Novel Anticancer Platinum(IV) Complexes with Adamantylamine: Their Efficiency and Innovative Chemotherapy Strategies Modifying Lipid Metabolism

The impressive impact of cisplatin on cancer on one side and severe side effects, as well as the development of drug resistance during treatment on the other side, were the factors motivating scientists to design and synthesize new more potent analogues lacking disadvantages of cisplatin. Platinum(IV) complexes represent one of the perspective groups of platinum-based drugs. In this review, we summarize recent findings on both in vitro and in vivo effects of platinum(IV) complexes with adamantylamine. Based on a literary overview of the mechanisms of activity of platinum-based cytostatics, we discuss opportunities for modulating the effects of novel platinum complexes through interactions with apoptotic signaling pathways and with cellular lipids, including modulations of the mitochondrial cell death pathway, oxidative stress, signaling of death ligands, lipid metabolism/signaling, or intercellular communication. These approaches might significantly enhance the efficacy of both novel and established platinum-based cytostatics

Nanofibers in Mucosal Drug and Vaccine Delivery

Successful mucosal administration and delivery of drugs still pose a great challenge. However, the possibility to deliver not only small drug molecules but also macromolecular drugs and nanoparticles via mucosal surfaces represents a great opportunity. Rapid onset of drug action, avoidance of first-pass metabolism, and high immunocompetence of mucosa are some of the important features for mucosal drug and vaccine delivery. The use of mucoadhesive drug delivery systems, systems with fast dissolving properties, and nanomaterials with mucus penetration properties are examples of successful strategies to achieve effective mucosal drug and vaccine delivery. Non-keratinized mucosa of the oral cavity, the nasal and vaginal mucosa represent favorable sites of drug administration. Polymer nanofibers have attracted much attention because of remarkable characteristics such as a large surface area to volume ratio and high porosity. Nanofibers have been extensively used for different biomedical applications including wound dressing, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Among their fabrication methods, the introduction of electrospinning technique was an important step toward achieving the goal of large scale industrial production of nanofiber-based drug delivery systems used in mucosal applications. This chapter provides an overview on all aspects of mucosal drug and vaccine delivery using nanofibers

Preparation and characterization of a new liposomal paclitaxel formulation

Stable lyophilised liposomal preparation of paclitaxel (7 mol%) encapsulated in the liposomes composed of SOPC/POPG/MOPC (60:20:20 molar ratio) and doped with vitamin E (5 mol%) was prepared by various procedures: hydration of lipid film, the proliposome-liposome method and lyophilisation from 2-methylbutan-2-ol. Extrusion through 0.2 um polycarbonate membranes was applied as a secondary processing technique to reduce the size distribution of liposomes to about 180 - 190 nm (PDI 0.1). A negative charge (zeta-potential of -30mV in saline phosphate buffer) was sufficient to prevent flocculation and fusion of liposomes in suspension. An isocratic reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet (UV) detection was used for determination of paclitaxel in liposomal preparations. The value of paclitaxel encapsulation efficiency (EEPTX) was determined to be approximately 95 %. Mannitol, lactose, sucrose and trehalose were tested as cryoprotective agents. Except for mannitol, all the tested saccharides were equally cryoprotective at lipid:saccharide molar ratios of 1:5 and 1:10