Daucus carota L., a member of the Apiaceae family, comprises 13 subspecies, with one being cultivated (D. carota L. ssp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.) and the remaining being wild. Traditionally, the wild carrot has been recognized for its antilithic, diuretic, carminative, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties and has been employed in the treatment of urinary calculus, cystitis, gout, prostatitis, and cancer. While extensive literature is available on the phytochemical, pharmacological, and therapeutic evaluations of the cultivated carrot, limited information has been published on the wild carrot. A thorough search was conducted on the phytochemical composition, folk-medicine uses, and pharmacological properties of wild carrot subspecies (Daucus carota L. ssp. carota). Various electronic databases were consulted, and the literature spanning from 1927 to early 2023 was reviewed. Thirteen wild Daucus carota subspecies were analyzed, revealing over 310 compounds, including terpenoids, phenylpropenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, with 40 constituting more than 3% of the composition. This review also highlights the antioxidant, anticancer, antipyretic, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, hypolipidemic, and hepato- and gastroprotective properties of wild carrot subspecies. Existing in vitro and in vivo studies support their traditional uses in treating infections, inflammation, and cancer. However, further research on other subspecies is required to confirm additional applications. Well-designed preclinical and clinical trials are still necessary to establish the safety and efficacy of wild Daucus carota for human use.

Hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) were designed by combining a PLGA core with a lipid shell that incorporated PEG–Lipid conjugates with various functionalities (-RGD, -cRGD, -NH₂, and -COOH) to create targeted drug delivery systems. Loaded with a neutral lipid orange dye, the HNPs were extensively characterized using various techniques and investigated for their uptake in human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) using FC and CLSM. Moreover, the best-performing HNPs (i.e., HNP-COOH and HNP-RGD as well as HNP-RGD/COOH mixed) were loaded with the anti-inflammatory drug BRP-201 and prepared in two size ranges (d_H ~140 nm and d_H ~250 nm). The HNPs were examined further for their stability, degradation, MDM uptake, and drug delivery efficiency by studying the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) product formation, whereby HNP-COOH and HNP-RGD both exhibited superior uptake, and the HNP-COOH/RGD (2:1) displayed the highest inhibition.

Background/Objectives: Cannabidiol (CBD) is known for its anti-cancer properties in preclinical models and is increasingly used alongside conventional chemotherapy in cancer treatment. This study aims to evaluate the anti-cancer activity of CBD from Lebanese Cannabis sativa as a monotherapy and in combination with cisplatin or paclitaxel on human ovarian adenocarcinoma cells. Methods: Cytotoxicity of CBD was tested on OVCAR-3 and SK-OV-3 cell lines using the MTS assay. The Chou–Talalay method and CompuSyn software were used to determine the combination indices (CIs) for predicting interactions between CBD and chemotherapeutic agents. CBD showed dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition at 72 h with comparable IC₅₀ values for both cell lines. Results: The combination of CBD with cisplatin or paclitaxel showed significant antagonistic interaction in SK-OV-3 cells (CI > 1), but mild synergism (CI < 1) at high growth inhibition rates (95% and 97%) was observed in SK-OV-3 cells with CBD/cisplatin. Pure antagonism was found in OVCAR-3 cells with CBD/cisplatin. Priming SK-OV-3 cells with CBD reduced the IC₅₀ values of both drugs significantly, with a similar effect seen when cells were primed with cisplatin or paclitaxel before CBD treatment. Conclusions: Integrating CBD with chemotherapy could improve cancer therapy and address drug resistance. Sequential administration of CBD and chemotherapeutic agents is more beneficial than simultaneous administration. Further in vivo studies are necessary to validate these findings and understand CBD’s interactions with other drugs fully.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infections remain a major global health threat, as current vaccines and antivirals often lose efficacy due to frequent viral mutation and resistance development. This underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, such as targeting host factors, which may reduce the likelihood of resistance. Here, we evaluated inhibitors of G protein‐coupled receptor kinases (GRKs; paroxetine, CMPD101) and protein kinase C (PKC; Gö6983, bisindolylmaleimide‐I (BIM‐I)) for anti‐IAV activity. GRK inhibition showed no significant effect, whereas PKC inhibition, particularly with BIM‐I, significantly reduced infection. To overcome BIM‐I's poor solubility and concentration‐dependent cytotoxicity, it is encapsulated into poly(lactic‐ co ‐glycolic acid) (PLGA)‐based nanoparticles. To enhance nanoparticle performance, stealth polymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG) are commonly incorporated. However, concerns about PEG immunogenicity have increased interest in alternatives like poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOx). We formulated BIM‐I‐loaded nanoparticles containing either PEG or PEtOx and characterized them for their physicochemical properties, cytotoxicity, antiviral efficacy, and cellular uptake. Encapsulation improved the cellular tolerability of BIM‐I while preserving its antiviral activity. Confocal microscopy confirmed efficient uptake of all formulations, particularly PEGylated and PEtOxylated nanoparticles. These findings highlight nanoparticle‐mediated delivery of BIM‐I as a promising host‐directed antiviral strategy against IAV and support PEtOx as a viable PEG alternative in nanomedicine.

Optimized formulation of AcDex nanoparticles for the successful delivery of the novel anti-inflammatory drug TG554 to M1 macrophages.