Polymeric micelles: Theranostic co-delivery system for poorly water-soluble drugs and contrast agents.

Interest in theranostic agents has continued to grow because of their promise for simultaneous cancer detection and therapy. A platform-based nanosized combination agent suitable for the enhanced diagnosis and treatment of cancer was prepared using polymeric polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine-based micelles loaded with both, poorly soluble chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel and hydrophobic superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION), a Magnetic Resonance Imaging contrast agent. The co-loaded paclitaxel and SPION did not affect each other's functional properties in vitro.

Polymeric Micelles as Novel Carriers for Poorly Soluble Drugs--A Review.

Polymeric micelles are used as 'smart drug carriers' for targeting certain areas of the body by making them stimuli-sensitive or by attachment of a specific ligand molecule onto their surface. The main aim of using polymeric micelles is to deliver the poorly water soluble drugs. Now-a-days they are used especially in the areas of cancer therapy also.

A Review on Chemical Profile of Coumarins and their Therapeutic Role in the Treatment of Cancer.

Coumarin class of organic compounds consists of 1,2-benzopyrone ring system as a basic parent scaffold. These benzopyrones are subdivided into alpha-benzopyrones and gammabenzopyrones; with coumarin class of compounds belonging to alpha-benzopyrones. Since the last few years, coumarins were synthesized in many of their derivative forms.

Facile Synthesis of PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles Encapsulating Doxorubicin and its In Vitro Evaluation as Potent Drug Delivery Vehicle.

The advent of nanotechnology has bolstered a variety of nanoparticles based platforms for different biomedical applications. A better understanding for engineering novel nanoparticles for applications in cancer staging and therapy requires careful assessment of the nanoparticle's physico-chemical properties. Herein we report a facile synthesis method for PEGylated PLGA nanoparticles encapsulating anti-cancer drug doxorubicin for cancer imaging and therapy.

Size-dependent study of pulmonary responses to nano-sized iron and copper oxide nanoparticles.

The application of nanotechnology in various fields has resulted in a tremendous increase in the synthesis of variety of engineered nanoparticles (NPs). These applications are possible only due to the small size and large surface area of the NPs which imparts them unique properties. Inorganic oxide NPs as iron and copper oxide NPs are widely used in several biomedical and synthetic applications.

In vitro evaluation of theranostic polymeric micelles for imaging and drug delivery in cancer.

For the past decade engineered nanoplatforms have seen a momentous progress in developing a multimodal theranostic formulation which can be simultaneously used for imaging and therapy. In this report we describe the synthesis and application of theranostic phospholipid based polymeric micelles for optical fluorescence imaging and controlled drug delivery. CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox), were co-encapsulated into the hydrophobic core of the micelles.

Toxicity of CdSe Nanoparticles in Caco-2 Cell Cultures.

Background: Potential routes of nanomaterial exposure include inhalation, dermal contact, and ingestion. Toxicology of inhalation of ultra-fine particles has been extensively studied; however, risks of nanomaterial exposure via ingestion are currently almost unknown. Using enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells as a small intestine epithelial model, the possible toxicity of CdSe quantum dot (QD) exposure via ingestion was investigated.

CdS nanoparticles modified to chalcogen sites: new supramolecular complexes, butterfly bridging, and related optical effects.

All present approaches to surface modification of nanoparticles (NPs) with organic ligands exploit metal (cadmium) sites as anchor points. To obtain efficient interaction of NP surface with p-orbitals of organic chromophores, we utilize the chalcogen (sulfur) sites on the NP surface. These sites present several advantages stemming from a stronger interaction of their atomic orbitals with both modifier and NP core.