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.

• Keywords
• anticancer activity, essential oils, herbal drugs, liposomes, nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid nanoparticles,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Since the worldwide incidence of bone disorders and cartilage damage has been increasing and traditional therapy has reached its limits, nanomaterials can provide a new strategy in the regeneration of bones and cartilage. The nanoscale modifies the properties of materials, and many of the recently prepared nanocomposites can be used in tissue engineering as scaffolds for the development of biomimetic materials involved in the repair and healing of damaged tissues and organs. In addition, some nanomaterials represent a noteworthy alternative for treatment and alleviating inflammation or infections caused by microbial pathogens. On the other hand, some nanomaterials induce inflammation processes, especially by the generation of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, it is necessary to know and understand their effects in living systems and use surface modifications to prevent these negative effects. This contribution is focused on nanostructured scaffolds, providing a closer structural support approximation to native tissue architecture for cells and regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration, which results in cartilage and bone healing and regeneration.

• Keywords
• bones, cartilage, healing, implants, musculoskeletal disorders, nanocomposites, nanomaterials,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth. In addition to the well-known crystallographic modifications such as graphite and diamond, other allotropic carbon modifications such as graphene-based nanomaterials and carbon nanotubes have recently come to the fore. These carbon nanomaterials can be designed to help deliver or target drugs more efficiently and to innovate therapeutic approaches, especially for cancer treatment, but also for the development of new diagnostic agents for malignancies and are expected to help combine molecular imaging for diagnosis with therapies. This paper summarizes the latest designed drug delivery nanosystems based on graphene, graphene quantum dots, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes, mainly for anticancer therapy.

• Keywords
• carbon nanotubes, drug delivery nanosystems, drugs, graphene, graphene oxide, graphene quantum dots, nanoparticles,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Dietary supplements and foods for special medical purposes are special medical products classified according to the legal basis. They are regulated, for example, by the European Food Safety Authority and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as by various national regulations issued most frequently by the Ministry of Health and/or the Ministry of Agriculture of particular countries around the world. They constitute a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants or other compounds with a nutritional or physiological effect contained in the food/feed, alone or in combination, intended for direct consumption in small measured amounts. As nanotechnology provides "a new dimension" accompanied with new or modified properties conferred to many current materials, it is widely used for the production of a new generation of drug formulations, and it is also used in the food industry and even in various types of nutritional supplements. These nanoformulations of supplements are being prepared especially with the purpose to improve bioavailability, protect active ingredients against degradation, or reduce side effects. This contribution comprehensively summarizes the current state of the research focused on nanoformulated human and veterinary dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods for special medical purposes, their particular applications in various food products and drinks as well as the most important related guidelines, regulations and directives.

• Keywords
• bioactive agents, dietary supplements, encapsulation, feed, foodstuffs, nanoemulsions, nanoformulations, nanoparticles, nutraceuticals,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Nanoparticles can be considered as a useful tool for improving properties of poorly soluble active ingredients. Hydrochlorothiazide (Class IV of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System) was chosen as a model compound. Antisolvent precipitation-solvent evaporation and emulsion solvent evaporation methods were used for preparation of 18 samples containing hydrochlorothiazide nanoparticles. Water solutions of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate, Tween 80 and carboxymethyl dextran were used in mass concentrations of 1%, 3% and 5%. Acetone and dichloromethane were used as solvents of the model compound. The particle size of the prepared samples was measured by dynamic light scattering. The selected sample of hydrochlorothiazide nanoparticles stabilized with carboxymethyl dextran sodium salt with particle size 2.6 nm was characterized additionally by Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the solubility of this sample was 6.5-fold higher than that of bulk hydrochlorothiazide.

• Keywords
• dynamic light scattering, hydrochlorothiazide, infrared spectroscopy, nanoparticles, scanning electron microscopy, solubility,
• MeSH
• Dynamic Light Scattering MeSH
• Hydrochlorothiazide chemical synthesis   chemistry   MeSH
• Molecular Structure MeSH
• Nanoparticles chemistry   MeSH
• Surface-Active Agents chemistry   MeSH
• Drug Compounding methods   MeSH
• Solvents chemistry   MeSH
• Solubility MeSH
• Particle Size MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Hydrochlorothiazide MeSH
• Surface-Active Agents MeSH
• Solvents MeSH

One approach for the enhancement of oral drug bioavailability is the technique of nanoparticle preparation. Risedronate sodium (Biopharmaceutical Classification System Class III) was chosen as a model compound with high water solubility and low intestinal permeability. Eighteen samples of risedronate sodium were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique with sodium dodecyl sulfate, polysorbate, macrogol, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl dextran as nanoparticle stabilizers applied in three concentrations. The prepared samples were characterized by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy was used for verification of the composition of the samples. The particle size of sixteen samples was less than 200 nm. Polysorbate, sodium carboxymethyl dextran and macrogol were determined as the most favourable excipients; the particle size of the samples of risedronate with these excipients ranged from 2.8 to 10.5 nm.

• MeSH
• Biological Availability MeSH
• Dextrans chemistry   MeSH
• Calorimetry, Differential Scanning methods   MeSH
• Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate chemistry   MeSH
• Technology, Pharmaceutical methods   MeSH
• Etidronic Acid analogs & derivatives   chemistry   MeSH
• Risedronic Acid MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning methods   MeSH
• Nanoparticles chemistry   MeSH
• Drug Carriers chemistry   MeSH
• Permeability MeSH
• Polyethylene Glycols chemistry   MeSH
• Polysorbates chemistry   MeSH
• Excipients chemistry   MeSH
• Solvents chemistry   MeSH
• Solubility MeSH
• Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium chemistry   MeSH
• Particle Size MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• carboxymethyl dextran MeSH Browser
• Dextrans MeSH
• Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate MeSH
• Etidronic Acid MeSH
• Risedronic Acid MeSH
• Drug Carriers MeSH
• Polyethylene Glycols MeSH
• Polysorbates MeSH
• Excipients MeSH
• Solvents MeSH
• Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium MeSH