Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.1
4.3
Journals
Pharmaceuticals
Special Issues
Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs
share announcement

Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 10390

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pallabita Chowdhury

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Plough Center for Sterile Drug Delivery Solutions, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 220 S. Dudley Street, Memphis, TN 38104, USA
Interests: nanoparticle drug delivery; self-assembly of nanoparticles; targeted drug delivery
Prof. Dr. Xiuling Lu

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
Interests: nanoparticle-based drug delivery for cancer therapeutics and radiation therapy; imaging-based delivery for cancer therapeutics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Most chemical moieties that show therapeutic potential suffer from limitations such as undefined metabolism or unwanted adverse effects. With the discovery of nanotechnology just about a decade ago, remarkable success has been achieved. Due to the small nature of the subunits (10-9 m), nanoparticles often tend to organize in nanostructured self-assemblies. Self-assembly can be defined as a process that causes synergistic interaction between self-organizing particles, leading to a hierarchically ordered structure with the minimal external direction needed. The advantages are myriad; loading of drugs according to morphological requirements can provide versatility, dispersibility in aqueous media can provide stability, the absence of formulation excipients can offer clinical safety and biocompatibility, and the quick and easy fabrication with minimal requirement of special equipment can provide low production cost and ease of manufacturing. These processes have gained the attention of researchers and enabled the development of delivery systems for various applications. Since the first success of nanotechnology with the FDA approval of self-assembled liposomes in 1995 for Doxil®, groundbreaking advancement was made very recently when approved for clinical use of mRNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The emergence of self-assembling nanoparticle drug delivery systems is advancing rapidly toward clinical use. Thus, in this framework, the aim of this Special Issue on “Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs” is to unify manuscripts that aim to utilize the process of self-assembly to develop nanomaterials for improved drug delivery systems for available drugs. We welcome articles with a particular focus on addressing state-of-the-art knowledge and future perspectives for the application of self-assembly and the emergence of new approaches for the clinical translation of drug delivery.

Dr. Pallabita Chowdhury
Prof. Dr. Xiuling Lu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • self-assembly
  • nanomaterial
  • drug delivery developments
  • lipid nanoparticles
  • liposomes
  • polymeric nanoparticles
  • therapeutic delivery
  • miRNA delivery
  • preclinical and clinical translation of drug delivery

