Abstract: Background: Targeted drug delivery approaches are intended to increase the effectiveness of drugs by carrying large doses of chemotherapeutic agents to the cancer cells and reduce negative side effects. Self-assembly of peptides can organize molecules into stable and well-defined nanostructures being very attractive for many biomedical applications including drug delivery. Objective: The objective of the current mini-review is to investigate the self-assembly behavior of peptide amphiphiles as nanocarriers under different biological factors in the tumor microenvironment. Method: Data from a range of resources like Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Elsevier, and other valued journals have been reviewed carefully. Results: Structural changes of peptide amphiphiles in response to tumor microenvironment or tumor-specific enzymes are the promising trend, allowing the development of targeted therapy with high efficiency. However, significant improvement in cytotoxicity is achieved when peptide amphiphiles are designed in such a way to respond to multiple stimuli in tumor microenvironments. Conclusion: A multi- disciplinary research area may permit both to reduce the off-target side effects of anticancer drugs and achieve triggered drug delivery at disease sites.Abstract: Background: Targeted drug delivery approaches are intended to increase the effectiveness of drugs by carrying large doses of chemotherapeutic agents to the cancer cells and reduce negative side effects. Self-assembly of peptides can organize molecules into stable and well-defined nanostructures being very attractive for many biomedical applications...Show More
Abstract: Ecuador has among its foods a series of potatoes and tubers that are not only nutritious, but also contain properties such as adjuvants which aid in the treatment of diseases caused by an inflammatory state. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support these hypotheses. The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative study of two varieties of the mashua tuber (Tropaeolum tuberosum spp tuberosum (Ruíz & Pavón, Kuntze)), by analyzing the pharmacognostic, chemical and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Since there are no previous reports regarding the macro- and micromorphological characteristics of the tubers, the following analyses were conducted; the establishment of physical-chemical parameters, the qualitative determination of the secondary metabolites, the quantification of phenols as well as flavonoids and the characterization of the extracts of ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol and the coupling of the system through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Significant differences were found in the macro- and micromorphology, as well as in the secondary metabolite between the two varieties studied. The black mashua showed a higher concentration quantification of phenols and flavonoids. Some phytosterols and triterpenoids were reported for the first time in these species and the anti-inflammatory activity of the tubers was demonstrated. These findings can lead to further research for a future use in a clinical trial.Abstract: Ecuador has among its foods a series of potatoes and tubers that are not only nutritious, but also contain properties such as adjuvants which aid in the treatment of diseases caused by an inflammatory state. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support these hypotheses. The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative study ...Show More