Halloysite nanotube (HNT)-reinforced alginate-based nanofibrous scaffolds were successfully fabricated by electrospinning to mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) structure which is beneficial for tissue regeneration. An antiseptic drug, cephalexin (CEF)-loaded HNT, was incorporated into the alginate-based matrix to obtain sustained antimicrobial protection and robust mechanical properties, the key criteria for tissue engineering applications. Electron microscopic imaging and drug release studies revealed that CEF had penetrated into the lumen space of the HNT and also deposited on the outer walls, with a total loading capacity of 30 wt %. Moreover, the diameter of alginate-based nanofibers of the scaffolds ranged from 40 to 522 nm with well-aligned HNTs, resulting in superior mechanical properties. For instance, the addition of 5% (w/w) HNT improved the tensile strength (σ) and elastic modulus by 3-fold and 2-fold, respectively, compared to those of the alginate-based scaffolds without HNT. The fabricated scaffolds exhibited remarkable antimicrobial properties against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and the cytotoxicity studies confirmed the nontoxicity of the fabricated scaffolds. Drug release kinetics showed that CEF inside HNTs diffuses within 24 h and that the diffusion of the drug is delayed by 7 days once the CEF-loaded HNTs are incorporated into the alginate-based nanofibers. These fabricated alginate-based electrospun scaffolds with enhanced mechanical properties and sustained antimicrobial protection hold great potential to be used as artificial ECM scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

Curcumin-loaded ZnO nanocomposites act as an effective, synergistically-enhanced combination delivery/therapeutic agent, holding promise for anticancer and antimicrobial therapy with reduced toxicities.

Twenty distinct endophytic fungi were isolated from the surface-sterilized plant parts of Nymphaea nouchali and were identified using morphological and molecular techniques. At 300 µg/disc concentration, eight of the 20 fungal extracts exhibited antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778) while two within the eight showed activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 35218). Furthermore, investigation of the crude extract of Chaetomium globosum resulted in the isolation of two known cytochalasans, chaetoglobosin A and C, and their structures were elucidated and confirmed by mass and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (1H, 13C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and tROESY) spectral data. Chaetoglobosin A showed antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis (MIC 16 µg mL−1), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 32 µg mL−1) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, MIC 32 µg mL−1). This is the first study to report the isolation, identification and antimicrobial properties of endophytic fungi of N. nouchali in Sri Lanka.

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Zinc oxide-cloxacillin incorporated nanoparticles coated with concentric layers of polycaprolactone and albumin via a coaxial electrospraying technique as an enhanced and sustained antimicrobial delivery system for respiratory infections.

Vitamin D3 (VD) and calcium phosphate play a vital role in bone homeostasis. Factors such as obesity or gastrointestinal problems can render the use of pure VD and calcium phosphate supplements ineffective. This study investigated the possibility of using VD-loaded hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for the codelivery of VD and Ca3(PO4)2. Due to the high affinity of Ca3(PO4)2 for bone tissue, HA is an ideal delivery system to deliver VD to target tissue. Herein, HA nanoparticles were synthesized and loaded with VD using a vacuum evaporation method. The synthesized HA-VD nanoparticles were morphologically and chemically characterized by SEM, FTIR, and TGA. The system exhibited a two-stage release pattern, which includes a first-day burst release (35%) and sustained release for a further ten days. The cytocompatibility and cell penetrative ability of the nanoparticle system were assessed in vitro using preosteoblast cells: the system is nontoxic and well-tolerated. Finally, the VD-loaded HA nanoparticles were coated with a gastroresistant polymer, hypromellose phtalate-55 (HP-55) in order to protect the pH-sensitive HA from degradation at lower pHs. A coaxial electrospray technique was employed to achieve this. In all, the tested HA-VD system is a viable alternative for codelivery of VD, Ca2+, and PO43- to their target tissues.

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Metastases of breast cancer (BC) are often referred to as stage IV breast cancer due to their severity and high rate of mortality. The median survival time of patients with metastatic BC is reduced to 3 years. Currently, the treatment regimens for metastatic BC are similar to the primary cancer therapeutics and are limited to conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. However, metastatic BC shows organ-specific complex tumor cell heterogeneity, plasticity, and a distinct tumor microenvironment, leading to therapeutic failure. This issue can be successfully addressed by combining current cancer therapies with nanotechnology. The applications of nanotherapeutics for both primary and metastatic BC treatments are developing rapidly, and new ideas and technologies are being discovered. Several recent reviews covered the advancement of nanotherapeutics for primary BC, while also discussing certain aspects of treatments for metastatic BC. This review provides comprehensive details on the recent advancement and future prospects of nanotherapeutics designed for metastatic BC treatment, in the context of the pathological state of the disease. Furthermore, possible combinations of current treatment with nanotechnology are discussed, and their potential for future transitions in clinical settings is explored.