Current Issue : October-December Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 5 Articles
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, significantly improving outcomes for various malignancies. Despite their clinical success, only a subset of patients benefits from ICIs treatment, underscoring the need for innovative strategies to enhance their therapeutic potential. Ferroptosis, a unique form of programmed cell death driven by irondependent lipid peroxidation, has emerged as a promising partner for enhanced immunotherapy. Combining ferroptosis inducers with immune checkpoint blockade has shown promising potential in improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. This study explores the mechanisms of ferroptosis and immune checkpoint inhibitors for synergistic cancer treatment, and reviews recent delivery platforms integrating ferroptosis and immune checkpoint blockade for enhanced therapy....
Objectives: This study evaluated the design of a sustained-release contact lens (CL) device loading tranilast (TRA) and determined the usefulness of these CLs in Japanese albino rabbits. Methods: The sustainable CLs in this study were prepared by combining three CLs with different water contents and soaking methods under high-pressure and hightemperature using an autoclave method (AC-method). Results: Both the CLs prepared with the conventional soaking method (stir-method) and AC-methods were transparent in all three types of CLs. The loaded TRA contents in the CLs when using the AC-method were higher than those prepared using the stir-method for all three types of CLs. TRA contents were also higher when loaded into the cation-type lenses as compared to the other lenses. Moreover, the sustainable release of TRA from the TRA-loaded cation-type CL using the AC-method was significantly higher than those found for the other CLs. No corneal wounds were observed in any of the rabbits given the three types of TRA-loaded CLs for 7 days. Furthermore, the TRA-loaded CL sustainably released TRA into the lacrimal fluid in the rabbit. Conclusions: The TRA-loaded CL prepared using the AC-method overcame the limitations normally associated with the stir-method, such as the high burst release and low drug uptake....
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with a multifactorial etiology that remains incompletely elucidated. Accumulating evidence implicates dysregulation of the intestinal micro-ecosystem, aberrant neuroimmune interactions, and compromised epithelial barrier integrity as key contributors to IBD pathogenesis. While oral administration remains the predominant therapeutic approach, the acidic gastric milieu and enzymatic catabolism markedly compromise drug efficacy. Consequently, selecting an optimal drug delivery method has become a pressing issue in IBD management. As a drug delivery platform, hydrogels, distinguished by their favorable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and injectability, can shield drugs from the harsh gastrointestinal environment. This review offers an innovative and comprehensive analysis of the interactions among various hydrogel application forms, delivery routes, and loaded substances, summarizing the advantages of different types of hydrogels in terms of their anti-inflammatory properties and maintenance of intestinal flora homeostasis, as well as discussing the limitations of current hydrogel deliver systems and looking to the future....
Enoxolon is widely recognized for its pharmacological potential, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral properties. Objectives: This study aimed to develop an enhanced formulation of enoxolone-loaded microsponges as a novel drug delivery system. A design of experiments (DoE) approach was employed for the optimization process. Methods: The microsponges were produced using the quasi-emulsion technique. The selected formulation was evaluated for yield, particle size, and entrapment efficiency. Furthermore, the microsponges were incorporated into a 1% MC solution matrix, and in vitro release studies were performed to assess their drug delivery performance. Results: The optimal formulation was determined through the DoE methodology, which involved varying the concentrations of methylcellulose (MC) (0.55–1.87%, w/w), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (0.5–1%, w/w), and Tween 80 (TW80) (1.5–2.5%, w/w). The results showed a particle size of 142.8 ± 10.02 μm and an entrapment efficiency of 80.3 ± 1.99%. When comparing the optimized microsponge formulation to pure enoxolon, a 1.29 times higher release rate was observed (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Following optimizationand physicochemical characterization studies were conducted to further assess the formulation. These findings suggest that microsponge-based delivery systems hold considerable potential as an alternative platform for the topical treatment of chronic periodontitis....
Common antibiotic therapies to treat bacterial infections are associated with systemic side effects and the development of resistance, directly connected to duration and dosage. Local drug delivery systems (DDSs) offer an alternative by localising antibiotics and thereby limiting their side effects while reducing the dosage necessary. A biodegradable polyester polycaprolactone (PCL)-based DDS was thus produced, containing various clinically relevant drugs. It was shown that the incorporation of four distinct antibiotic classes (amoxicillin, doxycycline, metronidazole and rifampicin), with very high mass fractions ranging up to 20 wt%, was feasible within the PCL matrix. This DDS showed the capacity for effective and sustained release. The release kinetics over 14 days were proven, showing a significant decrease in cytotoxicity with smooth muscle cells as well as an antibacterial effect on (1) aerobic, (2) anaerobic, (3) Gram-positive and (4) Gram-negative pathogens in vitro. The DDS demonstrated a markedly diminished cytotoxic impact owing to sustained release in comparison to pure antibiotics, while simultaneously maintaining their antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, DDSs are a more tolerable form of antibiotics administration due to the hydrophobic PCL matrix causing a slower diffusion-controlled release, proven as a release mechanism via the Peppa–Sahlin model....
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