Nanogels incorporating plant-derived bioactives offer a promising strategy for transdermal therapeutics owing to their biocompatibility, stability, and capacity for controlled drug release. This study phyto-engineered nanogels using Alternanthera brasiliana aqueous extract and compared the performance of chitosan-based (CS) and silver nitrate–based (CP) systems. Nanogels were synthesized and characterized for particle size, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, spreadability, occlusivity, and transdermal permeation. CS-3 and CP-3 emerged as optimized formulations, exhibiting particle sizes of 170.2 ± 6.0 nm and 200.5 ± 5.2 nm, with zeta potentials of −37.4 ± 1.1 mV and −34.0 ± 1.3 mV, respectively. CS-3 demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity (19 mm and 21 mm zones of inhibition), enhanced antioxidant potential (IC50 = 146.94 μg/mL), and improved wound closure (95.74% at 48 h) compared with CP-3 (antioxidant IC50 = 547.18 μg/mL; wound closure 93.74%). Both nanogels showed excellent cytocompatibility and minimal haemolysis, supporting their safety for topical application. The findings highlight the synergistic interaction between chitosan and plant polyphenols, contributing to improved bioactivity compared with silver-based systems. Overall, the study identifies CS-3 as a promising biopolymeric nanogel for future transdermal biomedical applications.

The main objective of this present study was to develop sodium alginate-based metformin hydrochloride loaded and chitosan coated microsphere for effective treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The prepared microspheres were formulated with different concentration of drug and polymer ratio and CaCl2 was used as a crosslinking agent. Ionotropic gelation technique was adopted to prepare the microsphere in eight different drug polymer ratios. The microspheres were characterized by moisture content, microsphere size, swelling ratio, drug entrapment efficiency, in-vitro drug release profile for optimization purpose. Optimized formulation (F8) was further evaluated for surface morphology, FTIR, XRD, thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), antioxidant activity, in-vitro antidiabetic activity, and cytotoxicity studies. The microspheres were spherical in shape with shiny appearance. The average diameter of prepared microsphere was 792 ± 28.06 μm in diameter. The percentage of drug entrapment efficiency was observed in the range of 22.50 ± 2.05 to 65.41 ± 4.12%. F8 provides 39.22 ± 0.22% sustained drug release after 8 h. This approach of the fabrication of biopolymeric oral dosage form may be inspiring globally for green manufacturing of sustained release microsphere through quality-driven development.

Over the past few decades, there has been much interest in developing biocompatible, multifunctional nanoparticles for medicinal uses. In this study, gelatin-stabilized silver nanoparticles, Gel-AgNP, were synthesized using a green chemical reduction method and thoroughly characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The ionic stability of the produced nano­particles was tested in the presence of sodium chloride to determine their colloidal nature under physiological environments. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of Gel-AgNP was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The agar disk diffusion method wasused to assess their antibacterial activity against bacterial strains. The Gel-AgNP showed a surface plasmon resonance around 440 nm. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis revealed a hydrodynamic diameter of 107.9 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.27, and a zeta potential of +11.03 mV. Ionic stability revealed an increment in size from 107 to 237 nm as NaCl concentration was increased from 25 to 150 mM.. Gel-AgNP demonstrated strong antioxidant capacity with IC50 values of 132 µg/mL for DPPH and 133 µg/mL for H2O2, after comparison with 550 and 210 µg/mL for gelatin alone. The disk diffusion assay revealed inhibition zones of 5–10 mm for E. coli, 2–7 mm for E. feacalis. 20 µg/mL doses possessed moderate sensitivity in P. aeruginosa, whereas S. aureus was inhibited only at 20 µg/mL. These findings lend credence to the Gel-AgNP potential in biological applications, particularly in producing antioxidant-rich antibacterial nanocomposites.

This review investigates the domain of bioplastics, introducing bioplastics as sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics. It explores a range of feedstocks employed in bioplastic production, including plant-based polymers, microbial-synthesized biopolymers, and materials sourced from agricultural and industrial waste. Numerous methodologies have been examined in terms of their capacity to strengthen the mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of bioplastics, striving to address the performance gap with traditional plastics. The review paper also examines the producers’ ability to manage biodegradability and recyclability and their consilience with current waste management systems. Additionally, the study surveys patterns in other sectors about contemporary and developing usage of bioplastics from various sectors, factoring in factors such as production cost-effectiveness, capacity to scale, and compliance with applicable regulations. By consolidating existing research, this review provides an extensive assessment of bioplastics development, emphasizing their potential as eco-friendly alternatives within a closed-loop economy model.

