Current Nanomedicine - Online First

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have surfaced as promising nanocarriers in drug delivery systems due to their remarkable biocompatibility, high drug encapsulation efficiency, and capability to protect therapeutic agents from chemical and enzymatic degradation. Despite their promising potential, nanoparticles continue to face significant challenges related to biological barriers and biodistribution, which restrict their efficacy in clinical applications. One of the primary issues with traditional SLNs is their poor targeting capacity and rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system, which limits their effectiveness in drug delivery. In addition, their low bioavailability poses a major drawback, potentially leading to reduced therapeutic efficacy and an increased risk of side effects. Other challenges include limited drug-loading capacity, particle instability, potential immunogenicity, and the high cost of production, all of which hinder their widespread application in clinical treatments. To address these limitations, advanced techniques and chemical strategies have been employed to modify and functionalize the nanoparticle surfaces, optimizing their biological interactions and enhancing their therapeutic efficacy. Among these strategies, the use of polymers such as polyethylene glycol and chitosan, as well as functional lipids, has been extensively explored for improving the stability, mass transport, targeting, and circulation time of SLNs while minimizing immune detection. In addition, the potential of advanced modifications, such as cysteine-functionalized SLNs and ion pairing, to further optimize drug release and targeting is discussed. This review underscores how these tailored surface modifications can address existing challenges, paving the way for SLNs to emerge as highly effective drug delivery systems in clinical settings. The review explores how these alterations impact the therapeutic efficiency and pharmacokinetics of SLNs. With further optimization, surface-modified SLNs hold promise as an efficient and targeted drug delivery system for a variety of medical applications.

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer globally, with melanoma and non-melanoma being the two primary forms. Melanoma tends to be less frequent but more dangerous, while non-melanoma types, including squamous and basal cell carcinoma, are more prevalent. Caucasian populations are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer due to their skin's susceptibility to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. According to recent data, skin cancer ranks as the seventeenth most common cancer worldwide. An emerging approach to treating skin conditions, including skin cancer, is using niosomes, an advanced drug delivery system. Niosomes are vesicles made from non-ionic surfactants, stabilized by cholesterol, that encapsulate drugs. They have gained prominence because they address several issues related to traditional topical treatments, such as poor solubility, instability, low bioavailability, and rapid drug breakdown. This review article focuses on the use of niosomes in dermatology, particularly for drug delivery through the skin. Niosomes offer several distinct advantages, making them an ideal choice for topical drug delivery. Their unique structure allows them to transport both water-soluble and fat-soluble drugs effectively. Additionally, they enhance drug permeation through the skin, improve drug stability, and allow for extended drug release. These properties make niosomes a valuable tool in clinical settings, providing potential benefits for a range of skin-related therapies. With their growing popularity, niosomes are shaping the future of innovative and more efficient topical drug delivery methods.

The global incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is escalating, with projections indicating that 440 million individuals will be affected by 2030. T2DM accounts for 85-95% of all diabetes cases in affluent nations and an even higher proportion in less developed countries. This widespread disease is influenced by numerous factors including cultural shifts, aging populations, urbanization, dietary changes, reduced physical activity, and other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Pathophysiologically, T2DM is characterized by insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, increased hepatic glucose production, and decreased glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) levels. Management challenges such as suboptimal medication regimens, poor patient adherence, and inadequate treatment strategies contribute to the prevalence of diabetes-related complications. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) like acarbose, voglibose, and miglitol, which primarily act in the gastrointestinal tract to reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia, have been identified as beneficial in managing these issues. Particularly, voglibose has shown superior efficacy and tolerance compared to other α-GIs. Despite their effectiveness, α-GIs are sometimes limited by gastrointestinal side effects, affecting long-term treatment adherence. Recent advancements in nanotechnology offer promising enhancements in the delivery and efficacy of these medications. Nano-formulations, ranging from 10 to 100 nm, can protect drugs from environmental degradation and improve bioavailability by optimizing the dissolution rate and increasing the saturation solubility of poorly soluble drugs. The development of nanoparticle formulations is emerging as a critical strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of α-GIs, potentially revolutionizing T2DM management by improving drug absorption and minimizing side effects.

There has been the use of herbal phytopharmaceuticals for the treatment of different diseases but has been challenged by poor solubility and permeability. Nanoparticle delivery systems effectively solve these problems by improving the pharmacokinetics of nanoparticles and easily enhancing their targeting abilities. The current review offers the reader a comprehensive report on recent developments in herbal nanocarriers, including organic and inorganic nanoparticles. Some of the important parameters, including size and geometrical arrangement as well as surface properties, affecting the efficacy of such systems are also described here. Furthermore, the review elaborates on the use of herbal nanoparticles for some diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and neurological disorders, including new trends and future aspects in the field.

