Current Nanomedicine

As of 21st century, cancer is arguably the most complex and challenging disease known to mankind and an inevitable public health concern of this millennium [1, 2]. Presently, it is the second major cause for death worldwide and it was estimated 8.8 million deaths were reported in 2015[1, 3]. Different treatment strategies such as surgery, radiation, chemo and hormonal therapy are used for cancer treatment, whereas chemotherapy is found to be common [1, 4]. We are very much aware that the success of cancer therapy entirely depends on the early detection and effective therapies modulaties including chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, one of the main therapeutic modality often suffered with limited success due to off targeting and non-preferential drug distribution, poor penetration to the solid tumor, poor solubility of hydrophobic cancer drugs, elimination by reticulo-endothelial system (RES) and multidrug resistance (MDR) [5-9]. Limitation of conventional chemotherapy prompted a new class of nanoformulations (termed as nanomedicine). Research and therapy in cancer nanotechnology area is developing fast. New insights and progress in delivery approaches allows for more precise diagnosis, efficacious treatment and quality care. Newer ideas such as utilizing combination therapy, multifunctional nanoparticles and theranostics in cancer nanomedicines have greatly evolved over recent years [5, 6-20]. This is evinced that sizeable accomplishment has been made in this area however toxicity, poorly reproducible chemistry, scale-up and the cost remain as constraints in cancer nanotechnology that persuade the development of safe biomaterials based nanoparticles. Through this thematic issue we brought the understanding and perspective altogether of the expert researchers of cancer nanomedicines, biomedical science, chemistry and formulation from which we identify future research needed to overcome the limitations associated with the cancer nanomedicines and facilitate the clinical realization.

Nanotechnology has been applied in the area of medicine to develop nanoparticulate delivery systems. This delivery system is very promising in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer owing to its entry into the tissue at molecular level. These delivery systems also overcome the side effects associated with conventional therapies. The nanoparticles exert tumour specific targeting and delivery by enhancing the permeability and retention effect, avoids the reticoendothelial system. The nanoparticulate drug delivery systems also offer feasibility of incorporation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drug(s), high stability and carrier capacity and feasibility of various routes of administration. Singh et al., in “Inhalable nanostructures for lung cancer treatment: progress and challenges” reported that nanostructure based inhalation chemotherapy is more successful targeting system and also offers reduced side effects than conventional chemotherapy. Authors highlighted the critical issues, strategies for delivery and inhalable nanostructures for anticancer drug delivery. Vohra et al., in “Current trends in phytocancer therapy using nanoparticles” pointed out that herbal medicines have attracted the scientist due to low toxicity and high efficacy associated with them. This review summarized the recent studies conducted on herbal nanoparticles and current trends followed by phyto-cancer therapy for cancer treatment. Nithya et al., in “Development and In Vitro Characterization of Paclitaxel Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles” developed nanoparticles of paclitaxel (PTX) (PSLN) were by hot homogenization method using Cutina HR and Gelucire 44/14 as lipid carriers and Solutol HS 15 as a surfactant. The in vitro release studies showed a sustained release profile for PSLN over a period of 48 hours. SLNs loaded with PTX were found to be more toxic in killing MCF7 cells at a lower concentration than the free PTX. Gupta et al., in “Formulation and characterization of gefitinib-loaded polymeric nanoparticles using box-behnken design” developed gefitinib loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GF-NP) by ionic gelation method using 3-factor 3- level box-behnken design. Seventeen formulations of the polymeric nanoparticles were prepared using various concentrations of chitosan (0.1-0.3% w/v), NaTPP (0.2-0.6% w/v) and different volumes of NaTPP (8-12 ml) by ionic gelation method using trehalose (5% w/v) as cryoprotectant. The nanoparticle formulation with desired characteristics can be prepared at low concentration of chitosan, optimum concentration ratio of chitosan: NaTPP along with low volume of NaTPP. Lather et al., in “Polymeric Micelles of Modified Chitosan Block Copolymer as Nanocarrier for Delivery of Paclitaxel” prepared and characterized the novel polymeric micelles derived from self assembly of amphiphilic chitosan-bile salt derivative (CS-mPEG-DA) as nanocarrier and evaluated the delivery of paclitaxel. The polymeric micellar systems derived from copolymerization of chitosan exhibit a great potential in successful delivery of poorly water soluble or low bioavailable drug - paclitaxel. Dhiman and Bhalla in “Development and evaluation of lycopene loaded chitosan nanoparticles” investigated the influence of some precarious variables like, concentration of chitosan, concentration of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and stirring time on physico-chemical characteristics of lycopene loaded chitosan nanoparticles. Lycopene loaded chitosan nanoaprticles containing 150 mg of chitosan, 75 mg of sodium TPP, 20 mg of drug lycopene and with 15 minutes of stirring time showed highest entrapment efficiency of 89.4%. These nanoparticles showed the great promise for the development of drug delivery system by enhancing the cellular accumulation of lycopene with chitosan. I owe appreciations and sincere gratitude and to all who kindly contributed, peer-reviewed the manuscripts for this special issue in order to sustain the high quality of this journal. I sincerely acknowledge the editorial board’s productive and appropriate reviews and the entire endeavor in publishing the special issue. My special thanks are also due to Ms. Syeda Aqsa Jabeen for hard work and efforts for possible publication of this special issue. I hope that all the readers will be benefitted from this issue.

The importance of nanoparticles has been extensively investigated almost in all the disciplines of science for variety of applications, especially in drug delivery, biomedical applications and many more. In this regard, metallic nanoparticles have attracted special attention to the researchers for exploring the multifunctional applications in biomedical research. These exhibit magnetic, optical and thermal properties of metallic nanoparticles dependent on size and shape, thus highly useful for applications beyond drug delivery in other fields like bioengineering, biological labeling, sensor technology, optical devices, chemical catalysis and cancers. Some of the key metallic elements explored for the production of metallic nanoparticles include silver, gold, copper, iron oxide, zinc oxide, etc. Several research reports and patents have been published in the vast research poured in the field of nanoparticles for exploring their multifaceted applications. The present special issue, in this context, aims to provide an updated account on the patents reported so far on synthesis, characterization and diverse applications of metallic nanoparticles. This present guest issue is aimed be highly beneficial for the pharmaceutical and biomedical scientists to keep abreast of the current advancements in the metallic nanoparticles for drug delivery and biomedical applications.

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