With the approval of first 3D printed drug “spritam” by USFDA, 3D printing is gaining acceptance in healthcare, engineering and other aspects of life. Taking 3D printing towards the next step gives birth to what is referred to as “4D printing”. The full credit behind the unveiling of 4D printing technology in front of the world goes to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who revealed “time” in this technology as the fourth dimension. 4D printing is a renovation of 3D printing wherein special materials (referred to as smart materials) are incorporated which change their morphology post printing in response to a stimulus. Depending upon the applicability of this technology, there may be a variety of stimuli, most common among them being pH, water, heat, wind and other forms of energy. The upper hand of 4D printing over 3D printing is that 3D printed structures are generally immobile, rigid and inanimate whereas 4D printed structures are flexible, mobile and able to interact with the surrounding environment based on the stimulus. This capability of 4D printing to transform 3D structures into smart structures in response to various stimuli promises a great potential for biomedical and bioengineering applications. The potential of 4D printing in developing pre-programmed biomaterials that can undergo transformations lays new foundations for enabling smart pharmacology, personalized medicine, and smart drug delivery, all of which can help in combating diseases in a smarter way. Hence, the theme of this paper is about the potential of 4D printing in creating smart drug delivery, smart pharmacology, targeted drug delivery and better patient compliance. The paper highlights the recent advancements of 4D printing in healthcare sector and ways by which 4D printing is doing wonders in creating smart drug delivery and tailored medicine. The major constraints in the approach have also been highlighted. Keywords: 4D printing, smart, drug delivery system, patient compliance, biomaterials, tailored medicine
Despite substantial advancements in curative modern medicine in the last few decades, cancer risk and casualty rates have continued to mount globally. The exact reason for cancer's onset and progression is still unknown. However, skeletal and functional abnormalities in the genetic code are assumed to be the primary cause of cancer. Many lines of evidences reported that some medicinal plants can be utilized to curb cancer cell proliferation with a safe, fruitful, and cost-efficient perspective. Curcuminoids, isolated from Curcuma longa, have gotten a lot of focus due to their anticancer potential as they reduce tumor progression, invasion, and dissemination. Further, they modulated signal transduction routes like MAPK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, JAK/STAT, and Wnt/β-catenin, etc., and triggered apoptosis as well as actuated autophagy in malignant cells without altering the normal cells, thus preventing cancer progression. Besides, Curcuminoids also regulate the function and expression of anti-tumor and carcinogenic miRNAs. Clinical studies also reported the therapeutic effect of Curcuminoids against various cancer through decreasing specific biomarkers like TNF-α, Bcl-2, COX-2, PGE2, VEGF, IκKβ, and various cytokines like IL-12p70, IL-10, IL-2, IFN-γ levels and increasing in p53 and Bax levels. Thus, in the present review, we abridged the modulation of several signal transduction routes by Curcuminoids in various malignancies, and its modulatory role in the initiation of tumor-suppressive miRNAs and suppression of the oncogenic miRNAs are explored. Additionally, various pharmacokinetic approaches have been projected to address the Curcuminoids bioavailability like the use of piperine as an adjuvant; nanotechnology-based Curcuminoids preparations utilizing Curcuminoids analogues are also discussed.
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