Unlocking the power of nanomedicine: the future of nutraceuticals in oncology treatment

Transforming cancer treatment: The potential of nanonutraceuticals

Chemotherapy in the management of cancer is constrained by limitations like off-target effects, poor bioavailability, and dose-dependent toxicity. Nutraceuticals have been explored as an innovative strategy to overcome chemotherapy drawbacks.However, the clinical utility of nutraceuticals is restricted due to their complex structures, less water solubility, reduced stability, decreased bioavailability and more obstacles in the gastrointestinal tract. Nanonutraceuticals are nanosized nutraceutical particles having enhanced solubility, improved bioavailability, stability, and targeted delivery to specific cells. Nutraceuticals can be co-delivered with other chemotherapeutic drugs in nanocarriers to elicit synergistic effects. The targeting of nutraceuticals against cancer cells can be enabled by coupling ligands with the nanocarriers, which direct to the overexpressed receptors found at the surface of the cancer cells. Transitioning a nanonutraceutical from pre-clinical research to clinical trials is a pivotal step. This focus on advancing their application holds great potential for impacting clinical research and improving the treatment landscape for cancer patients. This review focuses on the role of nutraceuticals for cancer treatment, various nanocarriers for the efficient delivery of nutraceuticals along with co-administration of nutraceuticals with chemotherapeutic drugs using nanocarriers. Also, emphasize the targeting of ligands coupled nanocarriers to the cancer cells along with patents and clinical trials for nanonutraceuticals.

Anticancer activity of quantum size carbon dots: opportunities and challenges

Research into the anticancer activity of quantum-sized carbon dots (CDs) has emerged as a promising avenue in cancer research. This CDs delves into the opportunities and challenges associated with harnessing the potential of these nanostructures for combating cancer. Quantum-sized carbon dots, owing to their unique physicochemical properties, exhibit distinct advantages as potential therapeutic agents. Opportunities lie in their tunable size, surface functionalization capabilities, and biocompatibility, enabling targeted drug delivery and imaging in cancer cells. However, we include challenges, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms, potential toxicity concerns, and the optimization of synthesis methods for enhanced therapeutic efficacy. A succinct summary of the state of the research in this area is given in this review, emphasizing the exciting possibilities and ongoing challenges in utilizing quantum-sized carbon dots as a novel strategy for cancer treatment.

Targeting tumour markers in ovarian cancer treatment

Ovarian cancers (OC) are the most common, lethal, and stage-dependent cancers at the global level, specifically in female patients. Targeted therapies involve the administration of drugs that specifically target the alterations in tumour cells responsible for their growth, proliferation, and metastasis, with the aim of treating particular patients. Presently, within the realm of gynaecological malignancies, specifically in breast and OCs, there exist various prospective therapeutic targets encompassing tumour-intrinsic signalling pathways, angiogenesis, homologous-recombination deficit, hormone receptors, and immunologic components. Breast cancers are often detected in advanced stages, primarily due to the lack of a reliable screening method. However, various tumour markers have been extensively researched and employed to evaluate the condition, progression, and effectiveness of medication treatments for this ailment. The emergence of recent technological advancements in the domains of bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics has facilitated the exploration and identification of hitherto unknown biomarkers. The primary objective of this comprehensive review is to meticulously investigate and analyze both established and emerging methodologies employed in the identification of tumour markers associated with OC.

Nano revolution: pioneering the future of water reclamation with micro-/nano-robots

Earth's freshwater reserves are alarmingly limited, with less than 1% readily available. Factors such as industrialisation, population expansion, and climate change are compounding the scarcity of clean water. In this context, self-driven, programmable micro- and nano-scale synthetic robots offer a potential solution for enhancing water monitoring and remediation. With the aid of these innovative robots, diffusion-limited reactions can be overcome, allowing for active engagement with target pollutants, such as heavy metals, dyes, nano- and micro-plastics, oils, pathogenic microorganisms, and persistent organic pollutants. Herein, we introduced and reviewed recent influential and advanced studies on micro-/nano-robots (MNR) carried out over the past decade. Typical works are categorized by propulsion modes, analyzing their advantages and drawbacks in detail and looking at specific applications. Moreover, this review provides a concise overview of the contemporary advancements and applications of micro-/nano-robots in water-cleaning applications.

Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment: The Promising Horizon of Zein Nanosystems

Various nanomaterials have recently become fascinating tools in cancer diagnostic applications because of their multifunctional and inherent molecular characteristics that support efficient diagnosis and image-guided therapy. Zein nanoparticles are a protein derived from maize. It belongs to the class of prolamins possessing a spherical structure with conformational properties similar to those of conventional globular proteins like ribonuclease and insulin. Zein nanoparticles have gained massive interest over the past couple of years owing to their natural hydrophilicity, ease of functionalization, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, thereby improving oral bioavailability, nanoparticle targeting, and prolonged drug administration. Thus, zein nanoparticles are becoming a promising candidate for precision cancer drug delivery. This review highlights the clinical significance of applying zein nanosystems for cancer theragnostic─moreover, the role of zein nanosystems for cancer drug delivery, anticancer agents, and gene therapy. Finally, the difficulties and potential uses of these NPs in cancer treatment and detection are discussed. This review will pave the way for researchers to develop theranostic strategies for precision medicine utilizing zein nanosystems.