Nanosystems for the Delivery of Natural Products

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 4067

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Brazil
Interests: pharmaceutical biotechnology; antitumor compounds; cancer stem cell

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Guest Editor
Laboratório de Biotecnologia Farmacêutica (BioTecFarm), Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
Interests: natural products; nanomaterials for biomedical applications; nanomedicine; nanoparticles; cancer
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Guest Editor
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Brazil
Interests: formulation; nanotechnology; microemulsions; nanoemulsions; nose-to-brain delivery; transdermal delivery; natural oils; characterization of nanostructures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few years, ethnopharmacology has been a valuable tool for identifying therapeutic natural products (NPs). However, the in natura use of NPs still accounts for relevant drawbacks, such as poor compliance, biopharmaceutical limitations, undesirable pharmacokinetics, and relevant toxicity. At present, nanotechnology is a popular approach to overcoming the limitations of complex or isolated active ingredients from natural extracts. The advances of nanostructured NP-based formulations have improved the potential application of synthetic and natural molecules, oils, and/or extracts in several disorders by improving solubility, decreasing the dosage, reducing toxicity, overcoming biological barriers, and so on. Among the several existing nanostructures made of NPs, a few can be highlighted, such as micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, nanoemulsions, microemulsions, liposomes, and liquid crystals, among others. Therefore, this issue is dedicated to research on the development, characterization, stability, and/or biological activity evaluation of nanosystems for the delivery of NPs and molecules from NPs.

Prof. Dr. Edgar Julian Paredes-Gamero
Prof. Dr. Francisco Humberto Xavier-Junior
Prof. Dr. Éverton Do Nascimento Alencar
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • lipid-based nanosystems
  • polymer-based nanosystems
  • hybrid nanosystems
  • colloidal systems
  • natural products

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 5395 KiB  
Article
Nanocrystal Formulation to Enhance Oral Absorption of Silybin: Preparation, In Vitro Evaluations, and Pharmacokinetic Evaluations in Rats and Healthy Human Subjects
by SeungRee Seo, Gwan-Young Kim, Min-Hwan Kim, Kyung Won Lee, Min-Jae Kim, Mansingh Chaudhary, Khadka Bikram, Taeheon Kim, Seungmok Choi, Heejin Yang, Joo Won Park, Dae-Duk Kim and Ki-Taek Kim
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(8), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16081033 - 2 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 962
Abstract
Despite the various therapeutic benefits and high tolerance of orally administered silybin, poor water-solubility can be the main restrictive physicochemical feature, which results in low oral bioavailability in the absorption. A milk thistle nanocrystal formulation (HM40) was prepared using a modified wet-milling method. [...] Read more.
Despite the various therapeutic benefits and high tolerance of orally administered silybin, poor water-solubility can be the main restrictive physicochemical feature, which results in low oral bioavailability in the absorption. A milk thistle nanocrystal formulation (HM40) was prepared using a modified wet-milling method. Comprehensive characterization was performed to determine the physical morphology, crystallinity, and physicochemical properties. The long-term stability was evaluated over 24 months. In vitro silybin release was assessed at pH 1.2 for 2 h, followed by pH 6.8 for 4 h. Finally, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies were conducted in rats and healthy human volunteers. HM40 exhibited a nanocrystal structure maintaining crystallinity and enhanced the solubility and dissolution of silybin compared to that of the raw material. The stability over 24 months revealed consistent surface morphology, particle size, silybin content, and solubility. In vitro release profiles indicated a significant increase in the silybin release from HM40. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that HM40 showed 2.61- and 1.51-fold higher oral bioavailability in rats and humans, respectively, than that of the reference capsule. HM40 formulation presents a stable and promising approach for the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble silybin, with the potential for use in pharmaceutical formulations containing milk thistle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosystems for the Delivery of Natural Products)
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Review

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20 pages, 3144 KiB  
Review
Recent Trends in Curcumin-Containing Inorganic-Based Nanoparticles Intended for In Vivo Cancer Therapy
by Douglas Dourado, Júlio Abreu Miranda, Matheus Cardoso de Oliveira, Danielle Teixeira Freire, Francisco Humberto Xavier-Júnior, Edgar Julian Paredes-Gamero and Éverton do Nascimento Alencar
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16020177 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2518
Abstract
Curcumin is a natural compound that has been widely investigated thanks to its various biological properties, including antiproliferative. This molecule acts on different cancers such as lung, breast, pancreatic, colorectal, etc. However, the bioactive actions of curcumin have limitations when its physicochemical properties [...] Read more.
Curcumin is a natural compound that has been widely investigated thanks to its various biological properties, including antiproliferative. This molecule acts on different cancers such as lung, breast, pancreatic, colorectal, etc. However, the bioactive actions of curcumin have limitations when its physicochemical properties compromise its pharmacological potential. As a therapeutic strategy against cancer, curcumin has been associated with inorganic nanoparticles. These nanocarriers are capable of delivering curcumin and offering physicochemical properties that synergistically enhance anticancer properties. This review highlights the different types of curcumin-based inorganic nanoparticles and discusses their physicochemical properties and in vivo anticancer activity in different models of cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosystems for the Delivery of Natural Products)
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