Diabetes is a metabolic, endocrine disorder which is characterized by hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance due to insulin resistance. Extensive research has confirmed that inflammation is closely involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. Patients with diabetes display typical features of an inflammatory process characterized by the presence of cytokines, immune cell infiltration, impaired function and tissue destruction. Numerous anti-diabetic drugs are often prescribed to diabetic patients, to reduce the risk of diabetes through modulation of inflammation. However, those anti-diabetic drugs are often not successful as a result of side effects; therefore, researchers are searching for efficient natural therapeutic targets with less or no side effects. Natural products’ derived bioactive molecules have been proven to improve insulin resistance and associated complications through suppression of inflammatory signaling pathways. In this review article, we described the extraction, isolation and identification of bioactive compounds and its molecular mechanisms in the prevention of diabetes associated complications.
Phytocompounds have been used in cosmeceuticals for decades and have shown potential for beauty applications, including sunscreen, moisturizing and antiaging, and skin-based therapy. The major concerns in the usage of phyto-based cosmeceuticals are lower penetration and high compound instability of various cosmetic products for sustained and enhanced compound delivery to the beauty-based skin therapy. To overcome these disadvantages, nanosized delivery technologies are currently in use for sustained and enhanced delivery of phyto-derived bioactive compounds in cosmeceutical sectors and products. Nanosizing of phytocompounds enhances the aseptic feel in various cosmeceutical products with sustained delivery and enhanced skin protecting activities. Solid lipid nanoparticles, transfersomes, ethosomes, nanostructured lipid carriers, fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes are some of the emerging nanotechnologies currently in use for their enhanced delivery of phytocompounds in skin care.
Aloe vera
, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, vitamins C and E, genistein, and green tea catechins were successfully nanosized using various delivery technologies and incorporated in various gels, lotions, and creams for skin, lip, and hair care for their sustained effects. However, certain delivery agents such as carbon nanotubes need to be studied for their roles in toxicity. This review broadly focuses on the usage of phytocompounds in various cosmeceutical products, nanodelivery technologies used in the delivery of phytocompounds to various cosmeceuticals, and various nanosized phytocompounds used in the development of novel nanocosmeceuticals to enhance skin-based therapy.
In recent years, the incidental rate of neurodegenerative disorders has increased proportionately with the aging population. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most commonly reported neurodegenerative disorders, and it is estimated to increase by roughly 30% among the aged population. In spite of screening numerous drug candidates against various molecular targets of AD, only a few candidates – such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are currently utilized as an effective clinical therapy. However, targeted drug delivery of these drugs to the central nervous system (CNS) exhibits several limitations including meager solubility, low bioavailability, and reduced efficiency due to the impediments of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Current advances in nanotechnology present opportunities to overcome such limitations in delivering active drug candidates. Nanodrug delivery systems are promising in targeting several therapeutic moieties by easing the penetration of drug molecules across the CNS and improving their bioavailability. Recently, a wide range of nano-carriers, such as polymers, emulsions, lipo-carriers, solid lipid carriers, carbon nanotubes, metal based carriers etc., have been adapted to develop successful therapeutics with sustained release and improved efficacy. Here, we discuss few recently updated nano-drug delivery applications that have been adapted in the field of AD therapeutics, and future prospects on potential molecular targets for nano-drug delivery systems.
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