Most cancer chemotherapy regimens rely on the use of two or more chemotherapeutic agents. However, achieving the best possible dosing of the individual drugs can be challenging due to differences in metabolism, uptake, and clearance among other factors. Here we describe a supramolecular strategy for achieving drug delivery in which the loading ratio of two active components is easily defined. Specifically, we report the formation of aggregates comprised of self-assembled amphiphiles between carboxylatopillar[6]arene (CP6A) and an oxaliplatin (OX)-type Pt(IV) prodrug (PtC₁₀). The association constant (K_a) for the underlying host–guest interaction at pH 7.4 ((1.16 ± 0.03) × 10⁴ M⁻¹) is an order of magnitude higher than at pH 5.0 ((1.73 ± 0.15) × 10³ M⁻¹). A second chemotherapeutic, doxorubicin (DOX), may be encapsulated in the resulting vesicles (PtC₁₀⊂CP6A) to give a supramolecular combination chemotherapeutic system DOX@PtC₁₀⊂CP6A. Drug release studies served to confirm that PtC₁₀ and DOX are released in acidic environments. Support for a synergistic antiproliferative effect relative to PtC₁₀ + DOX came from cellular studies of DOX@PtC₁₀⊂CP6A using the human liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) cell line. In vivo studies revealed that DOX@PtC₁₀⊂CP6A is not only able to retard tumor growth efficiently but also reduce drug-related toxic side effects in BALB/c nude mice bearing HepG-2 subcutaneous tumor xenografts. These favorable findings are attributed to the formation of a ternary complex that benefits from an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect in vivo while allowing for the pH-based release of PtC₁₀ and DOX at the tumor site.

In one event, Chinese male individuals accidentally exposed to unknown chemicals and emerged erythema or blisters on contacted organism derma, then hospitalized. To identify the causative agents, blood, urine and exudate samples were collected from the patients during the therapeutic course. Five established liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography (GC)-MS methods were employed to analyze the samples. Here, an overall analysis of four types of sulfur mustard biomarkers, including the hydrolysis/oxidation products, β-lyase metabolites, DNA adducts and hemoglobin adducts, was conducted toward the samples from exposed individuals. The results of all the four types of biomarkers in different biomedical matrices showed high relevance, and verified that this exposure is indeed originated from sulfur mustard. The concentrations of the biomarkers in specimens revealed a good correlation with the severity of the patient's symptom. The concentration-time profile demonstrated that most of the biomarkers quickly achieved maximum at the beginning of the course, and then decreased and kept a detectable level until the 7th day after exposure. The DNA adducts in urine samples still appeared on the 30th day, and the N-terminal valine adducts in hemoglobin could be monitored for over 90 days, which was meaningful for the concurrent study of clinical samples. To the best of our knowledge, this work provides the total analysis and profile of four categories of biomarkers in human specimens for the first time, and the good accordance between concentration and level of burns, between time course and biomarkers will be of great importance for early diagnosis and medical treatment monitoring of sulfur mustard exposure.