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Objective(s): Considering the problems of using medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases and the role of nanotechnology in reducing these challenges, the present research was conducted with the aim of preparing nano-liposomes containing Mentha piperita essential oil and investigating their physicochemical characteristics. Materials and Methods: Four nano-liposome formulations containing essential oil were prepared using cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine by thin layer method. Encapsulation efficiency, size, zeta potential, and essential oil release were measured in all formulations. The appropriate formulation was selected to investigate the morphology of the particles, their interaction between nano-liposomes and essential oil, toxicity, and antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Then, the stability of the selected formulation was checked for 120 days. Results: Formulation F1 was selected with an encapsulation efficiency of 62.12%, nano-particle size of 121 nm, and zeta potential of -21.8 mV. In this formulation, no interaction between nano-liposomes and essential oil was observed, and the spherical shape and two-layer nature of the nanoparticles were confirmed. Nanoliposomes with and without essential oil caused little toxicity to normal HFF cells and in all concentrations compared to free essential oil, they had more toxicity on MCF-7 cancer cells and higher antioxidant properties. The anti-proliferative effects of nano-liposomes on some microorganisms were higher than the free essential oil. Also, there were slight changes in some physicochemical properties of nanoparticles during 120 days. Conclusion: Considering the suitable physicochemical properties of nano-liposomes containing essential oil and their anti-proliferative effects, these nano-systems can be suggested for further research in the field of cancer and microbial diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction from the herbs was performed using the Soxhlet method. Various formula was synthesized for niosomes containing the extracts through thin film synthesis technique, and the most efficient formulation was selected. Afterwards, physicochemical properties of niosomes, including size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficacy (EE%), extract release rate, non-interactive action between the extracts and niosomes, antibacterial potential, and cellular uptake were assessed. Finally, the toxicity level of the niosomes to breast cancer cells was compared and their impact on the expression of p53 and MCL-1 was evaluated. Our data demonstrated that the synthesized niosomes were sensitive to the temperature and pH. Also, the niosomes containing Hedera Helix extract (Nio-HHE) sized 97.7 nm, with a zeta potential of −19.9 ± 6.7 mV, PDI of 0.35, and 58 ± 2.4% encapsulation efficacy showed more toxicity to the cancer cells than the niosomes of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract (Nio-GGE) with the size of 111 ± 8.5 nm, zeta potential of −23.5 ± 4.5 mV, PDI of 0.113, and 69 ± 1.2% encapsulation efficacy. The former system proved to have more antibacterial potential, and affect the expression of the oncogenes more than the latter. Meanwhile, both niosomal systems demonstrated an acceptable cellular uptake, and no chemical interaction with the extracts was observed. Furthermore, useful function of the synthesized niosomes was confirmed by morphological assessments. Our data confirmed that encapsulation of herbal extracts improves their anticancer and antibacterial potential. We concluded that Nio-HHE has more significant antitumor effects on breast cancer cells than Nio-GGE. Consequently, applying nano drug delivery systems based on herbal therapy could mitigate the side effects resulting from chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and offer promising perspectives for treatment of breast cancer.

Objective(s): Due to the inefficiency of current treatment methods in the treatment of various cancers, as well as increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria and fungi, attention to the use of medicinal plants and their essential oils is increasing. However, leading barriers to the use of plant essential oils, such as rapid oxidation and high volatility, highlight the need for a drug delivery system to increase their efficiency. Materials and Methods: Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial, antifungal, and cytotoxic effects of free thyme essential oil (TEO) and compare it with its nanoniosomal form. Initially, the chemical component of TEO was analyzed by the gas chromatography method. Then, to improve biopharmaceutical properties and enhance the stability of TEO in light and volatility, nanoniosomes containing thyme essential oil synthesized by thin-film hydration method and their physicochemical properties such as size and zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficiency (EE%), and profile of in vitro release were investigated. Results: The results showed that the nanoparticles had an average size of 97 nm with a zeta potential of -37 mV. Also, in the optimal formula, the EE% of essential oil in nanoniosomes and the maximum release rate of the TEO from nanosystem were 81% and 57%, respectively. On the other hand, it was found that the antibacterial and antifungal activity of TEO remarkably increased after encapsulation. Also, the cytotoxicity assay of TEO on cancer cells showed that blank nanoniosome had no cytotoxicity and besides, the IC50 of TEO in encapsulated form decreased by 1.75 times on MCF-7 cancer cells compared with its free form, which indicates an increase in its anti-cancer properties. Conclusion: Overall, encapsulation of thyme essential oil in optimal synthesized nano systems improved its anticancer and antimicrobial properties, which could be the beginning of a revolution in the treatment of cancer and microbial diseases using nano-encapsulated herbal remedies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): The purpose of this study is to synthesizing and characterizing niosomes containing curcumin in order to delivery to bone cancer cells. Nano-carriers were synthesized using thin film method and curcumin was loaded into them by active hydration method. Materials and Methods: The optimal formula was selected based on the encapsulation efficiency and release profile. Then the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles such as size and zeta potential, morphology and system-drug interaction were evaluated by using DLS, SEM, AFM and FTIR methods. Finally, the toxicity of nanosystems on bone cancer cell line MG-63 as resistant cells to treatment was examined by MTT assay. Results: Niosomes containing curcumin with size of 90.8 nm, PDI of 0.236, zeta potential of -8.9 and encapsulation rate of 73.5 ± 1.8 have slow-release profile. The maximum release rate of the drug for this nanocarrier in healthy and cancerous within 72 hr was 60.12% and 64.35% respectively. IR and morphological investigations showed no chemical interaction between curcumin and nanocarrier and the particles are spherical in shape. The results of the MTT assay also showed that by encapsulating curcumin, its effect on bone cancer cells increased and the resistance of MG-63 cells to treatment decreased. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that niosomes containing curcumin with appropriate physicochemical properties can improve the treatment process in bone cancer cells and also reduce the resistance of this cell to the drug and could be proposed as a new therapeutic strategy to help the treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): In this study we synthesized and characterized nanoniosome containing Hedera Helix extract to evaluate its therapeutic properties on breast cancer cells in order to provide a new effective treatment strategy with low side effects for the treatment of this malignancy in the clinical stage. Materials and Methods: After extracting the Hedera helix by Soxhlet method, different formulations of noisomes containing the extract were synthesized and after investigating the load and release rate of the drug by spectrophotometry, the optimal formulation was selected. Then other physiochemical properties of nanosystems such as size and zeta potential by DLS method, system interaction and extract by FTIR method, system response to temperature and pH stimuli by spectrophotometry, nanoparticle morphology using SEM and AFM microscope, the stability of nanoparticles over 6 months and the antimicrobial properties of the system compared to the free form of extract were examined. Results: Finally, the cellular uptake of nanosystem by flow cytometry microscope and its toxicity on MCF-7 and BT-474 breast cancer cell lines, MCF-10A breast normal cell line and HFF cell line were evaluated by MTT method. Results showed that the synthesized nanosystems with a size of 75.1 nm and PDI of 0.345 with a zeta potential of -20.6 ± 0.44 mV were morphologically suitable and had no interaction between niosomes and extracts. Also, the Encapsulation Efficiency in the system was 80.1 ± 2.2% and the drug release rate from the nanosystem was 57.2% in 72 hours. Conclusion: The stability of the system during 6 months and the response of the system to various stimuli was also appropriate. Also, encapsulation of the extract not only improved its antimicrobial properties compared to the extract, but also increased its anti-cancer effect on cancer cells although the nanosystem had no toxic effect on normal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]