Evaluation of therapeutic effects of nanofibrous mat containing mycophenolate mofetil on oral lichen planus: In vitro and clinical trial study.

Objectives: Recently, topical drug delivery system has gained increasing interest in the treatment of oral lesions. Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting mucous membranes and skin. The current study aimed to fabricate a drug delivery system containing mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of oral lichen planus lesions. Methods: Firstly, a nanofibrous mat containing mycophenolate mofetil, zinc oxide nanoparticles, and aloe vera was designed and fabricated. The antimicrobial, cytocompatibility, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative characteristics of fabricated scaffolds were evaluated. Then, this nanofibrous mat was applied to 12 patients suffering from bilateral erythematous/erosive Oral Lichen planus (OLP) lesions for 2 weeks. The treatment outcomes, including oral symptoms and lesion size, were compared with the routine topical treatment of these lesions; Triamcinolone ointment. Results: The characterization of nanofibrous mat approved the successful fabrication of scaffolds. The fabricated nanofibers showed notable antimicrobial activity. The amounts of TNF 𝛼, IL6, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) of stimulated human gingival fibroblasts were decreased after exposure to NFs/Myco/Alv/ZnO scaffolds. The clinical trial results demonstrated the same therapeutic effects compared to the commercial ointment, while the symptoms of patients were significantly improved in the mats group.Significance. Considering the successful results of this study, the application of nanofibrous mat can be a promising product for improving treatment outcomes of OLP.

Curcumin nanoformulations: Beneficial nanomedicine against cancer.

Curcumin is a phytochemical achieved from the plant turmeric. It is extensively utilized for the treatment of several types of diseases such as cancers. Nevertheless, its efficiency has been limited because of rapid metabolism, low bioavailability, poor water solubility, and systemic elimination. Scientists have tried to solve these problems by exploring novel drug delivery systems such as lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) (e.g., solid lipid NPs, nanostructured lipid carriers, and liposomes), polymeric NPs, micelles, nanogels, cyclodextrin, gold, and mesoporous silica NPs. Among these, liposomes have been the most expansively studied. This review mainly focuses on the different curcumin nanoformulations and their use in cancer therapy in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. Despite the development of curcumin-containing NPs for the treatment of cancer, potentially serious side effects, including interactions with other drugs, some toxicity aspects of NPs may occur that require more high-quality investigations to firmly establish the clinical efficacy.

Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of curcumin-loaded endodontic reparative material.

Curcumin (CUR) is an ancient therapeutic agent with remarkable antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of the current study was to synthesize and evaluate a curcumin-based reparative endodontic material to reduce infection and inflammation besides the induction of mineralization during the healing of the dentin-pulp complex. Poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (Gel)/CUR scaffold was synthesized and assessed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Agar diffusion test was performed against E. coli, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. faecalis, and S. mutans. Moreover, proliferative, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and calcification properties of these scaffolds on human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were evaluated. The results showed that PCL/Gel/CUR scaffold had antibacterial effects. Also, these CUR-based scaffolds had significant inhibitory effects on the expression of tumor necrosis factor α and DCF from inflamed hDPSCs (p < 0.05). Moreover, the induction of mineralization in hDPSCs significantly increased after seeding on CUR-based scaffolds (p < 0.05). Based on these findings, the investigated CUR-loaded material was fabricated successfully and provided an appropriate structure for the attachment and proliferation of hDPSCs. It was found that these scaffolds had antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory characteristics and could induce mineralization in hDPSCs, which is essential for healing and repairing the injured dentin-pulp complex.