Mucilages are polysaccharide hydrocolloids with distinct physicochemical and structural diversity, possessing characteristic functional and health benefits as nanoparticles. Among the numerous polysaccharide hydrocolloids developed to formulate polymeric nanoparticles, mucilage has attracted considerable attention due to its appealing properties: (i) biodegradability and biocompatibility, (ii) facilitating targeted delivery, (iii) reusable (v) scope of controlled release, (vi) probability to modify surface properties, (vii) coating for nanoparticles, (viii) enhancing drug solubility, (ix) low cost, (xi) high water-binding capacity, (xii) cheap and easily available, and (xi) generally recognized as safe for human consumption. This review presents different preparation methods for mucilage-based nanoparticles (MNPs) from the methodological point of view. The crosslinking agents including citric acid, calcium chloride, glutaraldehyde, zinc chloride, and other cross-linkers, and the physicochemical behavior of MNPs including drug loading, drug release, particle size, zeta-potential and stability are briefly discussed. This review also presents MNPs as drug delivery systems in various biomedical applications over the decades. Finally, modifications of MNPs and MNPs nanocomplexes are additionally studied.

In this study, it was aimed to develop magnetic microbeads for dual delivery of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and Resveratrol (RES). Fe3O4 nanoparticles were coated with alginate, modified with 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) by carbodiimide chemistry, gelled with CaCl2, and coated with chitosan after drug loading by swelling method. FTIR, TEM, SEM, ESR, and XRD were used for characterization. Microbeads were further investigated for entrapment efficiency (EE), swelling analysis, in vitro release, and cytotoxicity. Entrapment efficiencies were 62.2 ± 0.78 and 27.1 ± 0.98% w/w for 5-FU and RES, respectively. Drug release was studied at pH 1.5, 5.5, 6.8, and 7.4. Microbeads exhibited the highest release at pH 6.8 (65.3 ± 2.50% w/w for 5-FU and 45.4 ± 1.80% w/w for RES). Release kinetics conformed to Higuchi model at pH 6.8 and Korsmeyer-Peppas at pHs 5.5 and 7.4. Microbeads containing 300 µg/mL drug reduced cell viability of HT-29 colon cancer cell line below 50% in cytotoxicity experiments.

Glaucoma causes irreversible blindness, with poor adherence driven by frequent dosing and low eye drop bioavailability. Brimonidine tartrate (BRT) requires multiple daily doses due to rapid elimination and limited corneal permeability. To address these limitations, this study aimed to develop a long-acting, mucoadhesive ocular delivery system using hyaluronic acid-coated cubosomes (HA-BRT-CUB), further incorporated into a thermoresponsive in situ gel (HA-BRT-CUB-ISG). The HA-BRT-CUB formulation was optimized using a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, resulting in a particle size of 189.24 ± 2.05 nm, zeta potential of −25.45 ± 0.88 mV, and entrapment efficiency of 78.86 ± 2.42%. Incorporation into a poloxamer-based ISG system enhanced precorneal retention and sustained delivery. In vitro release from HA-BRT-CUB-ISG was extended over 24 h (h), best fitting the Korsmeyer–Peppas model (R 2 = 0.981). Ex vivo permeation studies revealed a flux (J) of 2.89 µg/cm2/h and a 3.92-fold enhancement ratio (ER) compared to the BRT solution. In normotensive New Zealand rabbits, HA-BRT-CUB-ISG achieved a 30.31% IOP reduction at 24 h (17.05 ± 0.35 mmHg), compared to 29.91% with HA-BRT-CUB and only 20.75% with Alphagan®. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that HA-BRT-CUB-ISG attained a Cmax of 7.35 ± 0.82 μg/mL and an AUC0–∞ of 70.22 ± 3.56 µg/mL* h, representing a 4.5- and 12-fold improvement, respectively, over Alphagan®. The half-life extended to 8.75 ± 1.34 h with minimal clearance (Cl/F = 1.42 ± 0.59). Stability studies confirmed HA-BRT-CUB formulation integrity under refrigerated conditions over 90 days. Overall, HA-BRT-CUB-ISG presents a promising once-daily nanocarrier system for sustained glaucoma management.

