cell signaling pathways has received considerable attention for regulating cellular
proliferation and apoptosis, as has their broad pharmacologic activities.
Several types of polymeric nanocarriers have been found to be suitable for the
encapsulation or loading of these phytochemicals to improve their bioavailability
and potential as cancer therapeutics. The characteristics of these polymeric
phytonanoformulations can be tailored by various mechanisms according to the
specific requirement for inducing cellular death. It can be concluded that utilization
of encapsulated polyphenols can enhance the stability and bioavailability of the
phytodrugs both in vitro and in vivo and optimize routes for their administration.
Overall, the use of phytochemical-loaded polymeric nanoparticles in chemotherapy
for cancer treatment improves existing therapies by targeting tumors and by
reducing the dose required. Safe toxicological profiles of the biocompatible and
biodegradable polymeric carriers with the loaded phytodrugs and their efficacy
in the cell-line models highlight their potential for evaluation in in vivo models.
Future studies have to be conducted clinically after the in vitro and in vivo
evaluations for the use of these phytodrug nanoformulations in effective cancer
treatment.
Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT),
Government of India, for their financial support for this work under the Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology Initiative program (Ref. No. BT/PR10882/NNT/28/142/2008). This work was
also partially supported by Nanomission, Department of Science and Technology, India under the
Theragnostic grant. The author S. Maya also acknowledges CSIR for providing a Senior Research
Fellowship (SRF Award No. 9/963(00172)2K11-EMR-I).
References
1. Hostanska K, Ju ¨rgenliemk G, Abel G, Nahrstedt A, Saller R (2007) Cancer Detect Prev
31:129
2. Espı ´n JC, Garcı ´a-Conesa MT, Toma ´s-Barbera ´n FA (2007) Phytochemistry 68:2986
3. Larrosa M, Tomas-Barberan FA, Espin JC (2006) J Nutr Biochem 17:611
4. Faller ALK, Fialho E (2010) J Food Compost Anal 23:561
5. Hervert-Herna ´ndez D, Garcı ´a OP, Rosado JL, Gon ˜i I (2011) Food Res Int 44:1182
6. Landete JM (2011) Food Res Int 44:1150
7. Siddiqui IA, Mukhtar H (2010) Pharm Res 27:1054
8. Santos IS, Ponte BM, Boonme P, Silva AM, Souto EB (2012) Biotechnol Adv (in press).
doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.08.005
9. Araujo JR, Goncalves P, Martel F (2011) Nutr Res 31:77
10. Wojdyło A, Oszmian ´ski J, Czemerys R (2007) Food Chem 105:940
11. Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C (2004) Am J Clin Nutr 79:727
12. Stagos D, Amoutzias GD, Antonios M, Argyris S, Arstides MT, Dimitrios K (2012) Food
Chem Toxicol 50:2155
13. Reason W, Veena MS, Marilene BW, Eri SS (2011) Mol Cancer 10:12
14. Murali MY, Meena J, Subhash CC (2012) Drug Discov Today 17:71
15. Purusotam B, Natasa S (2011) Molecules 16:4567
16. Radha KM, Anoop KS, Jaya G, Rikhab CS (2006) Life Sci 78:2081
234
S. Maya et al.
proliferation and apoptosis, as has their broad pharmacologic activities.
Several types of polymeric nanocarriers have been found to be suitable for the
encapsulation or loading of these phytochemicals to improve their bioavailability
and potential as cancer therapeutics. The characteristics of these polymeric
phytonanoformulations can be tailored by various mechanisms according to the
specific requirement for inducing cellular death. It can be concluded that utilization
of encapsulated polyphenols can enhance the stability and bioavailability of the
phytodrugs both in vitro and in vivo and optimize routes for their administration.
Overall, the use of phytochemical-loaded polymeric nanoparticles in chemotherapy
for cancer treatment improves existing therapies by targeting tumors and by
reducing the dose required. Safe toxicological profiles of the biocompatible and
biodegradable polymeric carriers with the loaded phytodrugs and their efficacy
in the cell-line models highlight their potential for evaluation in in vivo models.
Future studies have to be conducted clinically after the in vitro and in vivo
evaluations for the use of these phytodrug nanoformulations in effective cancer
treatment.
Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT),
Government of India, for their financial support for this work under the Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology Initiative program (Ref. No. BT/PR10882/NNT/28/142/2008). This work was
also partially supported by Nanomission, Department of Science and Technology, India under the
Theragnostic grant. The author S. Maya also acknowledges CSIR for providing a Senior Research
Fellowship (SRF Award No. 9/963(00172)2K11-EMR-I).
References
1. Hostanska K, Ju ¨rgenliemk G, Abel G, Nahrstedt A, Saller R (2007) Cancer Detect Prev
31:129
2. Espı ´n JC, Garcı ´a-Conesa MT, Toma ´s-Barbera ´n FA (2007) Phytochemistry 68:2986
3. Larrosa M, Tomas-Barberan FA, Espin JC (2006) J Nutr Biochem 17:611
4. Faller ALK, Fialho E (2010) J Food Compost Anal 23:561
5. Hervert-Herna ´ndez D, Garcı ´a OP, Rosado JL, Gon ˜i I (2011) Food Res Int 44:1182
6. Landete JM (2011) Food Res Int 44:1150
7. Siddiqui IA, Mukhtar H (2010) Pharm Res 27:1054
8. Santos IS, Ponte BM, Boonme P, Silva AM, Souto EB (2012) Biotechnol Adv (in press).
doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.08.005
9. Araujo JR, Goncalves P, Martel F (2011) Nutr Res 31:77
10. Wojdyło A, Oszmian ´ski J, Czemerys R (2007) Food Chem 105:940
11. Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C (2004) Am J Clin Nutr 79:727
12. Stagos D, Amoutzias GD, Antonios M, Argyris S, Arstides MT, Dimitrios K (2012) Food
Chem Toxicol 50:2155
13. Reason W, Veena MS, Marilene BW, Eri SS (2011) Mol Cancer 10:12
14. Murali MY, Meena J, Subhash CC (2012) Drug Discov Today 17:71
15. Purusotam B, Natasa S (2011) Molecules 16:4567
16. Radha KM, Anoop KS, Jaya G, Rikhab CS (2006) Life Sci 78:2081
234
S. Maya et al.