Trends in Nanomaterials and Processing for Drug Delivery of Polyphenols in the Treatment of Cancer and Other Therapies

For decades polyphenols have been considered to be sound, naturally occurring therapeutic compounds. While there are several polyphenols with special applications used in the treatment of cancer and other diseases, they need a specific carrier in order to reach the cells targeted for treatment. Recently, a number of new technologies have been developed on a nanoscale, such as nanoparticles, nanocapsules and nanofibers that can provide targeted delivery of polyphenols for medical purposes. This work summarizes the current trends in nanoscale delivery technology for polyphenols in cancer treatment and outlines its capabilities and the significant improvements that have been made. Special emphasis is given to the materials and to the manufacturing processes used to produce these kinds of drug delivery system nanostructures.

Exploring the drug delivery capabilities of Nb2C MXene functionalized with oxygen and fluorine: A DFT study

MXenes quantum dots (QDs), including Nb2C, Nb2CO2, and Nb2CF2, are emerging materials with exceptional structural, electronic, and optical properties, making them highly suitable for biomedical applications. This study investigates the structural optimization, stability, electronic properties, and drug-loading potential of these QDs using fluorouracil (Flu) as a model drug. Structural analyses show that the functionalization of Nb2C with O and F atoms enhances stability, with binding energies (BEs) of 7.335, 8.154, and 6.704 eV for Nb2C, Nb2CO2, and Nb2CF2, respectively. The drug-loading study reveals that Nb2C exhibits the highest adsorption energy of -6.775 eV at the surface site (2.053 Å), while Nb2CO2 and Nb2CF2 demonstrate weaker interactions with adsorption energies of -2.163 eV and -0.933 eV, respectively. Non-covalent interaction (NCI) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses show significant changes in electron density distribution upon drug interaction, with the natural charge on the O7 atom in Flu shifting slightly upon interaction. Optical property investigations indicate a blue shift in the absorption spectra for Nb2CO2 (λmax = 764.76 nm) and Nb2CF2 (λmax = 1108.71 nm), compared to Nb2C (λmax = 2612.00 nm), confirming the tunability of these materials for therapeutic applications. By addressing key challenges in drug delivery, such as stability, controlled release, and interaction strength, this study establishes Nb2CO2 and Nb2CF2 as promising nanocarriers, with the potential to improve drug efficacy and minimize side effects in targeted cancer therapies.

A novel targeted anticancer drug delivery strategy: Cnidium officinale polysaccharide conjugated with carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil and folic acid for ovarian cancer therapy

To mitigate adverse reactions induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), Cnidium officinale fraction 2 (F2) polysaccharides served as the macromolecular carrier, facilitating its reaction with carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil (C-5-FU) for producing F2-C-5-FU. Subsequently, this compound could react with folic acid (FA) through the ester bond, forming F2-C-5-FU-FA, as verified through NMR analysis. The in vitro anticancer efficacy of F2-C-5-FU-FA was evaluated using SKOV-3 cells that expressed folate receptor (FR) and FR-deficient A549 cells, showing greater cytotoxicity in the SKOV-3 cell line due to the FRs on the cell membrane. In vivo experiments were conducted on SKOV-3-bearing xenograft mice using an in vivo imaging system (IVIS). Animals injected with F2-C-5-FU-FA exhibited significantly stronger targeting of tumor tissue compared to those injected with F2-C-5-FU. These findings highlighted enhanced drug delivery and accumulation in targeted tumor regions facilitated by folate-targeted conjugates. Moreover, F2-C-5FU-FA showed reduced cardiac toxicity in mice and minimal spleen accumulation, indicating a negligible effect on the immune system. Overall, this study introduced a novel strategy for achieving highly efficient anticancer drug delivery into tumor cells that express FR.