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

26 pages, 10614 KiB  
Article
Box-Behnken Design-Based Optimization and Evaluation of Lipid-Based Nano Drug Delivery System for Brain Targeting of Bromocriptine
by Asha Spandana K M, Mohit Angolkar, Mohamed Rahamathulla, Kamal Y. Thajudeen, Mohammed Muqtader Ahmed, Syeda Ayesha Farhana, Thippeswamy Boreddy Shivanandappa, Sharanya Paramshetti, Riyaz Ali M. Osmani and Jawahar Natarajan
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(6), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17060720 - 2 Jun 2024
Viewed by 787
Abstract
Bromocriptine (BCR) presents poor bioavailability when administered orally because of its low solubility and prolonged first-pass metabolism. This poses a significant challenge in its utilization as an effective treatment for managing Parkinson’s disease (PD). The utilization of lipid nanoparticles can be a promising [...] Read more.
Bromocriptine (BCR) presents poor bioavailability when administered orally because of its low solubility and prolonged first-pass metabolism. This poses a significant challenge in its utilization as an effective treatment for managing Parkinson’s disease (PD). The utilization of lipid nanoparticles can be a promising approach to overcome the limitations of BCR bioavailability. The aim of the research work was to develop and evaluate bromocriptine-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (BCR-SLN) and bromocriptine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (BCR-NLC) employing the Box-Behnken design (BBD). BCR-SLNs and BCR-NLCs were developed using the high-pressure homogenization method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized for particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and entrapment efficiency (EE). In vitro drug release, cytotoxicity studies, in vivo plasma pharmacokinetic, and brain distribution studies evaluated the optimized lipid nanoparticles. The optimized BCR-SLN had a PS of 219.21 ± 1.3 nm, PDI of 0.22 ± 0.02, and EE of 72.2 ± 0.5. The PS, PDI, and EE of optimized BCR-NLC formulation were found to be 182.87 ± 2.2, 0.16 ± 0.004, and 83.57 ± 1.8, respectively. The in vitro release profile of BCR-SLN and BCR-NLC showed a biphasic pattern, immediate release, and then trailed due to the sustained release. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetic study indicated that both the optimized BCR-SLN and BCR-NLC formulations improve the plasma and brain bioavailability of the drug compared to the BCR solution. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that the BCR-loaded lipid nanoparticles could be a promising carrier by enhancing the BBB penetration of the drug and helping in the improvement of the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of BCR in the management of PD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2070 KiB  
Article
Tween 80-Based Self-Assembled Mixed Micelles Boost Valsartan Transdermal Delivery
by Alaa Eldeen B. Yassin, Salam Massadeh, Abdullah A. Alshwaimi, Raslan H. Kittaneh, Mustafa E. Omer, Dilshad Ahmad, Al Hassan Aodah, Faiyaz Shakeel, Majed Halwani, Saleh A. Alanazi and Prawez Alam
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17010019 - 22 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1684
Abstract
Valsartan (Val) is an important antihypertensive medication with poor absorption and low oral bioavailability. These constraints are due to its poor solubility and dissolution rate. The purpose of this study was to optimize a mixed micelle system for the transdermal delivery of Val [...] Read more.
Valsartan (Val) is an important antihypertensive medication with poor absorption and low oral bioavailability. These constraints are due to its poor solubility and dissolution rate. The purpose of this study was to optimize a mixed micelle system for the transdermal delivery of Val in order to improve its therapeutic performance by providing prolonged uniform drug levels while minimizing drug side effects. Thin-film hydration and micro-phase separation were used to produce Val-loaded mixed micelle systems. A variety of factors, including the surfactant type and drug-to-surfactant ratio, were optimized to produce micelles with a low size and high Val entrapment efficiency (EE). The size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and drug EE of the prepared micelles were all measured. The in vitro drug release profiles were assessed using dialysis bags, and the permeation through abdominal rat skin was assessed using a Franz diffusion cell. All formulations had high EE levels exceeding 90% and low particle charges. The micellar sizes ranged from 107.6 to 191.7 nm, with average PDI values of 0.3. The in vitro release demonstrated a uniform slow rate that lasted one week with varying extents. F7 demonstrated a significant (p < 0.01) transdermal efflux of 68.84 ± 3.96 µg/cm2/h through rat skin when compared to the control. As a result, the enhancement factor was 16.57. In summary, Val-loaded mixed micelles were successfully prepared using two simple methods with high reproducibility, and extensive transdermal delivery was demonstrated in the absence of any aggressive skin-modifying enhancers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 8375 KiB  
Article
Neutrophil as a Carrier for Cancer Nanotherapeutics: A Comparative Study of Liposome, PLGA, and Magnetic Nanoparticles Delivery to Tumors
by Anastasiia S. Garanina, Daniil A. Vishnevskiy, Anastasia A. Chernysheva, Marat P. Valikhov, Julia A. Malinovskaya, Polina A. Lazareva, Alevtina S. Semkina, Maxim A. Abakumov and Victor A. Naumenko
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(11), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16111564 - 6 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1533
Abstract
Insufficient drug accumulation in tumors is still a major concern for using cancer nanotherapeutics. Here, the neutrophil-based delivery of three nanoparticle types—liposomes, PLGA, and magnetite nanoparticles—was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Confocal microscopy and a flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that all [...] Read more.
Insufficient drug accumulation in tumors is still a major concern for using cancer nanotherapeutics. Here, the neutrophil-based delivery of three nanoparticle types—liposomes, PLGA, and magnetite nanoparticles—was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Confocal microscopy and a flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that all the studied nanoparticles interacted with neutrophils from the peripheral blood of mice with 4T1 mammary adenocarcinoma without a significant impact on neutrophil viability or activation state. Intravital microscopy of the tumor microenvironment showed that the neutrophils did not engulf the liposomes after intravenous administration, but facilitated nanoparticle extravasation in tumors through micro- and macroleakages. PLGA accumulated along the vessel walls in the form of local clusters. Later, PLGA nanoparticle-loaded neutrophils were found to cross the vascular barrier and migrate towards the tumor core. The magnetite nanoparticles extravasated in tumors both via spontaneous macroleakages and on neutrophils. Overall, the specific type of nanoparticles largely determined their behavior in blood vessels and their neutrophil-mediated delivery to the tumor. Since neutrophils are the first to migrate to the site of inflammation, they can increase nanodrug delivery effectiveness for nanomedicine application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

