Current challenges and nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical strategies for the treatment and control of malaria.

Malaria is one of the prevalent tropical diseases caused by the parasitic protozoan of the genus spp. With an estimated 228 million cases, it is a major public health concern with high incidence of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The emergence of drug-resistant parasites, inadequate vector control measures, and the non-availability of effective vaccine(s) against malaria pose a serious challenge to malaria eradication especially in underdeveloped and developing countries.

Possible role of DPP4 inhibitors to promote hippocampal neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease.

As well-known to the scientific community, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that ends up with impairment of memory and cognition. Patient quality of life can be enhanced by targeting neurogenesis as a therapeutic paradigm. Preserving functional activity of SDF-1α and GLP-1 by DPPIV inhibition will enhance the homing of stem cells and modulate cell signalling pathways.

Surface modified nano-lipid drug conjugates of positive allosteric modulators of M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Acetyl Cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as Donepezil, Rivastigmine and Galantamine are approved by US-FDA as first line drugs to treat the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their beneficial effects are attributed to their ability to elevate endogenous acetylcholine (ACh) at the M muscarinic receptor in the brain. However, their side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite and altered heart rate are related to non-specific activation of M-M muscarinic subtypes in various tissues.

Improved anti-tumor activity of oxaliplatin by encapsulating in anti-DR5 targeted gold nanoparticles.

Oxaliplatin is one of the chemotherapeutic agents in the first line therapy for treatment of colorectal cancer. But, limitations of chemotherapy affects the clinical applicability of oxaliplatin depriving its activity at targeted site attributed to the lack of site specificity. This limitation paves the way for undesirable toxic effects to healthy cells resulting in sub-standard drug amount at the tumors obliging for increased dose.