Phytochemicals are typically natural bioactive compounds or metabolites produced by plants. Phytochemical-loaded nanocarrier systems, designed to overcome bioavailability limitations and enhance therapeutic effects, have garnered significant attention in recent years. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has intensified interest in the therapeutic application of phytochemicals to combat viral infections. This review explores nanoparticle-based treatment strategies incorporating phytochemicals for antiviral application, highlighting their demonstrated antiviral mechanisms. It specifically examines the antiviral activities of phytochemical-loaded nanosystems against (i) influenza virus (IAV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); (ii) mosquito-borne viruses [dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), and Chikungunya (CHIKV)]; and (iii) sexually transmitted/blood borne viruses [e.g. herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. Furthermore, this review highlights the emerging role of these nanosystems in photodynamic therapy (PDT)-mediated attenuation of viral proliferation, and offers a perspective on the future directions of research in this promising area of multimodal therapeutic approach.

Riboflavin is a precursor of the essential coenzymes flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. Both possess antioxidant properties and are involved in oxidation-reduction reactions, which have a significant impact on energy metabolism. Also, the coenzymes participate in metabolism of pyridoxine, niacin, folate, and iron. Humans must obtain riboflavin through their daily diet because of the lack of programmed enzymatic machineries for de novo riboflavin synthesis. Because of its physiological nature and fast elimination from the human body when in excess, riboflavin consumed is unlikely to induce any negative effects or develop toxicity in humans. The use of riboflavin in pharmaceutical and clinical contexts has been previously explored, including for preventing and treating oxidative stress and reperfusion oxidative damage, creating synergistic compounds to mitigate colorectal cancer, modulating blood pressure, improving diabetes mellitus comorbidities, as well as neuroprotective agents and potent photosensitizer in killing bloodborne pathogens. Thus, the goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of riboflavin's biological applications in medicine, key considerations of riboflavin safety and toxicity, and a brief overview on the nanoencapsulation of riboflavin for various functions including the treatment of a range of diseases, photodynamic therapy, and cellular imaging.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEEditorialNEXTVoices in Molecular Pharmaceutics: Meet Yan Shan Loo, a Graduate Student Exploring Nanoformulations of Natural ProductsYan Shan Loo*Yan Shan LooDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400 Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia*Email: [email protected]More by Yan Shan LooView Biographyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9220-9685Cite this: Mol. Pharmaceutics 2024, 21, 2, 371–372Publication Date (Web):October 22, 2023Publication History Received4 October 2023Published online23 October 2023Published inissue 5 February 2024https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00927https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00927editorialACS PublicationsCopyright © Published 2023 by American Chemical Society. This publication is available under these Terms of Use. Request reuse permissions This publication is free to access through this site. Learn MoreArticle Views354Altmetric-Citations-LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail PDF (1 MB) Get e-AlertscloseSUBJECTS:Cancer,Cancer therapy,Lipids,Nanoarchitectures,Students Get e-Alerts

Lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoassemblies (LLCNs) are internally self-assembled (ISA)-somes formed by amphiphilic molecules in a mixture comprising a lipid, stabilizer, and/or surfactant and aqueous media/dispersant. LLCNs are unique nanoassemblies with versatile applications in a wide range of biomedical functions. However, they comprise a nanosystem that is yet to be fully explored for targeted systemic treatment of breast cancer. In this study, LLCNs proposed for gemcitabine and thymoquinone (Gem-TQ) co-delivery were prepared from soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC), phytantriol (PHYT), or glycerol monostearate (MYVR) in optimized ratios containing a component of citric and fatty acid ester-based emulsifier (Grinsted citrem) or a triblock copolymer, Pluronic F127 (F127). Hydrodynamic particle sizes determined were below 400 nm (ranged between 96 and 365 nm), and the series of nanoformulations displayed negative surface charge. Nonlamellar phases identified by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) profiles comprise the hexagonal, cubic, and micellar phases. In addition, high entrapment efficiency that accounted for 98.3 ± 0.1% of Gem and 99.5 ± 0.1% of TQ encapsulated was demonstrated by the coloaded nanocarrier system, SPC/citrem/Gem-TQ hexosomes. Low cytotoxicity of SPC-citrem hexosomes was demonstrated in MCF10A cells consistent with hemo- and biocompatibility observed in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos for up to 96 h postfertilization (hpf). SPC/citrem/Gem-TQ hexosomes demonstrated IC50 of 24.7 ± 4.2 μM in MCF7 breast cancer cells following a 24 h treatment period with the moderately synergistic interaction between Gem and TQ retained (CI = 0.84). Taken together, biocompatible SPC/citrem/Gem-TQ hexosomes can be further developed as a multifunctional therapeutic nanodelivery approach, plausible for targeting breast cancer cells by incorporation of targeting ligands.

