Emerging Trends of Nanomedicines in the Management of Prostate Cancer: Perspectives and Potential Applications.

Prostate cancer is one of the most life-threatening disorders that occur in males. It has now become the third most common disease all over the world, and emerging cases and spiking mortality rates are becoming more challenging day by day. Several approaches have been used to treat prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc. These are painful and invasive ways of treatment. Primarily, chemotherapy has been associated with numerous drawbacks restricting its further application. The majority of prostate cancers have the potential to become castration-resistant. Prostate cancer cells exhibit resistance to chemotherapy, resistance to radiation, ADT (androgen-deprivation therapy) resistance, and immune stiffness as a result of activating tumor-promoting signaling pathways and developing resistance to various treatment modalities. Nanomedicines such as liposomes, nanoparticles, branched dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, and quantum dots are promising disease management techniques in this context. Nanomedicines can target the drugs to the target site and enhance the drug's action for a prolonged period. They may also increase the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This review summarizes the current data on nanomedicines for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Thus, nanomedicine is pioneering in disease management.

Multifunctional curcumin mediated zinc oxide nanoparticle enhancing biofilm inhibition and targeting apoptotic specific pathway in oral squamous carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Oral health remains a significant global concern with the prevalence of oral pathogens and the increasing incidence of oral cancer posing formidable challenges. Additionally, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has complicated treatment strategies, emphasizing the urgent need for alternative therapeutic approaches. Recent research has explored the application of plant compounds mediated with nanotechnology in oral health, focusing on the antimicrobial and anticancer properties. METHODS: In this study, curcumin (Cu)-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized and characterized using SEM, EDAX, UV spectroscopy, FTIR, and XRD to validate their composition and structural features. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of ZnO-CU NPs was investigated through DPPH, ABTS, and zone of inhibition assays. Apoptotic assays and gene expression analysis were performed in KB oral squamous carcinoma cells to identify their anticancer activity. RESULTS: ZnO-CU NPs showcased formidable antioxidant prowess in both DPPH and ABTS assays, signifying their potential as robust scavengers of free radicals. The determined minimal inhibitory concentration of 40 µg/mL against dental pathogens underscored the compelling antimicrobial attributes of ZnO-CU NPs. Furthermore, the interaction analysis revealed the superior binding affinity and intricate amino acid interactions of ZnO-CU NPs with receptors on dental pathogens. Moreover, in the realm of anticancer activity, ZnO-CU NPs exhibited a dose-dependent response against Human Oral Epidermal Carcinoma KB cells at concentrations of 10 µg/mL, 20 µg/mL, 40 µg/mL, and 80 µg/mL. Unraveling the intricate mechanism of apoptotic activity, ZnO-CU NPs orchestrated the upregulation of pivotal genes, including BCL2, BAX, and P53, within the KB cells. CONCLUSIONS: This multifaceted approach, addressing both antimicrobial and anticancer activity, positions ZnO-CU NPs as a compelling avenue for advancing oral health, offering a comprehensive strategy for tackling both oral infections and cancer.

In-situ gel: A smart carrier for drug delivery.

In-situ gel technology is a promising drug delivery strategy that undergoes a 'sol to gel' transition upon administration, providing controlled and prolonged drug release. These gels are composed of cross-linked 3D networks of polymers, with hydrogels being a specific type of absorbing water while retaining their shape. Gelation can be triggered by various stimuli, such as temperature, pH, ions, and light. They offer several advantages like improved patient compliance, extended drug residence time, localized drug delivery, etc, but also have some disadvantages like drug degradation and limited mechanical strength. In-situ gel falls into three categories: temperature-sensitive, ion-sensitive, and pH-sensitive, but multi-responsive gels that respond to multiple stimuli have better drug release characteristics. The mechanism of in-situ gel formation involves physical and chemical mechanisms. There are various applications of in-situ gel, like ocular drug delivery, nose-to-brain delivery, etc. In this review, we have discussed the types, and mechanisms of in-situ gel & use of in-situ gel in the treatment of different diseases through various routes like buccal, vaginal, ocular, nasal, etc., along with its use in targeted drug delivery.

Nanosponge: A promising and intriguing strategy in medical and pharmaceutical Science.

The complicated chemical reactions involved in the production of the newer drug delivery systems have mainly impeded efforts to build successful targeted drug delivery systems for a prolonged duration of time. Nanosponges, a recently created colloidal system, have the potential to overcome issues with medication toxicity, decreased bioavailability, and drug release over a wide area because they can be modified to work with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic types of drugs. Nanosponges are small sized with a three-dimensional network having a porous cavity. They can be prepared easily by crosslinking cyclodextrins with different compounds. Due to Cyclodextrin's outstanding biocompatibility, stability, and safety, a number of Cyclodextrin-based drug delivery systems have been developed promptly. The nanosponge drug delivery system possesses various applications in various ailments such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, theranostic applications, enhanced bioavailability, stability, etc. This review elaborates on benefits and drawbacks, preparation techniques, factors affecting their preparation, characterization techniques, applications, and most current developments in nanosponges.

