The use of natural compounds is becoming increasingly popular among patients, and there is a renewed interest among scientists in nature-based bioactive agents. Traditionally, herbal drugs can be taken directly in the form of teas/decoctions/infusions or as standardized extracts. However, the disadvantages of natural compounds, especially essential oils, are their instability, limited bioavailability, volatility, and often irritant/allergenic potential. However, these active substances can be stabilized by encapsulation and administered in the form of nanoparticles. This brief overview summarizes the latest results of the application of nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers used as drug delivery systems of herbal essential oils or used directly for their individual secondary metabolites applicable in cancer therapy. Although the discussed bioactive agents are not typical compounds used as anticancer agents, after inclusion into the aforesaid formulations improving their stability and bioavailability and/or therapeutic profile, they indicated anti-tumor activity and became interesting agents with cancer treatment potential. In addition, co-encapsulation of essential oils with synthetic anticancer drugs into nanoformulations with the aim to achieve synergistic effect in chemotherapy is discussed.

• Klíčová slova
• anticancer activity, essential oils, herbal drugs, liposomes, nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid nanoparticles,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Inflammatory diseases, whether caused by excessive stress on certain tissues/parts of the body or arising from infections accompanying autoimmune or secondary diseases, have become a problem, especially in the Western world today. Whether these are inflammations of visceral organs, joints, bones, or the like, they are always a physiological reaction of the body, which always tries to eradicate noxious agents and restore tissue homeostasis. Unfortunately, this often results in damage, often irreversible, to the affected tissues. Nevertheless, these inflammatory reactions of the body are the results of excessive stress, strain, and the generally unhealthy environment, in which the people of Western civilization live. The pathophysiology and pathobiochemistry of inflammatory/autoimmune processes are being studied in deep detail, and pharmaceutical companies are constantly developing new drugs that modulate/suppress inflammatory responses and endogenous pro-inflammatory agents. In addition to new specifically targeted drugs for a variety of pro-inflammatory agents, a strategy can be found for the use of older drugs, which are formulated into special nanodrug delivery systems with targeted distribution and often modified release. This contribution summarizes the current state of research and development of nanoformulated anti-inflammatory agents from both conventional drug classes and experimental drugs or dietary supplements used to alleviate inflammatory reactions.

• Klíčová slova
• anti-inflammatory drugs, drug delivery systems, experimental drugs, inflammation, nanoformulations, nanoparticles,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

A series of sixteen ring-substituted N-arylcinnamanilides, previously described as highly antimicrobially effective against a wide spectrum of bacteria and fungi, together with two new derivatives from this group were prepared and characterized. Moreover, the molecular structure of (2E)-N-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-enamide as a model compound was determined using single-crystal X-ray analysis. All the compounds were tested for their anti-inflammatory potential, and most tested compounds significantly attenuated the lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-κB activation and were more potent than the parental cinnamic acid. (2E)-N-[2-Chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-3-phenylprop-2-enamide, (2E)-N-(2,6-dibromophenyl)- 3-phenylprop-2-enamide, and (2E)-N-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-enamide demonstrated the highest inhibition effect on transcription factor NF-κB at the concentration of 2 µM and showed a similar effectiveness as the reference drug prednisone. Several compounds also decreased the level of TNF-α. Nevertheless, subsequent tests showed that the investigated compounds affect neither IκBα level nor MAPKs activity, which suggests that the N-arylcinnamanilides may have a different mode of action to prednisone. The modification of the C(2,5)' or C(2,6)' positions of the anilide core by rather lipophilic and bulky moieties seems to be preferable for the anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds.

• Klíčová slova
• X-ray structure, anti-inflammatory potential, cinnamamides, polypharmacology,
• MeSH
• antiflogistika chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• cinnamáty chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• krystalografie rentgenová MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipopolysacharidy škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• NF-kappa B metabolismus   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese účinky léků   MeSH
• signální transdukce účinky léků   MeSH
• THP-1 buňky MeSH
• TNF-alfa metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antiflogistika MeSH
• cinnamáty MeSH
• lipopolysacharidy MeSH
• NF-kappa B MeSH
• TNF protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• TNF-alfa MeSH

In this study, series of ring-substituted 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H)-one and 4-chloro-2-styrylquinazoline derivatives were prepared. The syntheses of the discussed compounds are presented. The compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC to determine lipophilicity. They were tested for their inhibitory activity on photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was also performed against four mycobacterial strains and against eight fungal strains. Several compounds showed biological activity comparable with or higher than that of the standard isoniazid. It was found that the electronic properties of the R substituent, and not the total lipophilicity of the compound, were decisive for the photosynthesis-inhibiting activity of tested compounds.

• MeSH
• antituberkulotika chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• atypické mykobakteriální infekce farmakoterapie   MeSH
• bakteriální pneumonie farmakoterapie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• chinazoliny chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• chloroplasty účinky léků   MeSH
• fotosyntéza účinky léků   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• netuberkulózní mykobakterie účinky léků   MeSH
• Spinacia oleracea účinky léků   MeSH
• styreny chemická syntéza   farmakologie   MeSH
• transport elektronů účinky léků   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 2-styrylquinazolin-4(3H)-one MeSH Prohlížeč
• 4-chloro-2-styrylquinazoline MeSH Prohlížeč
• antituberkulotika MeSH
• chinazoliny MeSH
• styreny MeSH
• styrylquinazoline MeSH Prohlížeč