New Class of Betulinic Acid-Based Nanoassemblies of Cabazitaxel, Podophyllotoxin, and Thiocolchicine.

Betulinic acid is validated as a new self-assembly inducer for the formation of nanoparticles (NPs) in combination with different drugs. The target compounds are characterized by the presence of anticancer drugs acting on tubulin dynamics and of a linker that could be a carbon chain or a triazole-based one. Nanoparticles formed are characterized and their biological activity is evaluated.

Nanolipid-Trehalose Conjugates and Nano-Assemblies as Putative Autophagy Inducers.

The disaccharide trehalose is an autophagy inducer, but its pharmacological application is severely limited by its poor pharmacokinetics properties. Thus, trehalose was coupled via suitable spacers with squalene (in 1:2 and 1:1 stoichiometry) and with betulinic acid (1:2 stoichiometry), in order to yield the corresponding nanolipid-trehalose conjugates 1-Sq-mono, 2-Sq-bis and 3-Be-mono. The conjugates were assembled to produce the corresponding nano-assemblies (NAs) Sq-NA1, Sq-NA2 and Be-NA3. The synthetic and assembly protocols are described in detail. The resulting NAs were characterized in terms of loading and structure, and tested in vitro for their capability to induce autophagy. Our results are presented and thoroughly commented upon.