Prostate cancer is a significant health concern affecting a large population of males worldwide. Liposomes, with their versatile properties and drug delivery capabilities, hold promise as a targeted and efficient delivery system for prostate cancer treatment. Various studies have explored different liposomal formulations loaded with anticancer agents to improve drug efficacy, reduce side effects, and enhance targeted delivery to prostate cancer cells. Future research in this area should focus on refining liposomal formulations to maximize drug encapsulation, stability, and specific targeting of prostate cancer cells. Understanding the tumor microenvironment and utilizing stimuli-responsive liposomes can further enhance drug release at the targeted site. Additionally, investigating the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of liposomal drug delivery systems in vivo will provide valuable insights into their efficacy and potential for clinical translation. Overall, liposome-based drug delivery systems have the potential to revolutionize prostate cancer treatment, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Further advancements and continued research in this field will contribute to the development of effective and personalized therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer patients.

Herbal medicines, integral to human history, remain vital in developing countries owing to the high costs of synthetic drugs, with 80% of the population relying on traditional practices. There has been an escalating focus within the scientific community on the exploration of phytoconstituents. This growing interest is due to the diverse benefits offered by herbal or plant-based ingredients. Despite the dominance of allopathic treatments, medicinal plants are still widely used but face challenges like poor absorption and low bioavailability. Many plant-derived pharmacologically active compounds, such as tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids, show poor solubility in water. This low solubility, amalgamated with their inability to efficiently cross lipid-cell membranes due to their large molecular size, considerably hinders their absorption. These factors lead to declined efficacy and lower bioavailability of these compounds. Nanotechnology enhances the effectiveness of medicinal plants through strategies such as polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs) and liposomes, improving solubility, protection and controlled release. These advances revolutionize drug delivery, surging the bioavailability and therapeutic value of herbal formulations. Nanomedicine employs NPs and nanorobots for enhanced bioavailability, solubility and targeted delivery, despite challenges like understanding working principles, potential toxicity and production scalability. Innovations in biopolymer-based systems, including chitosan and alginate NPs and advanced delivery systems like dendrimers and inorganic NPs, show significant potential. NPs have been effectively utilized to improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of various drugs. By integrating biotechnological systems and phytosomes, the bioavailability and bioactivity of herbal drug formulations can be significantly enhanced. The future of nanomedicine is promising, with ongoing research enhancing therapy precision and effectiveness and reducing adverse effects, making continued exploration in this field highly worthwhile.

Among the recent developments in the field of microcapsules, colloidosomes microcapsules made of colloidal particles have elicited much interest in promising perspectives in microencapsulation technologies. First reported by Dinsmore et al., these structures hold a lot of potential in different areas of application, which include gene delivery, targeting the brain, and tumor treatment. However, the challenges associated with their permeability and stability limit the use of these coatings. Nevertheless, these problems define colloidosomes as possessing some features of protocells that include metabolic activities and response to stimuli, which make them significant in synthetic biology and biomimetic systems. In drug delivery, colloidosomes have the potential of providing solubility, stability, and a controlled rate of drug release, which will have an impact on the therapeutic use of drugs. Fabrication of colloidosomes is done in many ways, and the common ones include the mulsion strategy, layer adsorption, and microfluidics strategy. Some of these fabrication techniques have been investigated in the recent past to determine how their application can lead to enhanced colloidosome characteristics. Some of these methods include spray drying, sol-gel processes, and electrostatic assembly. For example, the study by Payizila Zulipiker et al. showed that different levels of permeability are controllable through the use of spray drying technology. Another study by Jia Jia et al. presented the preparation of pH-responsive colloidosomes and the high efficiency of encapsulation. Consequently, improvements in the manufacturing process and new self-assembly technologies that include microfluidics systems have also improved the creation of colloidosomes. New advancements in the field of colloidosome synthesis, as well as their surface modification, will open up numerous application prospects in the fields of pharmaceutics, regenerative medicine, and bioinspired materials science. New trends range from 3D printing to stimuli-responsive materials and design, as well as hybrid systems that are application-specific. Despite the difficulties that remain to be faced, colloidosomes represent an extraordinary opportunity for the growth of biotechnology and materials science to open the path to new generations of drugs and bioinspired applications.