Advances in nanotechnology applied to natural products.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a widespread and potentially severe liver condition characterized by abnormal fat accumulation in the liver unrelated to alcohol consumption. According to the World Health Organization, MASLD is the most prevalent liver disease globally, it affects approximately 25% of the world’s population, nearly two billion individuals. This staggering prevalence underscores the urgent need for effective and safe therapeutic approaches to address this escalating global health concern. Natural products have emerged as promising candidates for preventing and treating MASLD in recent years because of their diverse bioactive compounds and minimal side effects. Well-known natural products such as curcumin, resveratrol, green tea polyphenols, and silymarin exhibit notable hepatoprotective effects by influencing lipid metabolism, mitigating oxidative stress, and reducing inflammation. Ongoing research highlights the potential of phytochemicals from traditional medicinal plants, such as Phyllanthus and Salvia, in ameliorating liver steatosis and fibrosis. These natural products demonstrate the capacity to impede fibrogenesis by interfering with hepatic stellate cell activation, which is pivotal in liver fibrosis development. Recent studies underscore the significance of natural products in modulating the gut–liver axis, where they restore balance to the gut microbiota and enhance intestinal barrier function, which slows the progression of MASLD. Moreover, advancements in nanotechnology facilitate the targeted delivery of natural product-derived compounds, which enhances their bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Harnessing the potency of natural products offers a promising avenue for developing novel, safer therapies for MASLD and addressing a critical global health concern with far-reaching implications for public well-being.

Electrospun nanocarriers for delivering natural products for cancer therapy

The advent of nanotechnology has had a revolutionary impact on many aspects of 21st century life. Nanotechnology has provided an opportunity to explore new avenues that conventional technologies have been unable to make an impact on for diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of different diseases, and of cancer in particular. Entities in nanometer sizes are excellent platforms to incorporate various drugs or active materials that can be delivered effectively to the desired action site without compromising the activity of the incorporated drug or material. In particular, nanotechnology entities can be used to deliver conventional natural products that have poor solubility or a short half life. Conventional natural products used with entities in nanometer sizes enable us to solve many of the inherent problems (stability, solubility, toxicity) associated with natural products, and also provide a platform for targeted delivery to tumor sites. We recently introduced the novel concept of using nanotechnology for enhancing the outcome of chemoprevention, which we called ‘nanochemoprevention’. This idea was subsequently exploited by several laboratories worldwide and has now become an advancing field in chemoprevention research. This review examines some of the applications of nanotechnology for cancer prevention and therapy using natural products.

Modern medicine has relied heavily on the availability of effective antibiotics to manage infections and enable invasive surgery. With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, novel approaches are necessary to prevent the formation of biofilms on sensitive surfaces such as medical implants. Advances in nanotechnology have resulted in novel materials and the ability to create novel surface topographies. This review article provides an overview of advances in the fabrication of antimicrobial nanomaterials that are derived from biological polymers or that rely on the incorporation of natural compounds with antimicrobial activity in nanofibers made from synthetic materials. The availability of these novel materials will contribute to ensuring that the current level of medical care can be maintained as more bacteria are expected to develop resistance against existing antibiotics.

Increasing evidence revealed that restoring the correct expression of lncRNAs could have implications in the management of melanoma patients. In this context, here, we aim to dissect the main characteristics of lncRNAs altered in melanoma and their crosstalk with the signaling pathways involved in the progression of this disease. We also highlight the role of nucleic acid-based techniques and natural compounds (i.e., phytochemicals) as a therapeutic tool to increase or silence their expression in cancer cells. Finally, we explore the advances in nanotechnologies as delivery systems to efficiently carry these chemicals into cancer cells, thus limiting their potential off-target effects. The analysis of the literature showed that HOTAIR, MALAT1, and H19 are the oncogenic lncRNAs most studied in melanoma, while MEG3 is an important tumor suppressor decreased in this cancer. The aberrant expression of these lncRNAs affects several hallmarks of cancer, e.g., proliferation, motility, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, promoting the melanoma plasticity and drug resistance. In this frame, siRNA, antisense oligonucleotide, and CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing appear to be the most effective nucleic acid strategies to restore the physiologic expression of lncRNA, while curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin are the main phytochemicals able to target and influence the expression of lncRNAs altered in cancer. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview regarding the role of lncRNAs in the phenotype plasticity of melanoma cells and their potential targeting using RNA-based therapy and natural products.

