Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) has broad biomedical utilizations owing to its availability, low cost, safety, biocompatibility, pH-sensitivity and slow biodegradability. Recently, there has been widespread interest in their application as drug delivery systems for different groups of drugs. Among them, CaCO3 nanoparticles have exhibited promising potential as drug carriers targeting cancer tissues and cells. The pH-dependent properties, alongside the potential to be functionalized with targeting agents give them the unique property that can be used in targeted delivery systems for anticancer drugs. Also, due to the slow degradation of CaCO3 matrices, these nanoparticles can be used as sustained release systems to retain drugs in cancer tissues for longer times after administration. Development of drug delivery carriers using CaCO3 nanoparticles has been reviewed. The current state of CaCO3 nanoparticles as cancer drug delivery systems with focus on their special properties like pH-sensitivity and biodegradability has also been evaluated. According to our review, CaCO3 nanoparticles, owing to their special characteristics, will have a potential role in safe and efficient cancer treatment in future.

Introduction: In recent years, the applications of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanoparticles (NPs) have gained extensive interest as targeted drug/gene delivery systems to cancerous tissues and cells due to their accessibility, low cost, safety, biocompatibility, pH-sensitivity, and slow biodegradability. Areas covered: Drug-loaded CaCO₃ NPs (CCNPs) have been reviewed. An updated search on the current state of CCNPs as cancer drug/gene delivery systems with focus on their special properties including pH-sensitivity, biodegradability, and sustained release performance has been also assessed. Expert opinion: Based on the reviewed literature, CCNPs, because of their superior features, will have a great aiding role in safe and efficient cancer treatment in the near future.

The diverse pleiotropic pharmacological effects of curcumin nanoformulations have turned it into an attractive natural compound in different health-related problems. A great body of evidence has shown the impact of curcumin and its nanoformulations on the differentiation of stem cells. The current review highlights cellular and molecular mechanisms connected with the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the scaffolds benefiting from the presence of nanocurcumin pointing toward the role of inhibitory or stimulant signal transduction pathways in detail. Moreover, the effects of different concentrations as well as the structural modifications of curcumin on the differentiation of MSCs have been addressed.

An Overview on Novel Microbial Determination Methods in Pharmaceutical and Food Quality Control