Polymeric biomaterials, particularly electrospun nanofibers, are increasingly central to the development of advanced wound dressings capable of supporting tissue regeneration while enabling real-time physiological monitoring. Chronic wounds associated with diabetes, vascular diseases, and cancer require continuous and personalized management, prompting the convergence of electrospun polymeric scaffolds with wearable biosensors and artificial intelligence (AI). These next-generation smart wound dressings utilize biocompatible polymer matrices functionalized with responsive sensing elements to monitor pH, temperature, moisture, oxygen saturation, and inflammatory biomarkers in situ. Molecular-level interactions between polymeric components and biological tissues facilitate both therapeutic delivery and diagnostic functionality. AI, including deep and federated learning, enhances these systems by enabling data-driven prediction of healing trajectories and personalized interventions. Key advances in flexible electronics, self-powered systems, and closed-loop feedback mechanisms further enhance clinical applicability. However, challenges remain, including the biochemical stability of sensors in enzyme-rich environments, secure wireless communication, and the lack of standardized datasets and clinical validation frameworks. This review critically examines recent progress in AI-integrated polymeric wound care systems, emphasizing the design of functional polymeric scaffolds, biosensor-polymer interfaces, and future directions, including biosensor miniaturization, multi-omics data integration, and scalable cloud-based platforms. A collaborative roadmap is proposed to advance these intelligent biomaterial systems toward clinical translation in chronic wound care.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have appeared as a transformative class of anticancer agents, particularly for tumors with homologous recombination deficiencies such as BRCA1/2-mutated breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Despite their clinical success, challenges such as poor bioavailability, systemic toxicity, and acquired resistance have limited their broader application. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems offer a promising strategy to overcome these limitations by enhancing the solubility, stability, and tumor-specific accumulation of PARP inhibitors while reducing off-target effects. This review explores the mechanism of action of PARP inhibitors, including their role in DNA repair and synthetic lethality, and discusses their therapeutic applications. Furthermore, recent progresses in delivery systems, including lipid-based, polymeric, inorganic, and hybrid nanosystems, are examined with a focus on their design, functionality, and impact on drug efficacy. Recent studies demonstrating improved drug retention, enhanced tumor targeting, and controlled release mechanisms are highl′hted, along with potential strategies to overcome resistance. The integration of multifunctional and stimuli-responsive nanosystems further enhances the therapeutic potential of PARP inhibitors. Continued innovation in nanomedicine holds the potential to optimize PARP inhibitor therapy and expand its clinical utility in personalized cancer treatment. Future directions include addressing translational challenges, scalability, and regulatory considerations for clinical applications.

Breast cancer has high mortality rate among women. Though paclitaxel is one of the important drugs used, but frequent use will lead to drug resistance. Nuclear factor kappa B (NFƘB) a transcription factor will be up regulated with frequent use of paclitaxel, and this increases drug resistance in cancer cells. Usage of curcumin will down regulate the NFƘB and using both the drugs in combination with different mechanisms of action has shown synergistic effects and reduces NFƘB expression in cancer cells. To reduce the systemic toxicity, low intracellular uptake and low bioavailability, nano-based therapeutics were used. To improve the targeting ability of the drug to the cancer cells, Hyaluronic acid (HA) is used as a targeting moiety on the surface of the nanoparticles (NP). The study focuses on formulating a Hyaluronic acid (HA) surface functionalized Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated with Paclitaxel (PTX) or Curcumin (CUR) to target CD44v expressed on breast cancer cells. HA surface functionalized NPs encapsulated with only PTX or in combination with CUR were treated against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We found that HA surface functionalized NPs with combination of PTX and CUR has substantially increased cytotoxicity compared to non-surface functionalized NPs and free drugs and 2.5-fold increased cellular uptake of NPs compared to free drugs. We also found that NFKB activity reduces significantly with the use of CUR with PTX. From the results, we can conclude that combination of drugs in HA surface functionalized NPs will be useful for breast cancer therapy.