The recent applications of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of common cardiovascular diseases.

Almost a third of all fatalities may be attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD), making it a primary cause of mortalities worldwide. Better diagnostic tools and secure, non-invasive imaging techniques are needed to offer accurate information on CVD progression. Several elements contribute to the success of CVD personalized therapy, and two of the most crucial are accurate diagnosis and early detection. The therapy options available for conditions with a pathogenesis that unfold over decades, such as CVD, are very condition-specific and disease-stage based. Nanotechnology is increasingly being used as a therapeutic tool in the biomedical area, where they are used in various contexts, including diagnostics, biosensing, and drug administration. This review article provides an overview of the most recent applications of nanotechnology in the detection and management of prevalent CVDs.

Apigenin in cancer therapy: From mechanism of action to nano-therapeutic agent.

Apigenin (APG) is a flavonoid presence in beverages, vegetables, and fruits containing anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral activities, as well as cancer management properties. There is growing evidence that APG presented extensive anti-cancer effects in several cancer types by modulating various cellular processes, including angiogenesis, apoptosis, metastasis, autophagy, cell cycle, and immune responses, through activation or inhibition of different cell signaling pathways and molecules. By emerging nanotechnology and its advent in the biomedicine field, cancer therapy has been changed based on nanotechnology-based delivery systems. APG nanoformulations have been used to target tumor cells specifically, improve cellular uptake of APG, and overcome limitations of the free form of APG, such as low solubility and poor bioavailability. In this review, the biotherapeutic activity of APG and its mechanisms, both in free form and nanoformulation, toward cancer cells are discussed to shed some light on APG anti-tumor activity in different cancers.

Chan-Yu-Bao-Yuan-Tang induces apoptosis in NSCLC and SCLC cell lines via a mitochondria-mediated pathway.

Previous clinical studies have shown efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicinal herb extract Chan-Yu-Bao-Yuan-Tang (CYBYT) in lung cancer patients. The effects of CYBYT on proliferation and apoptosis in the non-small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 and the small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H446 were investigated in vitro. CYBYT significantly induced antiproliferative effects of NCI-H460 and NCI-H446 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The IC(50) values in NCI-H460 cells were 94.37 µg/mL (24 h) and 20.89 µg/mL (48 h), whereas in NCI-H446 cells IC(50) values were 214.72 µg/mL (24 h) and 114.58 µg/mL (48 h). Annexin V-FITC/PI staining showed CYBYT could significantly induce apoptosis in NCI-H460 and NCI-H446 cells, and the total apoptosis rates were positively correlated with the concentration and time of CYBYT treatment. Furthermore, treatment with the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) effectively protected NCI-H460 and NCI-H446 cells against CYBYT-triggered apoptosis. The apoptotic processes involved were a marked decrease in antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and an increase in proapoptotic protein Bax. The release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into the cytosol was also observed, which, in turn, resulted in the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. CYBYT exerts antiproliferative and growth inhibition effects on NCI-H460 and NCI-H446 cells through the mitochondrial caspase-dependent cell death pathway.