Introduction Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has occupied a significant place among infectious pathogens and it has been documented as a leading challenge due to its higher resistance to the commonly used drugs, higher adaptability, and lower targeting specificity of the available drugs. Areas Covered New treatment strategies are urgently needed in order to improve the current advancement in modern medicine. Nanocarriers have gained an advantage of drug encapsulation and high retention time in the stomach with a prolonged drug release rate at the targeted site. This article aims to highlight the recent advances in nanotechnology with special emphasis on metallic, polymeric, lipid, membrane coated, and target-specific nanoparticles (NPs), as well as, natural products for treating H. pylori infection. We discussed a comprehensive approach to understand H. pylori infection and elicits to rethink about the increasing threat posed by H. pylori and its treatment strategies. Expert Opinion To address these issues, nanotechnology has got huge potential to combat H. pylori infection and has made great progress in the field of biomedicine. Moreover, combinatory studies of natural products and probiotics in conjugation with NPs have proven efficiency against H. pylori infection, with an advantage of lower cytotoxicity, minimal side effects, and stronger antibacterial potential.

Chapter 17 - Nanocarriers for Plant-Derived Natural Compounds

Advances in nanotechnology have changed conventional concepts in materials science. This has also strongly influenced natural biomass products with hierarchically built-up structures. In general, hierarchical structures in bio-based materials are built up by molecular self-assembly, followed by nanoassembly to form higher-level structures. Key to each step is the formation of interactions at each individual scale. Nature usually achieves such fabrication through a bottom-up process. However, fabrication can also be achieved through a top-down process, with various such downsizing methods now in development. This review article aims to describe trends in nanofiber technology among downsizing processes applied to cellulose as a representative biomass, ranging from fundamentals to recent techniques. The advantages of our recently developed technique, nanopulverization by aqueous counter collision, are also discussed. This method successfully decomposes interactions selectively without damaging the molecular structure, finally liberating components of various sizes into water to provide a transparent and homogeneous component–water system. As nanocellulose research is a broad area involving various fields, the cited references are limited to the scope of the author’s knowledge.

BackgroundPoor in vivo targeting of tumors by chemotherapeutic drugs reduces their anti-cancer efficacy in the clinic. The discovery of over-expressed components on the tumor cell surface and their specific ligands provide a basis for targeting tumor cells. However, the differences in the expression levels of these receptors on the tumor cell surface limit the clinical application of anti-tumor preparations modified by a single ligand. Meanwhile, toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs leads to poor tolerance to anti-tumor therapy. The discovery of natural active products antagonizing these toxic side effects offers an avenue for relieving cancer patients’ pain during the treatment process. Since the advent of nanotechnology, interventions, such as loading appropriate drug combinations into nano-sized carriers and multiple tumor-targeting functional modifications on the carrier surface to enhance the anti-tumor effect and reduce toxic and side effects, have been widely used for treating tumors.ResultsNanocarriers containing doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and salvianolic acid A (Sal A) are spherical with a diameter of about 18 nm; the encapsulation efficiency of both DOX and salvianolic acid A is greater than 80%. E-[c(RGDfK)2]/folic acid (FA) co-modification enabled nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) to efficiently target a variety of tumor cells, including 4T1, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and A549 cells in vitro. Compared with other preparations (Sal A solution, NLC-Sal A, DOX solution, DOX injection, Sal A/DOX solution, NLC-DOX, NLC-Sal A/DOX, and E-[c(RGDfK)2]/FA-NLC-Sal A/DOX) in this experiment, the prepared E-[c(RGDfK)2]/FA-NLC-Sal A/DOX had the best anti-tumor effect. Compared with the normal saline group, it had the highest tumor volume inhibition rate (90.72%), the highest tumor weight inhibition rate (83.94%), led to the highest proportion of apoptosis among the tumor cells (61.30%) and the lowest fluorescence intensity of proliferation among the tumor cells (0.0083 ± 0.0011). Moreover, E-[c(RGDfK)2]/FA-NLC-Sal A/DOX had a low level of nephrotoxicity, with a low creatinine (Cre) concentration of 52.58 μmoL/L in the blood of mice, and no abnormalities were seen on pathological examination of the isolated kidneys at the end of the study. Sal A can antagonize the nephrotoxic effect of DOX. Free Sal A reduced the Cre concentration of the free DOX group by 61.64%. In NLC groups, Sal A reduced the Cre concentration of the DOX group by 42.47%. The E-[c(RGDfK)2]/FA modification reduced the side effects of the drug on the kidney, and the Cre concentration was reduced by 46.35% compared with the NLC-Sal A/DOX group. These interventions can potentially improve the tolerance of cancer patients to chemotherapy.ConclusionThe E-[c(RGDfK)2]/FA co-modified DOX/Sal A multifunctional nano-drug delivery system has a good therapeutic effect on tumors and low nephrotoxicity and is a promising anti-cancer strategy.Graphical

The assimilation of natural products and traditional medicine systems into present-day medicines represents a vital transformation in global health care. This chapter focuses on the use of bioactive substances derived from natural products that have medicinal properties which are validated through years of practice, and traditional medicine systems being reformulated and used in modern medicine. The application of technology using advanced nanotechnology, the application of omics sciences, artificial intelligence, and computational sciences have contributed to promising results for delivery of herbal formulations while contributing to challenges such as bioavailability, standardization, controlling safety issues, and administration into living systems. Through clinical evidence, mechanistic insights, and real-world case studies, this chapter illustrates the growing acceptance of integrative approaches in chronic disease management, preventive medicine, and personalized healthcare.

