Abstract: Casein, a common milk phosphoprotein, has been increasingly investigated as a potential biopolymer for drug delivery due to its amphiphilicity, biocompatibility, and capacity to selfassemble into micellar nanostructures. These features enable the encapsulation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs and have prompted increasing research interest in their application as a nanocarrier system. This review critically assesses the current state of research on casein-based nanomaterials, focusing on physicochemical features, formulation techniques, and application across oral, Ocular and parenteral drug delivery systems. Available studies suggest that casein-based nanoparticles may improve drug solubility, encapsulation efficiency, and controlled release. However, the majority of the evidence is derived from in vitro experiments and limited in vivo models, with relatively few studies addressing pharmacokinetic behaviour or clinical relevance. In addition, substantial variability in formulation methods, including differences in preparation techniques and particle characteristics, complicates reproducibility and cross-study comparison. Key challenges such as long-term stability, scalability, and potential immunogenicity remain insufficiently addressed. Furthermore, claims of enhanced targeting or therapeutic efficacy are often based on indirect or preliminary data rather than validated in vivo outcomes. Overall, while casein-based nanomaterials represent a promising platform for drug delivery, the current evidence remains fragmented and further standardised in vivo and clinically oriented investigations are required to establish their translational potential.
Introduction: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the primary contaminants in ethanol fermentation, which can lead to reduced fermentation efficiencies. This work aimed to develop a faster and more sensitive protocol for detecting LAB, using Limosilactobacillus fermentum as a model organism, using a functionalized magnetic nanoparticle (MNP-F1) in tandem with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Methods: Firstly, the percent cell capture efficiency (%CCE) by various concentrations of MNP-F1 of L. fermentum FM7 (108 CFU/mL), grown in MRS broth, was evaluated. Then, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used to visualize the capture. Finally, thermal cycling of the MNP-F1 detection protocol was used to detect L. fermentum FM7 in MRS broth and when spiked in fermenting molasses without enrichment. Results: The %CCE obtained was 99.70 ± 0.3 using 0.0125 mg/ml of MNP-F1. TEM validated the MNP-F1-L. fermentum FM7 conjugation. Successful detection of L. fermentum in MRS broth and fermenting molasses matrices with Saccharomyces cerevisiae BIOTECH 2030 was confirmed through PCR. Interestingly, detection was successful even at a cell concentration of 10 CFU/mL using the lowest MNP-F1 concentration of 0.0125 mg/mL. Discussion: MNP-F1 facilitated the simple and rapid preparation of genomic DNA templates from captured cells, without the need for a lengthy enrichment step. The results demonstrated the applicability of MNP-F1 in tandem with PCR detection, although concentrations much lower were not further tested. Conclusion: This study showed the potential use of biocompatible functionalized MNPs or MNP-F1 to capture and extract bacterial contaminants in the ethanol fermentation process and rapidly detect using PCR with high sensitivity.
Abstract: Neuropsychiatric disorders are one of the major neurodegenerative disorders that affect people. These disorders could be treated effectively by targeting drugs to the brain and overcoming the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nanotechnology has proven its worth in targeting and delivering drug molecules to the target site. Various nanocarrier formulations have been utilized tremendously to target drugs to the brain via the intranasal pathway and have shown significant results in treating the disorders, since this pathway has emerged as a promising non–invasive alternative way of directly offering the drug to the brain via the olfactory and trigeminal pathway, which also bypasses systemic circulation and the hepatic first- pass effects. Nanotherapeutic approaches enhance the bioavailability, biodegradability, and protection of drug molecules from enzymatic degradation in nanoformulations; that is, they prevent enzymatic degradation of the drug. Moreover, these nanostructures have customizable surface properties that enable controlled drug release, thereby increasing targeting efficiency and leading to sustained therapeutic action. The current review focuses on the intranasal route of administration and shows nano formulations are effectively delivered to the brain via this route. This review provides readers with an insight into how different nano-carrier-based formulations, such as polymeric-based nanoparticles, nano-lipid carriers, nano-emulsions, and solid lipid nanocarriers, enhance drug bioavailability, target affinity, and overcome first-pass metabolism, and also highlights the recent advancements and formulation approaches to optimize drug targeting to the brain in order to manage complex neurological disorders.
Considering that nanofibers can precisely control drug loading, release kinetics, and therapeutic performance, they have become a highly attractive platform for improved drug delivery systems. Because it enables the production of continuous nanofibers with customizable designs, such as core–shell, porous, aligned, and multi-component structures, electrospinning is the most commonly used approach among the many fabrication methods. These structural characteristics allow for the effective encapsulation of a wide range of medications and provide significant advantages in terms of formulation versatility. High drug encapsulation efficiency, improved solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, and adaptable release patterns that can be customized for immediate, sustained, or targeted delivery have all been repeatedly reported with electrospun nanofibers. Crucially, drug–polymer interactions, the physical stability of the loaded drug, and the predominant release mechanisms—such as diffusion, polymer degradation, or swelling-controlled transport—are all directly impacted by nanoscale structural control. Furthermore, enhanced mass transfer and enhanced contact with biological environments are made possible by nanofibers' high surface area-to-volume ratio. Nanofibrous scaffolds are particularly appealing for tissue engineering and wound healing applications because of their extracellular matrix-mimicking morphology, which improves cell adhesion, proliferation, and tissue integration in addition to medication administration. Overall, this review shows that nanofiber-based drug delivery systems have significant advantages over conventional dosage forms. They also demonstrate considerable potential for next-generation therapies and pharmaceutical products with systematic formulation optimization, standardized characterization protocols, and clinically relevant evaluation strategies. Furthermore, the incorporation of intelligent and stimuli-responsive nanofibers could increase their usefulness for precision and personalized therapy
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) is an ultrasensitive spectroscopy technique that leverages Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) in nanostructured metallic substrates. Its ability to detect and analyze molecules at very low concentrations is certain; however, the effectiveness is highly dependent on the size and aggregation state of the nanoparticles used as a substrate. This study analyzes the correlation between key sensitivity parameters consisting of Enhancement Factor (EF) and Limit Of Detection (LOD) in relation to the enhanced SERS. The effects of sensitivity associated with suitably sized nanoparticles focusing on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their implementation of SERS are comprehensively analyzed. The method for controlling nanoparticle aggregation is also reviewed as a complementary strategy to enhance SERS performance alongside the optimal size. The findings indicate that the AuNPs with sizes below 55 nm provide higher EF and lower LOD due to the increased strength of the electromagnetic field, although they may suffer from aggregation instability compared to the larger nanoparticles. To manage this concern, the integrated strategies involving chemical, physical, and self-assembly techniques of controlled aggregation of AuNPs have a significant impact on forming SERS hot spots and amplifying signals. Therefore, an adaptation of the approaches to obtain the optimal size and well-distributed aggregation of AuNPs to achieve a reliable SERS substrate in various applications serves as a decisive factor. This study identifies the current gaps to address the diversity of accessible sizes of AuNPs, aggregation control, and challenges in evaluating AuNPs and introduces a future path for achieving a reliable SERS substrate in diverse applications.
