Folate receptors (FRs) highly expressed in breast cancers can be used as a recognized marker for preventing off-target delivery of chemotherapeutics. In this study, folic acid (FA)-grafted chitosan-alginate nanocapsules (CS-Alg-NCs) loaded with turmeric oil (TO) were developed for breast cancer targeting. CS was successfully conjugated with FA via an amide bond with a degree of substitution at 12.86%. The TO-loaded FA-grafted CS-Alg-NCs (TO-FA-CS-Alg-NCs) optimized by Box-Behnken design using response surface methodology had satisfactory characteristics with homogenous particle size (189 nm) and sufficient encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity (35.9% and 1.82%, respectively). In vitro release study of the optimized TO-FA-CS-Alg-NCs showed a sustained TO release following the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a Fickian diffusion mechanism at pH 5.5 and 7.4. The TO-FA-CS-Alg-NCs showed lower IC₅₀ than ungrafted TO-CS-Alg-NCs and unencapsulated TO against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, suggesting that FA-CS-Alg-NCs can improve anticancer activity of TO through its active targeting to the high FRs expressing breast cancers.

Favipiravir (FVR) is a repurposed antiviral drug for treating mild to moderate cases of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, its poor solubility and permeability limit its clinical efficacy. To overcome its physicochemical and pharmacokinetic limitations, we statistically designed a mucoadhesive chitosan–alginate nanoparticles (MCS-ALG-NPs) as a new carrier for FVR using response surface methodology, which provided suitable characteristics for transmucosal delivery. The use of mucoadhesive polymers for intranasal administration promotes the residence time and contact of FVR in the mucus membrane. The optimized FVR-MCS-ALG-NPs demonstrated superior mucoadhesion, higher permeation and deposition in the nasal mucosa, and a significant increase in the inhibition of viral replication over 35-fold compared with free FVR. The overall results suggest that MCS-ALG-NPs could be used as an effective mucoadhesive carrier to enhance the activity of FVR against COVID-19.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive compound derived from Cannabis sativa. It has demonstrated promising effects in combating inflammation and holds potential as a treatment for the progression of chronic inflammation. However, the clinical application of CBD is limited due to its poor solubility and bioavailability. This study introduces an effective method for preparing CBD-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (CBD-SLNs) using a combination of low-energy hot homogenization and ultrasonication. We enhanced this process by employing statistical optimization with response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized CBD-SLN formulation utilizes glyceryl monostearate as the primary lipid component of the nanocarrier. The CBD-SLN formulation is screened as a potential tool for managing chronic inflammation. Stable, uniformly dispersed spherical nanoparticles with a size of 123 nm, a surface charge of −32.1 mV, an encapsulation efficiency of 95.16%, and a drug loading of 2.36% were obtained. The CBD-SLNs exhibited sustained release properties, ensuring prolonged and controlled CBD delivery, which could potentially amplify its therapeutic effects. Additionally, we observed that CBD-SLNs significantly reduced both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and proinflammatory cytokines in chondrocyte and macrophage cell lines, with these inhibitory effects being more pronounced than those of free CBD. In conclusion, CBD-SLNs demonstrated superiority over free CBD, highlighting its potential as an effective delivery system for CBD.

Turmeric oil (TO) exhibits various biological activities with limited therapeutic applications due to its instability, volatility, and poor water solubility. Here, we encapsulated TO in chitosan/alginate nanocapsules (CS/Alg-NCs) using o/w emulsification to enhance its physicochemical characteristics, using poloxamer 407 as a non-ionic surfactant. TO-loaded CS/Alg-NCs (TO-CS/Alg-NCs) were prepared with satisfactory features, encapsulation efficiency, release characteristics, and cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells. The average size of the fabricated TO-CS/Alg-NCs was around 200 nm; their distribution was homogenous, and their shapes were spherical, with smooth surfaces. The TO-CS/Alg-NCs showed a high encapsulation efficiency, of 70%, with a sustained release of TO at approximately 50% after 12 h at pH 7.4 and 5.5. The TO-CS/Alg-NCs demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity against two breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, compared to the unencapsulated TO, suggesting that CS/Alg-NCs are potential nanocarriers for TO and can serve as prospective candidates for in vivo anticancer activity evaluation.