Advances in nanotechnology, combined with the use of natural products, represent a promissing research field. Brazil is a country of a rich biodiversity, especially in the Amazon forest. Fruits commonly used by local communities, such as bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba), are potentially important for prospection of industrial applications of natural products. In nanotechnology, microemulsions stand out for providing a modified release to conveyed substances. This work aimed to develop microemulsionated formulations of bacaba oil, characterize them and evaluate their stability. We determined the HLB (hydrophile-lipophilic balance) of bacaba oil for formulation development. Six formulations were selected from pseudoternary diagrams, which indicated the proportions of surfactants, aqueous phase and bacaba oil. The viability of these formulations was evaluated through stability tests. We provided the rheological characterization of the formulations, evaluated their potential antioxidant activity through the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging method, and determined the hydrodynamic diameter of the droplets. The microemulsions were stable throughout the test period. Droplet diameter was below 200 nm, and the microemulsions were characterized as newtonian fluids, presenting an increase in antioxidant activity when compared with the diluted oil. Our results confirm the potential of bacaba oil in microemulsionated formulation as a suitable carrier for active compounds.

Globally, prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers to strike men. Diet and lifestyle appear to have a significant impact on PCa biology and carcinogenesis. PCa is the major reason of death by cancer in men. Anti-PCa qualities like growth of tumor inhibition, induction of cell death, and angiogenesis and metastasis inhibition have all been studied in depth. Phytochemicals have been demonstrated to target androgen receptor (AR) signaling as well as PCa stem cells in a selection of investigations. Marine compounds have shown potential in the treatment of PCa. It is discussed in this article, some of the most promising bioactive natural and marine compounds for PCa prevention and treatment, as well as their specific methods of action. An emphasis on specific medicine is one of the future directions in the revolutionization of bioactive natural ingredients for PCa research and therapy. Advances in nanotechnology can enhance the bioavailability and specificity of bioactive substances for cancer cells, maximizing their therapeutic potential and enhancing patient treatment. Bioactive natural compounds represent an innovative field in the study and treatment of PCa. Promising results point to their potential to block cancer pathways and improve on already effective therapeutic approaches. As we advance, modified medicine, nanotechnology, and genomics methods will be fundamental in maximizing the efficacy of these natural substances and ultimately changing the treatment of PCa. But in order to close the gap between exciting findings and therapeutic application, more study, clinical trials, and effective activities are essential.

Nano-medicine is an evolving field that utilizes nano-scale materials to enhance diagnostic tools and deliver therapeutic agents with high precision to specific target sites. This approach is particularly beneficial for treating chronic diseases, offering targeted and controlled drug delivery. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to significant improvements in the effectiveness of both new and existing drugs, including natural products, and in the selective diagnosis of diseases using molecular markers. The field is marked by numerous applications, including chemotherapeutic, biological, and immunotherapeutic agents. The review discusses the opportunities, challenges, and future perspectives of nano-medicine in drug delivery, from synthetic and natural sources to clinical applications.

Chapter 14 - Advances in nanotechnology-related strategies against melanoma

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressiveneurodegenerative condition is marked by extensive damage in the brain and dementia. Among the pathological hallmarks of AD is beta-amyloid (Aβ). Production of toxic Aβ oligomers production and accumulation in the brain is among the characteristic features of the disease. The abnormal accumulation Aβ is initiated by the catalytic degradation of Amyloid Precursor Proteins (APP) by Beta Amyloid Cleaving Enzyme 1 (BACE1) to generate insoluble amyloid plaques. The abnormal proteins are mitochondrial poison which disrupt the energy production and liberate excessive free radicals causing neuronal damage and mutations. Consequently, targeting Aβ-associated pathways has become a focus in the pursuit of developing effective AD treatments. An obstacle faced by many medications used to treat neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is the restricted permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Unfortunately, no anti-amyloid drug is clinically approved till now. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have provided a possible solution for delivering medications to specific targets. By integrating natural products with nano-medicinal approaches, it is possible to develop novel and highly efficient therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AD.