Background: Aristolochia clematitis L. (AC), a plant with diverse traditional uses, has gained increasing scientific interest due to its rich content of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols. However, its systemic use is limited by the presence of aristolochic acids, which are known for their nephrotoxic and carcinogenic potential. Methods: In this context, the present study investigates the therapeutic potential of A. clematitis extract by encapsulating it in liposomes with the aim of enhancing its topical efficacy. Results: The extract was characterized in terms of its flavonoid content (67.23 ± 0.33 mg QE/g DW (quercetin/dry plant material)) and polyphenols expressed as gallic acid equivalents (64.38 ± 0.16 mg GAE/g DW), as well as its antioxidant capacity using the reagents 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH − IC50 = 0.1619 mg/mL extract) and diammonium 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS − IC50 = 205.57 μg/mL extract). Four types of liposomes were synthesized (two loaded with extract and two empty), and their characterization was performed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, polydispersity index, and in vitro release studies. Conclusions: The results demonstrated a high entrapment efficiency (over 82%), good stability over 30 days, and controlled release of flavonoids. Microbiological studies revealed relevant antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. The evaluation on HaCaT skin-derived cells (at 10–100 µg/mL) proved that the samples displayed good overall tolerability, slightly decreasing cell viability (the most statistically significant being associated with AC treatment) and showing no structural, nuclear, or mitochondrial morphological changes.
Introduction/Object: Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common types of neoplasms and are often associated with malnutrition, which affects physical performance, treatment tolerance and prognosis. This paper aims to synthesize, through a systematic search, the evidence on the impact of nutritional interventions on nutritional status in patients with digestive cancers prone to malnutrition. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, MDPI, Web of Science and ScienceDirect, for articles published between 2009 and 2025. Overall, 14,503 records were identified, and after screening of titles, abstracts and full-text evaluation, 80 studies (cross-sectional and cohort) were included. Data extraction was performed by a single researcher, using pre-established criteria and a standardized table, and the assessment of study quality was performed qualitatively, taking into account study design, sample size, nutritional assessment methods and clarity of reporting of results. Results: Evidence suggests that individualized and early applied nutritional interventions contribute to maintaining weight and protein status, improve tolerance to oncological treatments and may positively influence patient survival. Conclusions: Nutritional therapy plays a crucial role in preventing complications and supporting the body during oncological treatment, optimizing patients’ quality of life. This review provides a clear synthesis of the current evidence and recognizes methodological limitations related to the qualitative assessment of the included studies.