25 pages, 7170 KiB  
Article
Bedaquiline-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Drug Delivery in the Management of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
by Shehla Nasar Mir Najib Ullah, Obaid Afzal, Abdulmalik Saleh Alfawaz Altamimi, Manal A. Alossaimi, Waleed H Almalki, Abdulaziz Alzahrani, Md. Abul Barkat, Tahani M. Almeleebia, Hanan Alshareef, Eman M. Shorog, Gyas Khan, Tanuja Singh and J. K. Singh
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(9), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16091309 - 15 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1668
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mortality and new case rates are both on the rise. Most patients have fewer treatment options accessible due to side effects from drugs and the emergence of drug resistance. Bedaquiline (BQ), a drug licensed by the FDA to treat [...] Read more.
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mortality and new case rates are both on the rise. Most patients have fewer treatment options accessible due to side effects from drugs and the emergence of drug resistance. Bedaquiline (BQ), a drug licensed by the FDA to treat tuberculosis (TB), has demonstrated highly effective anti-cancer properties in the past. However, it is difficult to transport the biological barriers because of their limited solubility in water. Our study developed a UPLC method whose calibration curves showed linearity in the range of 5 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL. The UPLC method was developed with a retention time of 1.42 and high accuracy and precision. Its LOQ and LOD were observed to be 10 ng/mL and 5 ng/mL, respectively, whereas in the formulation, capmul MCM C10, Poloxamer 188, and PL90G were selected as solid lipids, surfactants, and co-surfactants, respectively, in the development of SLN. To combat NSCLC, we developed solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with BQ, whereas BQ suspension is prepared by the trituration method using acacia powder, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, polyvinyl acrylic acid, and BQ. The developed and optimized BQ-SLN3 has a particle size of 144 nm and a zeta potential of (−) 16.3 mV. whereas BQ-loaded SLN3 has observed entrapment efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC) of 92.05% and 13.33%, respectively. Further, BQ-loaded suspension revealed a particle size of 1180 nm, a PDI of 0.25, and a zeta potential of −0.0668. whereas the EE and LC of BQ-loaded suspension were revealed to be 88.89% and 11.43%, respectively. The BQ-SLN3 exhibited insignificant variation in particle size, homogeneous dispersion, zeta potential, EE, and LC and remained stable over 90 days of storage at 25 °C/60% RH, whereas at 40 °C/75% RH, BQ-SLN3 observed significant variation in the above-mentioned parameters and remained unstable over 90 days of storage. Meanwhile, the BQ suspension at both 25 °C (60% RH) and 40 °C (75% RH) was found to be stable up to 90 days. The optimized BQ-SLN3 and BQ-suspension were in vitro gastrointestinally stable at pH 1.2 and 6.8, respectively. The in vitro drug release of BQ-SLN3 showed 98.19% up to 12 h at pH 7.2 whereas BQ suspensions observed only 40% drug release up to 4 h at pH 7.2 and maximum drug release of >99% within 4 h at pH 4.0. The mathematical modeling of BQ-SLN3 followed first-order release kinetics followed by a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. After 24 to 72 h, the IC50 value of BQ-SLN3 was 3.46-fold lower than that of the BQ suspension, whereas the blank SLN observed cell viability of 98.01% and an IC50 of 120 g/mL at the end of 72 h. The bioavailability and higher biodistribution of BQ-SLN3 in the lung tumor were also shown to be greater than those of the BQ suspension. The effects of BQ-SLN3 on antioxidant enzymes, including MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH, and GR, in the treated group were significantly improved and reached the level nearest to that of the control group of rats over the cancer group of rats and the BQ suspension-treated group of rats. Moreover, the pharmacodynamic activity resulted in greater tumor volume and tumor weight reduction by BQ-SLN3 over the BQ suspension-treated group. As far as we are aware, this is the first research to look at the potential of SLN as a repurposed oral drug delivery, and the results suggest that BQ-loaded SLN3 is a better approach for NSCLC due to its better action potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 5214 KiB  
