Inorganic nanomedicine—Part 1

Inorganic nanomedicine refers to the use of inorganic or hybrid nanomaterials and nanosized objects to achieve innovative medical breakthroughs for drug and gene discovery and delivery, discovery of biomarkers, and molecular diagnostics. Potential uses for fluorescent quantum dots include cell labeling, biosensing, in vivo imaging, bimodal magnetic-luminescent imaging, and diagnostics. Biocompatible quantum dot conjugates have been used successfully for sentinel lymph node mapping, tumor targeting, tumor angiogenesis imaging, and metastatic cell tracking. Magnetic nanowires applications include biosensing and construction of nucleic acids sensors. Magnetic cell therapy is used for the repair of blood vessels. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are important for magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery, cell labeling, and tracking. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are used for hyperthermic treatment of tumors. Multifunctional MNPs applications include drug and gene delivery, medical imaging, and targeted drug delivery. MNPs could have a vital role in developing techniques to simultaneously diagnose, monitor, and treat a wide range of common diseases and injuries.From the Clinical EditorThis review serves as an update about the current state of inorganic nanomedicine. The use of inorganic/hybrid nanomaterials and nanosized objects has already resulted in innovative medical breakthroughs for drug/gene discovery and delivery, discovery of biomarkers and molecular diagnostics, and is likely to remain one of the most prolific fields of nanomedicine.     

What is nanomedicine?

The early genesis of the concept of nanomedicine sprang from the visionary idea that tiny nanorobots and related machines could be designed, manufactured, and introduced into the human body to perform cellular repairs at the molecular level. Nanomedicine today has branched out in hundreds of different directions, each of them embodying the key insight that the ability to structure materials and devices at the molecular scale can bring enormous immediate benefits in the research and practice of medicine.     

Molecular nanomedicine towards cancer: ¹¹¹In-labeled nanoparticles

Nanomedicine is the medical application of materials, devices, or systems in the nanometer scale and is currently undergoing explosive development. Molecular imaging of cancer using nanosized materials comprises an important part in diagnosis, therapy, and drug discovery in medical nanosciences. Radiopharmaceuticals are a key tool of molecular imaging in the field of nuclear medicine. The in vivo administration of radiolabeled nanoparticles (NPs) can provide an accurate biodistribution profile of the nanoformulations, as well as visualization of their route in vivo. Surface modifications of NPs with antibodies, peptides, or other small molecules that bind to tumor cell receptors have resulted in the development of sensitive and specific targeted imaging and diagnostic modalities for in vitro and in vivo applications. Radiometals are the most favorable of all radionuclides for labeling applications and they have the most suitable properties for single-photon emission computed tomography imaging. Indium-111((111)In), specifically, is a readily available gamma-emitting radiometal, which is widely used in clinical practice for diagnosis and/or therapy. Herein, we will overview the latest evolvement on (111)In-labeled nanoparticles for biodistribution assessment and/or imaging evaluation of nanocarriers, as well as therapy in cancer.     

Short- and Intermediate-term Carcinogenicity Testing—A Review Part 2: Available Experimental Models

Numerous experimental protocols for short- and intermediate-term carcinogenicity assays have been available for many years. This paper surveys various of these test systems in rodents, fish species, non-vertebrates and avian embryos in ovo. The mouse skin tumour assay and the rat liver foci assay were used to introduce the basic concepts of short- and intermediate-term carcinogenicity testing in the previous part of the review. The focus of this second part of the review is on rodent assays for carcinogenicity testing in the lung, kidney, urinary bladder, pancreas, stomach, oral cavity, small intestine, colon, and on the possibility to combine several target organs in multi-organ models. The potential use of various fish species, non-vertebrates and hatching eggs for carcinogenicity testing is outlined and the advantages and limitations are discussed. This review also presents the problem of validation of any carcinogenicity test system and proposes a strategy for contemporary safety assessment of chemicals with regard to the detection and evaluation of carcinogenicity.     

Regulating nanomedicine - can the FDA handle it?

