Oridonin (ORI) is a natural active ingredient with strong anticancer activity. But its clinical use is restricted due to its poor water solubility, short half-life, and low bioavailability. The aim of this study is to utilize the metal organic framework material MOF-5 to load ORI in order to improve its release characteristics and bioavailability. Herein, MOF-5 was synthesized by the solvothermal method and direct addition method, and characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), respectively. MOF-5 prepared by the optimal synthesis method was selected for drug-loading and in vitro release experiments. HepG2 cells were model cells. MTT assay, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and Annexin V/PI assay were used to detect the biological safety of blank carriers and the anticancer activity of drug-loaded materials. The results showed that nano-MOF-5 prepared by the direct addition method had complete structure, uniform size and good biocompatibility, and was suitable as an ORI carrier. The drug loading of ORI@MOF-5 was 52.86% ± 0.59%. The sustained release effect was reliable, and the cumulative release rate was about 87% in 60 h. ORI@MOF-5 had significant cytotoxicity (IC50:22.99 μg/mL) and apoptosis effect on HepG2 cells. ORI@MOF-5 is hopeful to become a new anticancer sustained release preparation. MOF-5 has significant potential as a drug carrier material.

As the second most common cause of death globally, tumor significantly impacts human health and quality of life. Although monotherapy has achieved remarkable progress, its therapeutic effectiveness remains less than ideal. The current strategy is increasingly inclined towards a combination of different treatments. Combination therapy is conducive to rectifying the inherent flaws of monotherapy, surmounting multi-drug resistance, and attaining a synergistic effect. The advancement of nanotechnology offers an unparalleled opportunity for anti-tumor combination therapy. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) possess distinctive structural features, including adjustable pore sizes, diverse organic ligands and metal ion centers, as well as the modifiability of functional sites. These characteristics render the combined application of multiple therapeutic approaches feasible. This article provides a review of the research on MOFs-based nano drug delivery platform for anti-tumor combination therapy under physiological conditions or exogenous stimulation. The opportunities and challenges of MOFs entering the clinic for anti-tumor combination therapy are also discussed to provide reference for the further application of MOFs, and provide a novel idea for the research of MOFs-based drug delivery system.

Primary liver cancer remains the third leading cause of global cancer-related mortality, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constituting the predominant histological subtype. The development of malignant ascites in advanced HCC patients signifies metastatic progression and portends poor clinical outcomes, presenting a formidable therapeutic challenge. This study aimed to engineer a natural small-molecule hydrogel for anti-tumor treatment, in order to reduce the production of ascites and achieve the dual therapeutic effect. The EP-GA hydrogel was synthesized by a one-pot method, and its morphology and mechanical properties were characterized by SEM and rheology. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS analysis was carried out to identify the active components of EP. The assembly mechanism was analyzed by ¹H NMR and molecular dynamics. Small animal imaging techniques were utilized to evaluate the retention of EP-GA in vivo. The H22 ascites tumor model was established, and antitumor mechanism was verified by transcriptomics, metabolomics and flow cytometry. The EP-GA hydrogel formed uniform nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 200 nm. Rheological characterization confirmed its excellent injectability. Using marker components euphol (EPH) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) to analyze the self-assembly process, hydrogen bond interactions occurred between euphol's hydroxyl group and GA's hydrophilic domain. In H22 subcutaneous HCC xenograft models, EP-GA demonstrated significant tumor growth suppression, with a tumor growth inhibition rate (IRG) of 68.63 % at the dosage of 18.75 mg/kg. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis reveals that it inhibits tumor progression by suppressing choline kinase alpha, regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and inducing ROS generation and mitochondrial membrane potential decline. This excipient-free nanohydrogel platform effectively circumvents carrier-related toxicity while demonstrating powerful therapeutic efficacy against HCC, and this platform is a promising new strategy for HCC prevention and treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death worldwide, and malignant ascites (MA) caused by HCC is almost incur