Due to their distinctive structural features, lyotropic nonlamellar liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs), such as cubosomes and hexosomes, are considered effective drug delivery systems. Cubosomes have a lipid bilayer that makes a membrane lattice with two water channels that are intertwined. Hexosomes are inverse hexagonal phases made of an infinite number of hexagonal lattices that are tightly connected with water channels. These nanostructures are often stabilized by surfactants. The structure’s membrane has a much larger surface area than that of other lipid nanoparticles, which makes it possible to load therapeutic molecules. In addition, the composition of mesophases can be modified by pore diameters, thus influencing drug release. Much research has been conducted in recent years to improve their preparation and characterization, as well as to control drug release and improve the efficacy of loaded bioactive chemicals. This article reviews current advances in LCNP technology that permit their application, as well as design ideas for revolutionary biomedical applications. Furthermore, we have provided a summary of the application of LCNPs based on the administration routes, including the pharmacokinetic modulation property.

Cancer nanomedicines and the development of state-of-the-art multifunctional lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) has become a fundamental resource in resolving challenging biomedical questions and physiological impediments. Since the approval of the first cancer nanomedicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995, advances in smart nanomedicines have been made towards the functionalisation of NP surfaces and interiors for enhanced therapeutic effects and intratumoural distribution, and avoidance of rapid clearance and degradation occurring in vivo. The strategies include advances seen in the engineering of both lipid-based and hybrid lipid (e.g., a combination of lipidic and polymeric components) NPs for co-delivery, tumour targeting, combination therapy, and cancer theranostics. The development of multifunctional nanoplatforms is, therefore, a key concept in the amelioration of progressive and/or drug-resistant cancer cells and bypass of barriers in the delivery of anticancer molecules. Herein, we consolidate information on the recent advances in multifunctional lipid-based NPs for application in therapeutic and/or theranostic intervention of breast and lung cancer in animal models and human clinical trials. Respectively, both cancer types are among the leading cases of newly diagnosed cancer worldwide and are major contributors to cancer-related deaths in men and women. A quick overview on the challenges and promising ideas for developing safe-by-design multifunctional lipid-based cancer nanomedicines are also presented.

Smart nanocarriers obtained from bacteria and viruses offer excellent biomimetic properties which has led to significant research into the creation of advanced biomimetic materials. Their versatile biomimicry has application as biosensors, biomedical scaffolds, immobilization, diagnostics, and targeted or personalized treatments. The inherent natural traits of biomimetic and bioinspired bacteria-and virus-derived nanovesicles show potential for their use in clinical vaccines and novel therapeutic drug delivery systems. The past few decades have seen significant progress in the bioengineering of bacteria and viruses to manipulate and enhance their therapeutic benefits. From a pharmaceutical perspective, biomimetics enable the safe integration of naturally occurring bacteria and virus particles to achieve high, stable rates of cellular transfection/infection and prolonged circulation times. In addition, biomimetic technologies can overcome safety concerns associated with live-attenuated and inactivated whole bacteria or viruses. In this review, we provide an update on the utilization of bacterial and viral particles as drug delivery systems, theranostic carriers, and vaccine/ immunomodulation modalities.

Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid derived from Berberis vulgaris and plants of the Ranunculaceae family, elicits a broad range of pharmacological effects, including anticancer properties. However, poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its therapeutic use. In this study, we developed lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) to enhance the solubility of berberine. LCNs were prepared by the ultrasonication method using monoolein, poloxamer 407, polyethylene glycol-400, and Transcutol (R) HP. The nanoparticles were characterized for size, surface charge, in vitro release, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake. The average particle size ranged from 186 to 190 nm with cubical shape, and the polydispersity index was lower than 0.2. The zeta potential ranged between -9.3 and -21.9 mV with high drug entrapment efficiency (>= 73.8%). The cell viability assay in MCF7 human breast cancer cells revealed that formulations prepared with polyethylene glycol-400 and Transcutol (R) HP exhibited significantly lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration compared with pure berberine. In cellular uptake assay, berberine concentration in Caco-2 cells was higher for LCNs prepared with Transcutol (R) HP. In conclusion, LCNs could be a potential carrier for enhancing the solubility and thus improving the anticancer effect of berberine against breast cancer.