS formulation was optimized using almond oil (AO) (Oil; X1), tween 80 (surfactant; X2) and polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200) (cosurfactant; X3) compounds as independent variables. The results showed that the globule size ranged from 65 to 320 nm. In addition, a strong agreement was reached between the system estimation and the experimental values of globule size. To evaluate the gastroprotective effect of optimized TQ-loaded SNEDDS against indomethacin (Indo.)-induced gastric ulcers in comparison with non-emulsified TQ, the ulcer index and histopathological changes were estimated. Optimized TQ-loaded SNEDDS showed improved gastroprotective activity against Indo.-induced ulcers relative to the non-emulsified TQ. In addition, the gastroprotective index was improved by 2-fold in TQ-loaded SNEDDS as compared to non-emulsified TQ. This is attributed to the strong antioxidant and the cytoprotective activities of the TQ. These results demonstrate enhancement of the efficacy of TQ through the optimized SNEDDS.

Pegylated liquisomes: A novel combined passive targeting nanoplatform of L-carnosine for breast cancer

PEGylated Liquisomes (P-Liquisomes), a novel drug delivery system was designed for the first time by incorporating phospholipid complex in PEGylated liquid crystalline nanoparticles (P-LCNPs). L-carnosine (CN), a challenging dipeptide, has proven to be a promising anti-cancer drug. However, it exhibits high water solubility and extensive in-vivo degradation that halts its use. The objective of this work was to investigate the ability of our novel system to improve the CN anticancer activity by prolonging it's release and protecting it in-vivo. In-vitro appraisal revealed spherical light-colored vesicles encapsulated in the liquid crystals, confirming the successful formation of the combined system. P-Liquisomes were nano-sized (149.3 ± 1.4 nm), with high ZP (-40.2 ± 1.5 mV), complexation efficiency (97.5 ± 0.9%) and outstanding sustained release of only 75.4% released after 24 h, compared to P-LCNPs and Phytosomes. The results obtained with P-Liquisomes are considered as a break through compared to P-LCNPs or Phytosomes alone, especially when dealing with the hydrophilic CN. In-vitro cytotoxicity evaluation, revealed superior cytotoxic effect of P-Liquisomes (IC₅₀ = 25.9) after 24 h incubation. Besides, P-Liquisomes proved to be non-toxic in-vivo and succeeded to show superior chemopreventive activity manifested by reduction of; % tumor growth (7.1%), VEGF levels (14.3 pg/g tissue), cyclin D1 levels 15.5 ng/g tissue and elevation in caspase-3 level (36.4 ng/g tissue), compared to Phytosomes and CN solution. Conclusively, P-Liquisomes succeded to achieve the maximum therapeutic outcome of CN without altering its activity and might be used as a sustained delivery system for other promising hydrophilic compounds.

Thymoquinone, as a Novel Therapeutic Candidate of Cancers

To date, natural products are widely used as pharmaceutical agents for many human diseases and cancers. One of the most popular natural products that have been studied for anticancer properties is thymoquinone (TQ). As a bioactive compound of Nigella sativa, TQ has shown anticancer activities through the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The anticancer efficacy of TQ is being investigated in several human cancers such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, hepatic cancer, cervical cancer, and leukemia. Even though TQ induces apoptosis by regulating the expression of pro- apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes in many cancers, the TQ effect mechanism on such cancers is not yet fully understood. Therefore, the present review has highlighted the TQ effect mechanisms on several signaling pathways and expression of tumor suppressor genes (TSG). Data from relevant published experimental articles on TQ from 2015 to June 2020 were selected by using Google Scholar and PubMed search engines. The present study investigated the effectiveness of TQ alone or in combination with other anticancer therapeutic agents, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors on cancers, as a future anticancer therapy nominee by using nanotechnology.

Oral Gel Loaded by Fluconazole‒Sesame Oil Nanotransfersomes: Development, Optimization, and Assessment of Antifungal Activity

Candidiasis is one of the frequently encountered opportunistic infections in the oral cavity and can be found in acute and chronic presentations. The study aimed to develop fluconazole-loaded sesame oil containing nanotransfersomes (FS-NTF) by the thin-layer evaporation technique to improve the local treatment of oral candidiasis. Optimization of the formulation was performed using the Box‒Behnken statistical design to determine the variable parameters that influence the vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, zone of inhibition, and ulcer index. Finally, the formulated FS-NTF was embedded within the hyaluronic acid‒based hydrogel (HA-FS-NTF). The rheological behavior of the optimized HA-FS-NTF was assessed and the thixotropic behavior with the pseudoplastic flow was recorded; this is desirable for an oral application. An in vitro release study revealed the rapid release of fluconazole from the HA-FS-NTF. This was significantly higher when compared with the fluconazole suspension and hyaluronic acid hydrogel containing fluconazole. Correspondingly, the ex vivo permeation was also found to be higher in HA-FS-NTF in sheep buccal mucosa (400 μg/cm2) when compared with the fluconazole suspension (122 μg/cm2) and hyaluronic acid hydrogel (294 μg/cm2). The optimized formulation had an inhibition zone of 14.33 ± 0.76 mm and enhanced antifungal efficacy for the ulcer index (0.67 ± 0.29) in immunocompromised animals with Candida infection; these findings were superior to those of other tested formulations. Hence, it can be summarized that fluconazole can effectively be delivered for the treatment of oral candidiasis when it is entrapped in a nanotransfersome carrier and embedded into cross-linked hyaluronic acid hydrogel.

Optimized Icariin Cubosomes Exhibit Augmented Cytotoxicity against SKOV-3 Ovarian Cancer Cells

Clinical application of icariin (ICA) is limited, despite its activity against cancer growth, because of the low solubility of ICA in an aqueous environment. Therefore, the present study attempted to develop and optimize ICA-loaded cubosome delivery and to explore its efficacy and possible mechanism of action against ovarian cancer. The optimization of the cubosome formulation was performed using the Box‒Behnken statistical design; during the characterization, the particle sizes were in the range of 73 to 183 nm and the entrapment efficiency was 78.3% to 97.3%. Optimized ICA-loaded cubosomes (ICA-Cubs) exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity and apoptotic potential, compared with ICA-raw, against ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV-3 and Caov 3). The optimized ICA-Cubs showed a relatively non-cytotoxic effect on normal EA.hy926 endothelial cells. Further analysis of cell cycle arrest suggested a potential role in the pre-G1 and G2/M phases for ICA-Cubs in comparison with ICA-raw. ICA-Cubs increased the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the overexpression of p53 and caspase-3 in the SKOV-3 cell line. In conclusion, the cubosomal delivery of ICA might provide a prospective approach towards the superior control of ovarian cancer cell growth. Its improved efficacy compared with that of the free drug might be due to the improved solubility and cellular permeability of ICA.