Fostering the unleashing potential of nanocarriers-mediated delivery of ocular therapeutics.

Ocular delivery is the most challenging aspect in the field of pharmaceutical research. The major hurdle for the controlled delivery of drugs to the eye includes the physiological static barriers such as the complex layers of the cornea, sclera and retina which restrict the drug from permeating into the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Recent years have witnessed inventions in the field of conventional and nanocarrier drug delivery which have shown considerable enhancement in delivering small to large molecules across the eye. The dynamic challenges associated with conventional systems include limited drug contact time and inadequate ocular bioavailability resulting from solution drainage, tear turnover, and dilution or lacrimation. To this end, various bioactive-based nanosized carriers including liposomes, ethosomes, niosomes, dendrimer, nanogel, nanofibers, contact lenses, nanoprobes, selenium nanobells, nanosponge, polymeric micelles, silver nanoparticles, and gold nanoparticles among others have been developed to circumvent the limitations associated with the conventional dosage forms. These nanocarriers have been shown to achieve enhanced drug permeation or retention and prolong drug release in the ocular tissue due to their better tissue adherence. The surface charge and the size of nanocarriers (10-1000 nm) are the important key factors to overcome ocular barriers. Various nanocarriers have been shown to deliver active therapeutic molecules including timolol maleate, ampicillin, natamycin, voriconazole, cyclosporine A, dexamethasone, moxifloxacin, and fluconazole among others for the treatment of anterior and posterior eye diseases. Taken together, in a nutshell, this extensive review provides a comprehensive perspective on the numerous facets of ocular drug delivery with a special focus on bioactive nanocarrier-based approaches, including the difficulties and constraints involved in the fabrication of nanocarriers. This also provides the detailed invention, applications, biodistribution and safety-toxicity of nanocarriers-based therapeutcis for the ophthalmic delivery.

Recent advancements in nanomaterial-mediated ferroptosis-induced cancer therapy: Importance of molecular dynamics and novel strategies.

Ferroptosis is a novel type of controlled cell death resulting from an imbalance between oxidative harm and protective mechanisms, demonstrating significant potential in combating cancer. It differs from other forms of cell death, such as apoptosis and necrosis. Molecular therapeutics have hard time playing the long-acting role of ferroptosis induction due to their limited water solubility, low cell targeting capacity, and quick metabolism in vivo. To this end, small molecule inducers based on biological factors have long been used as strategy to induce cell death. Research into ferroptosis and advancements in nanotechnology have led to the discovery that nanomaterials are superior to biological medications in triggering ferroptosis. Nanomaterials derived from iron can enhance ferroptosis induction by directly releasing large quantities of iron and increasing cell ROS levels. Moreover, utilizing nanomaterials to promote programmed cell death minimizes the probability of unfavorable effects induced by mutations in cancer-associated genes such as RAS and TP53. Taken together, this review summarizes the molecular mechanisms involved in ferroptosis along with the classification of ferroptosis induction. It also emphasized the importance of cell organelles in the control of ferroptosis in cancer therapy. The nanomaterials that trigger ferroptosis are categorized and explained. Iron-based and noniron-based nanomaterials with their characterization at the molecular and cellular levels have been explored, which will be useful for inducing ferroptosis that leads to reduced tumor growth. Within this framework, we offer a synopsis, which traverses the well-established mechanism of ferroptosis and offers practical suggestions for the design and therapeutic use of nanomaterials.