Formulation and In Vitro Evaluation of Casein Nanoparticles as Carrier for Celecoxib

Prodigiosin/celecoxib-loaded into zein/sodium caseinate nanoparticles as a potential therapy for triple negative breast cancer

Nowadays, breast cancer is considered one of the most upsetting malignancies among females. Encapsulation of celecoxib (CXB) and prodigiosin (PDG) into zein/sodium caseinate nanoparticles (NPs) produce homogenous and spherical nanoparticles with good encapsulation efficiencies (EE %) and bioavailability. In vitro cytotoxicity study conducted on human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell lines revealed that there was a significant decline in the IC50 for encapsulated drugs when compared to each drug alone or their free combination. In addition, results demonstrated that there is a synergism between CXB and PDG as their combination indices were 0.62251 and 0.15493, respectively. Moreover, results of scratch wound healing assay revealed enhanced antimigratory effect of free drugs and fabricated NPs in comparison to untreated cells. Furthermore, In vitro results manifested that formulated nanoparticles exhibited induction of apoptosis associated with reduced angiogenesis, proliferation, and inflammation. In conclusion, nanoencapsulation of multiple drugs into nanoparticles might be a promising approach to develop new therapies for the managing of triple negative breast cancer.

Casein-Based Nanoparticles: A Potential Tool for the Delivery of Daunorubicin in Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

The aim of this study was to develop casein-based nanoscale carriers as a potential delivery system for daunorubicin, as a pH-responsive targeting tool for acute lymphocytic leukemia. A coacervation technique followed by nano spray-drying was used for the preparation of drug-loaded casein nanoparticles. Four batches of drug-loaded formulations were developed at varied drug-polymer ratios using a simple coacervation technique followed by spray-drying. They were further characterized using scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD diffractometry, and differential scanning calorimetry. Drug release was investigated in different media (pH 5 and 7.4). The cytotoxicity of the daunorubicin-loaded nanoparticles was compared to that of the pure drug. The influence of the polymer-to-drug ratio on the nanoparticles' properties such as their particle size, surface morphology, production yield, drug loading, entrapment efficiency, and drug release behavior was studied. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the drug-loaded nanoparticles was investigated confirming their potential as carriers for daunorubicin delivery.

Opportunities for milk and milk-related systems as 'new' low-cost excipient drug delivery materials

Milk is well recognised as an amazing delivery system for essential lipids, poorly soluble nutrients, sugars, amino acids and delivery of critical biological molecules to sustain the infant and adult alike. It is also a safe and abundant resource with potential to act as a low-cost material for formulation of medicines, especially for paediatric patients and those in low economy settings. However, its use in low cost formulations has never developed beyond preclinical evaluation. Reasons for this are several-fold including variable composition and therefore regulatory challenges, as well as a lack of clear understanding around when milk or milk-related materials like infant formula could best be deployed by linking drug properties with excipient composition attributes, especially when taking digestion into account. This review collects the current understanding around these issues. It is apparent from the evolving understanding that while milk may be a bridge too far for translation as an excipient, infant formula is positioned to play a key role in the future because, as a powder-based excipient, it has the performance benefits of milk powder together with the controlled specifications during manufacture and versatility of application to function as a low cost lipid excipient to enable potential translation for the oral delivery of poorly water soluble drugs for key populations including paediatrics and low economy medicines.

Casein Micelles as an Emerging Delivery System for Bioactive Food Components

Bioactive food components have potential health benefits but are highly susceptible for degradation under adverse conditions such as light, pH, temperature and oxygen. Furthermore, they are known to have poor solubilities, low stabilities and low bioavailabilities in the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, technologies that can retain, protect and enable their targeted delivery are significant to the food industry. Amongst these, microencapsulation of bioactives has emerged as a promising technology. The present review evaluates the potential use of casein micelles (CMs) as a bioactive delivery system. The review discusses in depth how physicochemical and techno-functional properties of CMs can be modified by secondary processing parameters in making them a choice for the delivery of food bioactives in functional foods. CMs are an assembly of four types of caseins, (α_s1, α_s2, β and κ casein) with calcium phosphate. They possess hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties that make them ideal for encapsulation of food bioactives. In addition, CMs have a self-assembling nature to incorporate bioactives, remarkable surface activity to stabilise emulsions and the ability to bind hydrophobic components when heated. Moreover, CMs can act as natural hydrogels to encapsulate minerals, bind with polymers to form nano capsules and possess pH swelling behaviour for targeted and controlled release of bioactives in the GI tract. Although numerous novel advancements of employing CMs as an effective delivery have been reported in recent years, more comprehensive studies are required to increase the understanding of how variation in structural properties of CMs be utilised to deliver bioactives with different physical, chemical and structural properties.