There is enormous excitement and expectation surrounding the multidisciplinary field of nanomedicine - the application of nanotechnology to healthcare - which is already influencing the pharmaceutical industry. This is especially true in the design, formulation and delivery of therapeutics. Currently, nanomedicine is poised at a critical stage. However, regulatory guidance in this area is generally lacking and critically needed to provide clarity and legal certainty to manufacturers, policymakers, healthcare providers as well as public. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of nanoproducts on the market for human use but little is known of their health risks, safety data and toxicity profiles. Less is known of nanoproducts that are released into the environment and that come in contact with humans. These nanoproducts, whether they are a drug, device, biologic or combination of any of these, are creating challenges for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as regulators struggle to accumulate data and formulate testing criteria to ensure development of safe and efficacious nanoproducts (products incorporating nanoscale technologies). Evidence continues to mount that many nanoproducts inherently posses novel size-based properties and toxicity profiles. Yet, this scientific fact has been generally ignored by the FDA and the agency continues to adopt a precautionary approach to the issue in hopes of countering future potential negative public opinion. As a result, the FDA has simply maintained the status quo with regard to its regulatory policies pertaining to nanomedicine. Therefore, there are no specific laws or mechanisms in place for oversight of nanomedicine and the FDA continues to treat nanoproducts as substantially equivalent ("bioequivalent") to their bulk counterparts. So, for now nanoproducts submitted for FDA review will continue to be subjected to an uncertain regulatory pathway. Such regulatory uncertainty could negatively impact venture funding, stifle nanomedicine research and development (R&D) and erode public acceptance of nanoproducts. The end-result of this could be a delay or loss of commercialized nanoproducts. Whether the FDA eventually creates new regulations, tweaks existing ones or establishes a new regulatory center to handle nanoproducts, for the time being it should at least look at nanoproducts on a case-by-case basis. The FDA should not attempt regulation of nanomedicine by applying existing statutes alone, especially where scientific evidence suggests otherwise. Incorporating nanomedicine regulation into the current regulatory scheme is a poor idea. Regulation of nanomedicine must balance innovation and R&D with the principle of ensuring maximum public health protection and safety.     

Enteric coating of hard gelatin capsules. Part 2 — Lioavailability of formaldehyde treated capsules

Part 1 of this article defined the prerequisites which allow the gastro-resistance stabilization of formaldehyde treated capsules. Part 2 examines the dissolution profiles of these capsules with different contents. This set of experiences allowed an evaluation of the quality, potentialities and limitations of the developed coating process. The contents choice considered different solubilities because this is one of the most important parameters that affect the release rate from capsules.     

Contribution of thermal methods and related techniques to the rational development of pharmaceuticals—Part 2

In part one of this two-part article, published in the August issue of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology Today, the author summarized the key features of thermal methods and related techniques and the main applications at key stages of drug development. The usefulness of such techniques combining both calorimetric and spectroscopic information was demonstrated for the characterization of the polymorphic properties of the solid state. In part two, further examples of application are provided, including studies for salt selection for stability and purity, and for the development of the galenical formulations.     

Phytochemical and Biological Studies of Medicinal Plants in Bahrain: The Family Chenopodiaceae—Part 2

Fifteen species from the family Chenopodiaceae have been analysed for their chemical constituents: alkaloids, anthraquinones, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols and/or terepenes and tannins. The antimicrobial activity of these plants was tested in two concentrations against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis.     

Quo vadis, biotech? (Part 2)

Those following the financial markets and the valuation of biotechnology companies recently might find themselves perplexed. Towards the end of 1999, during which the availability of capital for biotech initial public offerings and for private investment rounds seemingly withered, the markets suddenly turned around and gave the biotechnology industry its biggest bonanza ever.     

2—氨基—2—（6—甲氧基—2—萘基）丙酸的合成

２┐氨基┐２┐（６┐甲氧基┐２┐萘基）丙酸的合成△ＳＹＮＴＨＥＳＩＳＯＦ２┐ＡＭＩＮＯ┐２┐（６┐ＭＥＴＨＯＸＹ┐２┐ＮＡＰＨＴＨＬＹ）ＰＲＯＰＩＯＮＩＣＡＣＩＤ胡艾希赵海涛周艳平（湖南大学化学化工学院，长沙４１００８２）ＨＵＡｉ－Ｘｉ，ＺＨＡＯＨａ...     

Recent developments in d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol-succinate-based nanomedicine for cancer therapy

Cancer remains an obstacle to be surmounted by humans. As an FDA-approved biocompatible drug excipient, d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) has been widely applied in drug delivery system (DDS). Along with in-depth analyses of TPGS-based DDS, increasingly attractive results have revealed that TPGS is able to act not only as a simple drug carrier but also as an assistant molecule with various bio-functions to improve anticancer efficacy. In this review, recent advances in TPGS-based DDS are summarized. TPGS can inhibit P-glycoprotein, enhance drug absorption, induce mitochondrial-associated apoptosis or other apoptotic pathways, promote drug penetration and tumor accumulation, and even inhibit tumor metastasis. As a result, many formulations, by using original TPGS, TPGS-drug conjugates or TPGS copolymers, were prepared, and as expected, an enhanced therapeutic effect was achieved in different tumor models, especially in multidrug resistant and metastatic tumors. Although the mechanisms by which TPGS participates in such functions are not yet very clear, considering its effectiveness in tumor treatment, TPGS-based DDS appears to be one of the best candidates for future clinical applications.