Article
Transient Coatings from Nanoparticles Achieving Broad-Spectrum and High Antimicrobial Performance
by Rachel Zaia, Giovanna M. Quinto, Livia C. S. Camargo, Rodrigo T. Ribeiro and Ana M. Carmona-Ribeiro
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(6), 816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16060816 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1317
Abstract
Cationic and hydrophilic coatings based on casting and drying water dispersions of two different nanoparticles (NPs) onto glass are here described and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Discoid cationic bilayer fragments (BF) surrounded by carboxy-methylcellulose (CMC) and poly (diallyl dimethyl ammonium) chloride (PDDA) NPs [...] Read more.
Cationic and hydrophilic coatings based on casting and drying water dispersions of two different nanoparticles (NPs) onto glass are here described and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Discoid cationic bilayer fragments (BF) surrounded by carboxy-methylcellulose (CMC) and poly (diallyl dimethyl ammonium) chloride (PDDA) NPs and spherical gramicidin D (Gr) NPs dispersed in water solution were cast onto glass coverslips and dried, forming a coating quantitatively evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. From plating and colony forming units (CFU) counting, all strains interacting for 1 h with the coatings lost viability from 105 to 106, to zero CFU, at two sets of Gr and PDDA doses: 4.6 and 25 μg, respectively, or, 0.94 and 5 μg, respectively. Combinations produced broad spectrum, antimicrobial coatings; PDDA electrostatically attached to the microbes damaging cell walls, allowing Gr NPs interaction with the cell membrane. This concerted action promoted optimal activity at low Gr and PDDA doses. Further washing and drying of the deposited dried coatings showed that they were washed out so that antimicrobial activity was no longer present on the glass surface. Significant applications in biomedical materials can be foreseen for these transient coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 5354 KiB  
Article
Aggregation, Cytotoxicity and DNA Binding in a Series of Calix[4]arene Amphiphile Containing Aminotriazole Groups
by Diana Mironova, Egor Makarov, Islamiya Bilyukova, Kevser Akyol, Elsa Sultanova, Vladimir Evtugyn, Damir Davletshin, Elvina Gilyazova, Emil Bulatov, Vladimir Burilov, Svetlana Solovieva and Igor Antipin
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(5), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16050699 - 5 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
The present work focuses on the study of the aggregation and complexing properties of calixarenes as potential DNA condensation agents for gene delivery. In the current study, 1,4-triazole derivatives of calix[4]arenes 7 and 8 containing monoammonium fragments were synthesized. The synthesized compound’s structure [...] Read more.
The present work focuses on the study of the aggregation and complexing properties of calixarenes as potential DNA condensation agents for gene delivery. In the current study, 1,4-triazole derivatives of calix[4]arenes 7 and 8 containing monoammonium fragments were synthesized. The synthesized compound’s structure was characterized by using various spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, HRESI MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR). The interactions between a series of calix[4]arene-containing aminotriazole groups (triazole-containing macrocycles with diethylenetriammonium fragments (3 and 4) and triazole-containing macrocycles with monoammonium fragments (7 and 8)) and calf thymus DNA were carried out via UV absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. The role of the binding forces of calixarene–DNA complexes was analyzed. Photophysical and morphological studies revealed the interaction of the calixarenes 3, 4 and 8 with ct-DNA, which transformed the fibrous structure of ct-DNA to completely condensed compact structures that are 50 nm in diameter. The cytotoxic properties of calixarenes 3, 4, 7 and 8 against cancerous cells (MCF7, PC-3) as well as a healthy cell line (HSF) were investigated. Compound 4 was found to have the highest toxic effect on MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma (IC50 3.3 μM). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Nanoparticles: An Emerging Delivery Platform for Drugs)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop