Liposome-siderophore conjugates loaded with moxifloxacin serve as a model for drug delivery against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that annually affects millions of people, and resistance to available antibiotics has exacerbated this situation. Another notable characteristic of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the primary causative agent of TB, is its ability to survive inside macrophages, a key component of the immune system. In our quest for an effective and safe treatment that facilitates the targeted delivery of antibiotics to the site of infection, we have proposed a nanotechnology approach based on an iron chelator. Iron chelators are the primary mechanism by which bacteria acquire iron, a metal essential for their metabolism. Four liposomes were synthesized and characterized using the dynamic light scattering technique (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All of these methods revealed the presence of spherical particles, approximately 200 nm in size. NTA indicated a concentration of around 1011 particles/mL. We also developed and validated a high-performance liquid chromatography method for quantifying Moxifloxacin to determine encapsulation efficiency (EE) and release profiles (RF). The EE was 51.31 % for LipMox and 45.76 % for LipIchMox. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the phagocytosis of liposomal vesicles by macrophages. Functionalizing liposomes with iron chelators can offer significant benefits for TB treatment, such as targeted drug delivery to intracellular bacilli through the phagocytosis of liposomal particles by cells like macrophages.

Mucoadhesive liquid crystal precursor system for photodynamic therapy of oral cancer mediated by methylene blue

Oral cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer head and neck cancers worldwide. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated great potential against cancers, reducing long-term morbidity. In this study, we investigated the incorporation of methylene blue (MB) in a mucoadhesive liquid crystal precursor system (LCPS) for oral cancer treatment. The photostability and the in vitro release, permeation, and retention profile of MB-loaded LCPS (MB-LCPS) were investigated, as well as its in vitro PDT activity against normal (HaCaT) and tumoral (HSC-3) cell lines. LCPS increased the photostability of MB and exhibited a prolonged release profile of MB. In addition, LCPS increased the retention of MB in the porcine esophageal mucosa by around 3 times higher than the MB solution. The retention of MB in LCPS was around 2 times greater than its permeability, which is suitable for guaranteeing the maintenance of the therapy in the oral cavity. In vitro cytotoxicity assay indicated that MB-LCPS increased the antitumoral activity of MB after 20 min of irradiation at 660 nm and 12.5 J/cm2. The results obtained suggest that the developed formulation is an interesting strategy for the potential application in the treatment of oral cancer by PDT.

Validation of an Innovative Chromatographic Method for Hypericin Quantification in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers

BACKGROUND

Hypericin (HYP) is a natural compound widely used as a food supplement. The encapsulation of HYP into nanosystems, such as nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), is a promising strategy for delivering this lipophilic molecule and protecting it from degradation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to develop and validate an analytical method to quantify the encapsulation efficiency of HYP in NLC.

METHOD

A reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guide Q2 (R1). NLC was prepared through the ultrasonication method, and HYP encapsulation efficiency was evaluated using the validated method.

RESULTS

Separation was achieved using an isocratic mobile phase composed of acetonitrile, methanol, and ammonium acetate buffer (10 mM, pH 5.0) (54:36:10, v/v/v) and a reverse stationary phase. The specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and robustness of the method were assessed and confirmed during the validation. Furthermore, the validated method was able to determine the encapsulation efficiency of HYP in NLC.

CONCLUSIONS

The HPLC method was validated, and the results indicated the ability of NLC to deliver HYP compounds for further application as a food supplement.

HIGHLIGHTS

HYP is used as a food supplement and for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The developed method was specific, linear, precise, accurate, and robust. NLCs showed a high ability to encapsulate HYP.

Microparticles and nanoparticles-based approaches to improve oral treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped, flagellated bacterium that colonizes the stomach of half the world's population. Helicobacter pylori infection causes pathologies of varying severity. Standard oral therapy fails in 15-20% since the barriers of the oral route decrease the bioavailability of antibiotics and the intrinsic factors of bacteria increase the rates of resistance. Nanoparticles and microparticles are promising strategies for drug delivery into the gastric mucosa and targeting H. pylori. The variety of building blocks creates systems with distinct colloidal, surface, and biological properties. These features improve drug-pathogen interactions, eliminate drug depletion and overuse, and enable the association of multiple actives combating H. pylori on several fronts. Nanoparticles and microparticles are successfully used to overcome the barriers of the oral route, physicochemical inconveniences, and lack of selectivity of current therapy. They have proven efficient in employing promising anti-H. pylori compounds whose limitation is oral route instability, such as some antibiotics and natural products. However, the current challenge is the applicability of these strategies in clinical practice. For this reason, strategies employing a rational design are necessary, including in the development of nano- and microsystems for the oral route.

A receptor-mediated landscape of druggable and targeted nanomaterials for gliomas

Gliomas are the most common type of brain cancer, and among them, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most prevalent (about 60% of cases) and the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor. The treatment of GBM is a major challenge due to the pathophysiological characteristics of the disease, such as the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents and regulates the passage of substances from the bloodstream to the brain parenchyma, making many of the chemotherapeutics currently available not able to reach the brain in therapeutic concentrations, accumulating in non-target organs, and causing considerable adverse effects for the patient. In this scenario, nanocarriers emerge as tools capable of improving the brain bioavailability of chemotherapeutics, in addition to improving their biodistribution and enhancing their uptake in GBM cells. This is possible due to its nanometric size and surface modification strategies, which can actively target nanocarriers to elements overexpressed by GBM cells (such as transmembrane receptors) related to aggressive development, drug resistance, and poor prognosis. In this review, an overview of the most frequently overexpressed receptors in GBM cells and possible approaches to chemotherapeutic delivery and active targeting using nanocarriers will be presented.

Design of rapamycin and resveratrol coloaded liposomal formulation for breast cancer therapy

Aims: The development of rapamycin (RAP) and resveratrol (RSV) coloaded liposomes (RAP-RSV-LIP) for breast cancer therapy. Materials & methods: Liposomes were prepared using a high-pressure homogenization technique and evaluated according to their physicochemical characteristics, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity against tumoral and normal cells. Results & conclusion: The RAP-RSV-LIP showed negative surface charge, size around 100 nm, low polydispersity and high encapsulation efficiency for RAP and RSV (58.87 and 63.22%, respectively). RAP-RSV-LIP showed great stability over 60 days and a prolonged drug release profile. In vitro studies indicated that RAP-RSV-LIP were internalized in an estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7, 34.2%) and improved cytotoxicity when compared with free drugs. Therefore RAP-RSV-LIP showed great antitumoral potential against breast cancer cells.

Three-dimensional culture models: emerging platforms for screening the antitumoral efficacy of nanomedicines

Nanomedicines have been investigated for delivering drugs to tumors due to their ability to accumulate in the tumor tissues. 2D in vitro cell culture has been used to investigate the antitumoral potential of nanomedicines. However, a 2D model cannot adequately mimic the in vivo tissue conditions because of the lack of cell-cell interaction, a gradient of nutrients and the expression of genes. To overcome this limitation, 3D cell culture models have emerged as promising platforms that better replicate the complexity of native tumors. For this purpose, different techniques can be used to produce 3D models, including scaffold-free, scaffold-based and microfluidic-based models. This review addresses the principles, advantages and limitations of these culture methods for evaluating the antitumoral efficacy of nanomedicines.

Development, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity of kaempferol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers in glioblastoma multiforme cells

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and most aggressive human brain cancer. GBM treatment is still a challenge because many drugs are not able to cross the blood-brain barrier, in addition to the increasing resistance to currently available chemotherapy. New therapeutic alternatives are emerging, and, in this context, we highlight kaempferol, a flavonoid with remarkable anti-tumor activity but with limited bioavailability due to its strong lipophilic property. A promising tool to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of molecules such as kaempferol is the use of drug-delivery nanosystems, such as nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), which can facilitate the dispersion and delivery of highly lipophilic molecules. The present work aimed at the development and characterization of kaempferol-loaded NLC (K-NLC) and the evaluation of its biological properties using in vitro models. The K-NLC showed an average size of 120 nm, zeta potential of - 21 mV, and polydispersity index of 0.099. The K-NLC presented high kaempferol encapsulation efficiency (93%), a drug loading of 3.58%, and a sustained kaempferol release profile for up to 48 h. In addition to presenting a 7-fold increase in kaempferol cytotoxicity, its encapsulation in NLC promoted a cellular uptake of 75%, which corroborates with increased cytotoxicity in U-87MG cells, as observed. Together, these data reinforce the promising antineoplastic properties of kaempferol in addition to the key role of NLC as a platform for the efficient delivery of lipophilic drugs to neoplastic cells, which improved their uptake and therapeutic efficacy in glioblastoma multiforme cells.

New Technological Approaches for Dental Caries Treatment: From Liquid Crystalline Systems to Nanocarriers

Dental caries is the most common oral disease, with high prevalence rates in adolescents and low-income and lower-middle-income countries. This disease originates from acid production by bacteria, leading to demineralization of the dental enamel and the formation of cavities. The treatment of caries remains a global challenge and the development of effective drug delivery systems is a potential strategy. In this context, different drug delivery systems have been investigated to remove oral biofilms and remineralize dental enamel. For a successful application of these systems, it is necessary that they remain adhered to the surfaces of the teeth to allow enough time for the removal of biofilms and enamel remineralization, thus, the use of mucoadhesive systems is highly encouraged. Among the systems used for this purpose, liquid crystalline systems, polymer-based nanoparticles, lipid-based nanoparticles, and inorganic nanoparticles have demonstrated great potential for preventing and treating dental caries through their own antimicrobial and remineralization properties or through delivering drugs. Therefore, the present review addresses the main drug delivery systems investigated in the treatment and prevention of dental caries.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy mediated by methylene blue-loaded polymeric micelles against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans biofilms

BACKGROUND

Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans can colonize the teeth, the oral cavity as biofilm and can cause oral infections. Thus, strategies to prevent and control oral biofilms are requested. The present study aims the development and characterization of methylene blue (MB)-loaded polymeric micelles for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans biofilms METHODS: MB-loaded polymeric micelles were produced and characterized by particle size, polydispersity index, morphology, zeta potential, stability, MB release profile, and antimicrobial effect against S. mutans and C. albicans biofilms.

RESULTS

MB-loaded polymeric micelles showed a reduced particle size, moderate polydisperse profile, spherical and neutral shape, which demonstrated to be promising features to allow micelles penetration into biofilms. Antimicrobial effect against bacterial and yeast biofilms was demonstrated once MB was irradiated by light under 660 nm (aPDT). Furthermore, MB-loaded polymeric micelles showed significant inhibition of S. mutans and C. albicans biofilms. Furthermore, the treatment with MB-micelles incubated with high pre-incubation times (15 and 30 min) were more effective than 5 min. It can be explained by the time required for this nanosystem to penetrate the innermost layer of biofilms and release MB for aPDT.

CONCLUSION

MB-loaded polymeric micelles can effectively decrease the bacteria and yeast viability and it may cause positive impacts in the clinical practice. Thus, the developed formulation showed potential in the treatment to remove oral biofilms, but clinical studies are needed to confirm its potential.

Temozolomide: an Overview of Biological Properties, Drug Delivery Nanosystems, and Analytical Methods

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an imidazotetrazine prodrug used to treat glioblastoma multiforme. Its physicochemical prop-erties and small size confer the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. The antitumor activity depends on pH-dependent hydrolysis of the methyldiazonium cation, which is capable of methylating purine bases (O6-guanine; N7-guanine, and N3-adenine) and causing DNA damage and cell death. TMZ is more stable in acidic media (pH ≤ 5.0) than in basic media (pH ≥ 7.0) due to the protonated form that minimizes the catalytic process. Because of this, TMZ has high oral bioavailability, but it has a half-life of 1.8 h and low brain distribution (17.8%), requiring a repeated dos-ing regimen that limits its efficacy and increases adverse events. Drug delivery Nanosystems (DDNs) improve the phys-icochemical properties of TMZ and may provide controlled and targeted delivery. Therefore, DDNs can increase the efficacy and safety of TMZ. In this context, to ensure the efficiency of DDNs, analytical methods are used to evaluate TMZ pharmacokinetic parameters, encapsulation efficiency, and the release profile of DDNs. Among the methods, high-performance liquid chromatography is the most used due to its detection sensitivity in complex matrices such as tissues and plasma. Micellar electrokinetic chromatography features fast analysis and no sample pretreatment. Spec-trophotometric methods are still used to determine encapsulation efficiency due to their low cost, despite their low sen-sitivity. This review summarizes the physicochemical and pharmacological properties of free TMZ and TMZ-loaded DDNs. In addition, this review addresses the main analytical methods employed to characterize TMZ in different ma-trices.

Targeted Liposomes: A Nonviral Gene Delivery System for Cancer Therapy

Cancer is the second most frequent cause of death worldwide, with 28.4 million new cases expected for 2040. Despite de advances in the treatment, it remains a challenge because of the tumor heterogenicity and the increase in multidrug resistance mechanisms. Thus, gene therapy has been a potential therapeutic approach owing to its ability to introduce, silence, or change the content of the human genetic code for inhibiting tumor progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis. For the proper delivery of genes to tumor cells, it requires the use of gene vectors for protecting the therapeutic gene and transporting it into cells. Among these vectors, liposomes have been the nonviral vector most used because of their low immunogenicity and low toxicity. Furthermore, this nanosystem can have its surface modified with ligands (e.g., antibodies, peptides, aptamers, folic acid, carbohydrates, and others) that can be recognized with high specificity and affinity by receptor overexpressed in tumor cells, increasing the selective delivery of genes to tumors. In this context, the present review address and discuss the main targeting ligands used to functionalize liposomes for improving gene delivery with potential application in cancer treatment.

Epirubicin: Biological Properties, Analytical Methods, and Drug Delivery Nanosystems

Epirubicin (EPI) is a chemotherapeutic agent belonging to the anthracycline drug class indicated for treating several tumors. It acts by suppressing the DNA and RNA synthesis by intercalating between their base pair. However, several side effects are associated with this therapy, including cardiotoxicity and myelosuppression. Therefore, EPI delivery in nanosystems has been an interesting strategy to overcome these limitations and improve the safety and efficacy of EPI. Thus, analytical methods have been used to understand and characterize these nanosystems, including spectrophotometric, spectrofluorimetric, and chromatography. Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods have been used to quantify EPI in less complex matrices due to their efficiency, low cost, and green chemistry character. By contrast, high-performance liquid chromatography is a suitable method for detecting EPI in more complex matrices (e.g., plasm and urine) owing to its high sensitivity. This review summarizes physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of EPI, its application in drug delivery nanosystems, and the analytical methods employed in its quantification in different matrices, including blood, plasm, urine, and drug delivery nanosystems.

Improving temozolomide biopharmaceutical properties in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment using GBM-targeting nanocarriers

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain cancer. GBM has aggressive development, and the pharmacological treatment remains a challenge due to GBM anatomical characteristics' (the blood-brain barrier and tumor microenvironment) and the increasing resistance to marketed drugs, such as temozolomide (TMZ), the first-line drug for GBM treatment. Due to physical-chemical properties such as short half-life time and the increasing resistance shown by GBM cells, high doses and repeated administrations are necessary, leading to significant adverse events. This review will discuss the main molecular mechanisms of TMZ resistance and the use of functionalized nanocarriers as an efficient and safe strategy for TMZ delivery. GBM-targeting nanocarriers are an important tool for the treatment of GBM, demonstrating to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of TMZ and repurpose its use in anti-GBM therapy. Technical aspects of nanocarriers will be discussed, and biological models highlighting the advantages and effects of functionalization strategies in TMZ anti-GBM activity. Finally, conclusions regarding the main findings will be made in the context of new perspectives for the treatment of GBM using TMZ as a chemotherapy agent, improving the sensibility and biological anti-tumor effect of TMZ through functionalization strategies.

Highlights in targeted nanoparticles as a delivery strategy for glioma treatment

Glioma is the most common type of Central Nervous System (CNS) neoplasia and it arises from glial cells. As glial cells are formed by different types of cells, glioma can be classified according to the cells that originate it or the malignancy grade. Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and aggressive glioma. The high lethality of this tumor is related to the difficulty in performing surgical removal, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy in the CNS. To improve glioma treatment, a wide range of chemotherapeutics have been encapsulated in nanosystems to increase their ability to overcome the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and specifically reach the tumoral cells, reducing side effects and improving drug concentration in the tumor microenvironment. Several studies have investigated nanosystems covered with targeting ligands (e.g., proteins, peptides, aptamers, folate, and glucose) to increase the ability of drugs to cross the BBB and enhance their specificity to glioma through specific recognition by receptors on BBB and glioma cells. This review addresses the main targeting ligands used in nanosystems to overcome the BBB and promote the active targeting of drugs for glioma. Furthermore, the advantages of using these molecules in glioma treatment are discussed.

Drug Delivery Nanosystems in Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment: Current State of the Art

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant Central Nervous System cancer, responsible for about 4% of all deaths associated with neoplasia, characterized as one of the fatal human cancers. Tumor resection does not possess curative character, thereby radio and/or chemotherapy are often necessary for the treatment of GBM. However, drugs used in GBM chemotherapy present some limitations, such as side effects associated with non-specific drug biodistribution as well as limited bioavailability, which limits their clinical use. To attenuate the systemic toxicity and overcome the poor bioavailability, a very attractive approach is drug encapsulation in drug delivery nanosystems. The main focus of this review is to explore the actual cancer global problem, enunciate barriers to overcome in the pharmacological treatment of GBM, as well as the most updated drug delivery nanosystems for GBM treatment and how they influence biopharmaceutical properties of anti-GBM drugs. The discussion will approach lipid-based and polymeric nanosystems, as well as inorganic nanoparticles, regarding their technical aspects as well as biological effects in GBM treatment. Furthermore, the current state of the art, challenges to overcome and future perspectives in GBM treatment will be discussed.

Design of experiments (DoE) to develop and to optimize nanoparticles as drug delivery systems

Nanotechnology has been widely applied to develop drug delivery systems to improve therapeutic performance. The effectiveness of these systems is intrinsically related to their physicochemical properties, so their biological responses are highly susceptible to factors such as the type and quantity of each material that is employed in their synthesis and to the method that is used to produce them. In this context, quality-oriented manufacturing of nanoparticles has been an important strategy to understand and to optimize the factors involved in their production. For this purpose, Design of Experiment (DoE) tools have been applied to obtain enough knowledge about the process and hence achieve high-quality products. This review aims to set up the bases to implement DoE as a strategy to improve the manufacture of nanocarriers and to discuss the main factors involved in the production of the most common nanocarriers employed in the pharmaceutical field.

Generation of a Three-Dimensional in Vitro Ovarian Cancer Co-Culture Model for Drug Screening Assays

In vitro 3D culture models have emerged in the cancer field due to their ability to recapitulate characteristics of the in vivo tumor. Herein, we described the establishment and characterization of 3D multicellular spheroids using ovarian cancer cells (SKOV-3) in co-culture with mesenchymal cells (MUC-9) or fibroblasts (CCD27-Sk). We demonstrated that SKOV-3 cells in co-culture were able to form regular and compact spheroids with diameters ranging from 300 to 400 µm and with a roundness close to 1.0 regardless of the type of stromal cell used. In the 3D culture an increase was not observed in spheroid diameter nor was there significant cell growth. What is more, the 3D co-cultures presented an up regulation of genes related to tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and metastases (MMP2, VEGFA, SNAI1, ZEB1 and VIM) when compared with 2D and 3D monoculture. As expected, both 3D cultures (mono and co-cultures) exhibited a higher Paclitaxel chemoresistance when compared to 2D condition. Although we did not observe differences in the Paclitaxel resistance between the 3D mono and co-cultures, the gene expression results indicate that the presence of mesenchymal cells and fibroblasts better recapitulate the in vivo tumor microenvironment, being able, therefore, to more accurately evaluate drug efficacy for ovarian cancer therapy.

