Due to their exceptional absorption capacity, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, nanoparticles (NPs) from lignin have emerged as vehicles for inorganic particles and drug molecules. However, the method for preparing targeted lignin particles is still complex and lacks sufficient research. Herein, a succinct strategy was proposed for the preparation of targeted lignin-based drug delivery NPs to load Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (DOX). The lignin hollow NPs (LHNPs) were used as a platform for the preparation of targeted delivery material by incorporating magnetic NPs and folic acid (FA) via layer-by-layer self-assembling. The results showed that the surface of LHNPs was covered uniformly by Fe₃O₄ NPs and grafted with folic acid. The folic-magnetic-functionalized lignin hollow NPs (FA-MLHNPs) could respond to magnetic field and folic acid receptors. In addition, the targeting performance of the FA-MLHNPs increased the cellular uptake of NPs in the case of HeLa cells. This research not only supported the modified NPs platform as a highly efficient nano-delivery method but also provided a facile approach to utilize renewable lignin biomaterials.

Agarwood is the resinous wood produced in some Aquilaria species and is highly valued for wide usages in medicine, incense, and perfume. To protect the threatened Aquilaria species, the cultivation of Aquilaria sinensis and artificial agarwood induction techniques have been effectively established in China. To evaluate the quality of agarwood induced by different techniques, patterns of chemical constituents in artificial agarwood by four methods (wounding using an axe, burning-chisel-drilling, chemical inducer, and biological inoculation) were analyzed and compared by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and GC-EI-MS in this study. Results of GC-MS gave a panorama of chemical constituents in agarwood, including aromatic compounds, steroids, fatty acids, sesquiterpenoids, and 2-(2-phenlyethyl)-chromones (PECs). Sesquiterpenoids were dominant in agarwood induced by wounding using an axe. PEC comprised over 60% of components in agarwood produced by biological inoculation and chemical inducers. PECs were identified by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS in all artificial agarwood and the relative contents varied in different groups. Tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-chromones (THPECs) in wounding by axes induced agarwood were lower while 2-(2-phenylethyl)-chromones (FPECs) were higher than other groups. The results showed that methods used for inducing agarwood formation in Aquilaria sinensis affect the chemical constituents of agarwood.

Because of their exceptional absorption capacity, biodegradability, and nontoxicity, nanomaterials fabricated from renewable natural resources have recently become an increasingly important research area. However, the mechanism of drug encapsulation by lignin nanoparticles and the role of nanoparticle structure on the stability and loading performance still remain unknown. Herein, lignin hollow nanoparticles (LHNPs) were prepared and applied as promising vehicles for the antineoplastic antibiotic drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). The hydrogen bonding and π−π interactions contributed to the encapsulation of hydrophilic DOX by LHNPs with hydrophobic cavities. The encapsulation of DOX was enhanced by the pore volume and surface area. In addition, the nanoparticles contributed to the cellular uptake and the accumulation of the drug within HeLa cells. This work provides a scientific basis for future studies on the selective entrapment properties of hollow polymer nanoparticles derived from biomass material as vehicles for overcoming pharmacokinetic limitations.