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Cryptococcal meningitis is caused by Cryptococcus spp. and predominantly affects patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. However, an increase in the number of nonHIV patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis raises concerns worldwide. The current antifungal therapy has some limitations such as being unavailable in some countries, high cost, toxicity, and the need for trained professionals for intravenous administration, which compromises patient compliance, resulting in treatment withdrawal and increased fungal resistance. In this regard, new alternative drugs, especially those administered orally and at affordable cost are desired. However, these drugs face challenges due to the gastrointestinal (GI) and blood-brain barriers (BBB). In this present work, we developed a new oil-in-water nanoemulsion containing flubendazole (FLZ) for oral administration using a unique low-energy process for treating cryptococcosis. The combination of D -phase emulsification (DPE) process and design of experiment (DoE) resulted in a stable FLZ-loaded nanoemulsion with 35-nm mean particle size, 60.0% oil phase with 3.0% surfactant phase (both % w/w), at 25 °C process temperature without using specific equipment. The careful selection of components for developing this nanoemulsion as a drug carrier is thoroughly discussed herein, including the interaction of lipid components with brain transporters, the type of surfactant as a permeability enhancer through BBB, as well as the choice of the drug. The use of statistical design combined with the DPE process, and selection of components, resulted in reducing approximately 30% of fungal burden in mice brain, and safety testing in an invertebrate model showed nontoxicity by this nanoemulsion. This work reports a step-by-step alternative process for designing a nanoemulsion with improved efficacy and safety, even containing a drug at a significantly reduced concentration compared to previously published works. This nanoemulsion provides multiple benefits - overcoming GI and BBB barriers, and affordable production cost - delivering a new antifungal alternative for treating cryptococcosis.

Cancer related to lymphangiogenesis has gained a great deal of attention in recent decades ever since specific markers of this intriguing system were discovered. Unlike the blood system, the lymphatic system has unique features that can advance cancer in future metastasis, or, conversely, can provide an opportunity to prevent or treat this disease that affects people worldwide. The aim of this review is to show the recent research of cancer treatment associated with the lymphatic system, considered one of the main gateways for disseminating metastatic cells to distant organs. Nanostructured systems based on theranostics and immunotherapies can offer several options for this complex disease. Precision targeting and accumulation of nanomaterials into the tumor sites and their elimination, or targeting the specific immune defense cells to promote optimal regression of cancer cells are highlighted in this paper. Moreover, therapies based on nanostructured systems through lymphatic systems may reduce the side effects and toxicity, avoid first pass hepatic metabolism, and improve patient recovery. We emphasize the general understanding of the association between the immune and lymphatic systems, their interaction with tumor cells, the mechanisms involved and the recent developments in several nanotechnology treatments related to this disease.