Docetaxel-loaded folate-modified TPGS-transfersomes for glioblastoma multiforme treatment

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a first primary Central Nervous System tumor with high incidence and lethality. Its treatment is hampered by the difficulty to overcome the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and by the non-specificity of chemotherapeutics to tumor cells. This study was based on the development characterization and in vitro efficacy of folate-modified TPGS transfersomes containing docetaxel (TF-DTX-FA) to improve GBM treatment. TF-DTX-FA and unmodified transfersomes (TF-DTX) were prepared through thin-film hydration followed by extrusion technique and characterized by physicochemical and in vitro studies. All formulations showed low particles sizes (below 200 nm), polydispersity index below 0.2, negative zeta potential (between -16.75 to -12.45 mV) and high encapsulation efficiency (78.72 ± 1.29% and 75.62 ± 0.05% for TF-DTX and TF-DTX-FA, respectively). Furthermore, cytotoxicity assay of TF-DTX-FA showed the high capacity of the nanocarriers to reduce the viability of U-87 MG in both 2D and 3D culture models, when compared with DTX commercial formulation and TF-DTX. In vitro cellular uptake assay indicated the selectivity of transfersomes to tumoral cells when compared to normal cells, and the higher ability of TF-DTX-FA to be internalized into 2D U-87 MG in comparison with TF-DTX (72.10 and 62.90%, respectively, after 24 h). Moreover, TF-DTX-FA showed higher permeability into 3D U-87 MG spheroid than TF-DTX, suggesting the potential FA modulation to target treatment of GBM.

Gene therapy based on lipid nanoparticles as non-viral vectors for Gliomas treatment

Gliomas are primary brain tumors originating from glial cells, representing 30% of all Central Nervous System (CNS) neoplasia. Among them, the astrocytoma grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme) is the most common presenting an invasive and aggressive profile, with an estimated life expectancy about 15 months after diagnosis even after treatment with radiation, surgical resection, and chemotherapy. This poor prognostic is related to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and multidrug resistance mechanisms that avoid the uptake and retention of chemotherapeutics inside the brain. Gene therapy has been a promising strategy to overcome these treatment limitations since it has the ability to modify the defective genetic information in tumor cells, being able to induce cellular apoptosis, and silencing genes responsible for multidrug resistance. Lipid-based nanoparticles, non-viral vectors, have been investigated to deliver genes across the BBB to reach the gliomas cells target. Besides that, its low immunogenicity, easy production, ability in the incorporation of ligands to specific target cells and capacity to carry higher size genes, has become the gene therapy based on non-viral vectors promising glioma treatment. In this context, this review will address the most common non-viral vectors based on lipid-based nanoparticles used for gliomas gene therapy such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers and nanoemulsions.

In vitro evaluation of folate-modified PLGA nanoparticles containing paclitaxel for ovarian cancer therapy

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer of female reproductive system. In order to improve the survival rate, some modifications on nanoparticles surfaces have been investigated to promote active targeting of drugs into tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was the development and characterization of folate-modified (PN-PCX-FA) and unmodified PLGA nanoparticles (PN-PCX) containing paclitaxel for ovarian cancer treatment. Nanocarriers were produced using nanoprecipitation technique and characterized by mean particle diameter (MPD), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), encapsulation efficiency (EE), DSC, FTIR, in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake. PN-PCX and PN-PCX-FA showed MPD < 150 nm and PDI < 0.2 with high EE (about 90%). Cytotoxicity assays in SKOV-3 cells demonstrated the ability of both formulations to cause cellular damage. PCX encapsulated in PN-PCX-FA at 1 nM showed higher cytotoxicity than PN-PCX. Folate-modified nanoparticles showed a 3.6-fold higher cellular uptake than unmodified nanoparticles. PN-PCX-FA is a promising system to improve safety and efficacy of ovarian cancer treatment. Further in vivo studies are necessary to prove PN-PCX-FA potential.