Current Trends in Nanotechnology-based Drug Delivery Systems for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria: A Review.

Malaria is still a major endemic disease transmitted in humans via Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes. The eradication of malarial parasites and the control measures have been rigorously and extensively deployed by local and international health organizations. Malaria's recurrence is a result of the failure to entirely eradicate it. The drawbacks related to malarial chemotherapy, non-specific targeting, multiple drug resistance, requirement of high doses, intolerable toxicity, indefinable complexity of Plasmodium's life cycle, and advent of drug-resistant strains of P. falciparum are the causes of the ineffective eradication measures. With the emergence of nanotechnology and its application in various industrial domains, the rising interest in the medical field, especially in epidemiology, has skyrocketed. The applications of nanosized carriers have sparked special attention, aiming towards minimizing the overall side effects caused due to drug therapy and avoiding bioavailability. The applications of concepts of nanobiotechnology to both vector control and patient therapy can also be one of the approaches. The current study focuses on the use of hybrid drugs as next-generation antimalarial drugs because they involve fewer drug adverse effects. The paper encompasses the numerous nanosized delivery-based systems that have been found to be effective among higher animal models, especially in treating malarial prophylaxis. This paper delivers a detailed review of diagnostic techniques, various nanotechnology approaches, the application of nanocarriers, and the underlying mechanisms for the management of malaria, thereby providing insights and the direction in which the current trends are imparted from the innovative and technological perspective.

A Glance on Nanovaccine: A Potential Approach for Disease Prevention.

There are several vaccines available for preventing various bacterial and viral infections, but still, there are many challenges that require the development of noninvasive, more efficient, and active vaccines. The advancement in biotechnological tools has provided safer antigens, such as nucleic acids, proteins etc., but due to their lower immunogenic property, adjuvants of stronger immune response are required. Nanovaccines are effective vaccines when compared with conventional vaccines as they can induce both Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and also provide longer immunogenic memory. The nanocarriers used in vaccines act as adjuvant. They provide site-specific delivery of antigens and can be used in conjugation with immunostimulatory molecules for enhancing adjuvant therapy. The nanovaccines avoid degrading cell pathways and provide effective absorption into blood vessels. The higher potential of nanovaccines to treat various diseases, such as Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, Cancer, Tuberculosis, Malaria and many others, along with their immunological mechanisms and different types, have been discussed in the review.

A Comprehensive Review on Niosomes as a Tool for Advanced Drug Delivery.

Over the past few decades, advancements in nanocarrier-based therapeutic delivery have been significant, and niosomes research has recently received much interest. The self-assembled nonionic surfactant vesicles lead to the production of niosomes. The most recent nanocarriers, niosomes, are self-assembled vesicles made of nonionic surfactants with or without the proper quantities of cholesterol or other amphiphilic molecules. Because of their durability, low cost of components, large-scale production, simple maintenance, and high entrapment efficiency, niosomes are being used more frequently. Additionally, they enhance pharmacokinetics, reduce toxicity, enhance the solubility of poorly water-soluble compounds, & increase bioavailability. One of the most crucial features of niosomes is their controlled release and targeted diffusion, which is utilized for treating cancer, infectious diseases, and other problems. In this review article, we have covered all the fundamental information about niosomes, including preparation techniques, niosomes types, factors influencing their formation, niosomes evaluation, applications, and administration routes, along with recent developments.

A Snapshot of Current Updates and Future Prospects of 3D Printing in Medical and Pharmaceutical Science.

3D printing in other fields, such as aviation, is quite old, but in the pharmaceutical area, it is an emerging technique. 3D printing is used to formulate various drug delivery systems and dosage forms with complex geometry. It allows large and fast production of products according to the need of the patient. Today, it is the widely used manufacturing technique in the healthcare field for the engineering of tissues and tissue models, production of medicines and medical devices, organ and tissue bioprinting, implant manufacturing, and production of polypills, vaginal rings, orodispersible films, etc. It allows the production of various dosage forms with complex release profiles containing multiple active ingredients. It is used for manufacturing medicines according to the need of individual patients focusing on the concept of personalized medicines. The idea of customized medicines allows change of dosage and design of the product as per individual and with decreased side effects. This review details various techniques of 3D printing used, such as stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, inkjet printing, etc., and applications and dosage forms developed with the latest patents. The significant challenges in the emergence of the 3D printing technique are the involvement of complex combinations to achieve desired properties, and also, the bioprinter involved provides slow and less resolution. The materials prepared by this technique are both biocompatible and printable, due to which additive manufacturing is increasing in the field of medicine.