Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are modified solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) that retain the characteristics of the SLN, improve drug stability and loading capacity, and prevent drug leakage. Polymer nanoparticles (PNPs) are an important component of drug delivery. These nanoparticles can effectively direct drug delivery to specific targets and improve drug stability and controlled drug release. Lipid–polymer nanoparticles (PLNs), a new type of carrier that combines liposomes and polymers, have been employed in recent years. These nanoparticles possess the complementary advantages of PNPs and liposomes. A PLN is composed of a core–shell structure; the polymer core provides a stable structure, and the phospholipid shell offers good biocompatibility. As such, the two components increase the drug encapsulation efficiency rate, facilitate surface modification, and prevent leakage of water-soluble drugs. Hence, we have reviewed the current state of development for the NLCs’, PNPs’, and PLNs’ structures, preparation, and applications over the past five years, to provide the basis for further study on a controlled release drug delivery system.

Along with the development of marine biological pharmaceutical research, high‐effective and low‐toxic drugs and functional foods isolated from marine organisms have become a new field of pharmacy and bromatology. The pharmacological actions, such as anti‐inflammation, antioxidation, antitumor, immunological enhancement, and hepatorenal protection of C‐phycocyanin (C‐PC) from Spirulina platensis, have been reported, and C‐PC has important value of development and utilization either as drug or as functional food. There are many researches about the various pharmacological actions and mechanisms of C‐PC, but related reports are only to some extent integrated deeply and accurately enough, which put some limitations to the further application of C‐PC in medicine. Particularly, with the improvement of living standards and attention to health issues, C‐PC being a functional food is preferred by more and more people. C‐PC is easy to get, safe, and nontoxic; thus, it has a great potential of research and development as a drug or functional food. Here, the separation and purification, physicochemical properties, physiological and pharmacological activities, safety, and some applications are reviewed to provide relevant basis for the development of natural medicine and applied products.

Breast cancer is a serious threat to women's health, because multidrug resistance (MDR) has hampered treatment and prognosis. Nanodelivery of anticancer agents is a new technology to be exploited in the treatment of patients, because it bypasses multispecific drug efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein (ABCB1), multidrug resistance protein-1 (MRP1, ABCC1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2). Drugs can be delivered to tumor tissue by passive and active tumor targeting strategies, which may reduce or reverse drug resistance. This review will mainly focus on MDR-associated proteins, as well as various nanoparticle formulations developed to overcome MDR in breast cancer.

Chemokines and chemokine receptors not only participate in the development of tissue differentiation, hematopoiesis, inflammation, and immune regulation but also play an important role in the process of tumor development. The role of chemokines and chemokine receptors in tumors has been emphasized in recent years. More and more studies have shown that chemokines and chemokine receptors are closely related to the occurrence, angiogenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunity of breast cancer. Here, we review recent progression on the roles of chemokines and chemokine receptors in breast cancer, and discuss the possible mechanism in breast cancer that might facilitate the development of new therapies by targeting chemokines as well as chemokine receptors. Chemokines and chemokine receptors play an important role in the occurrence and development of breast cancer. In‐depth study of chemokines and chemokine receptors can provide intervention targets for breast cancer biotherapy. The regulation of chemokines and chemokine receptors may become a new strategy for breast cancer therapy.

Microscopic patches as quite promising platforms in transdermal drug delivery suffer from conventional injections. In other hand, a wide range of pharmacokinetics, ranging from fast oral administration to sustained drug delivery, can be implemented with the help of microneedle arrays (MNAs). Hence, in this paper, we overviewed different kinds of MNAs such as solid/coated, hollow, porous, hydrogel/swellable, and merged-tip geometry followed by introducing different types of material (silicon, glass, ceramics, dissolving and biodegradable polymers, and hydrogel) used for fabrication of MNAs. Afterwards, some conventional and brand-new simple and customizable MN mold fabrication techniques were surveyed. Polymeric MNAs have received a great deal of attention due to their potential biocompatibility and biodegradability in comparison to other materials. Therefore, we also covered different kinds of polymers such as hydrogel/swellable, dissolving and biodegradable analogues used for the development of MNAs as potential candidates in drug delivery systems (DDSs). Finally, we discussed different challenges and future perspectives in the aspect of MNAs-based drug delivery platforms. This review may provide guidelines for the rational design of polymeric MNAs-based DDSs for promising programmable drug release and enhanced therapeutic effect.