Nanoformulation based drug delivery is one of the most important research areas in the field of nanomedicine, which provides promising alternatives to the limitations of conventional chemotherapy. Nano drug delivery enables improved pharmacokinetic profile, bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency compared to the regular chemotherapeutic drugs. Herein, we have established a simple method for the synthesis of docetaxel (Dtx) encapsulated poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for targeted drug delivery to prostate cancer. AuNPs were synthesized by the citrate ion reduction method followed by functionalization with thiol-PEG-amine (SH-PEG-NH2). SH-PEG-NH2 functionalized AuNPs were conjugated with the targeting vehicle, folic acid (FA). The anticancer drug, Dtx was encapsulated within AuNPs by the non-covalent linkage method. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized nanoformulations were extensively characterized by various spectral and microscopic studies. HR-TEM indicates the average size of the AuNPs is 16 nm and the nanoformulations is 18 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of the Dtx is ~ 96% which is confirmed by the elemental mapping analysis. The in vitro drug release profile of Dtx and AuNPs nanoformulations were studied by the dialysis membrane method. The anticancer activity of docetaxel encapsulated AuNPs were evaluated with prostate cancer cell lines (PC3). The drug encapsulated nanoformulations reduced the cell viability to about 40% (40 µM concentration at 24, 48 and 72 h of treatment). The optical microscopy observation reveals that the damage of prostate cancer cells after exposure to Dtx encapsulated AuNPs. The good cytotoxic activity of the present nanoformulation against prostate cancer cell lines enables its application for targeted drug delivery to prostate cancer.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Cancer is the second leading causes of death worldwide and it is one of the fatal diseases that kill millions of people every year. It is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of cells and loss of apoptosis that generates an abnormal mass of cells or tumors. Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in men and the risk is higher over the age of 55-65. Currently, PCa is the second most common cancer, which causes death in men has a high prevalence with relatively lower cancer mortality risk compared to lung and colon cancer. Management of cancer remains an ongoing challenge in oncology as it is a pathophysiological and heterogeneous disease. The current treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy available for cancer therapies are inadequate due to the heterogeneity characteristics of cancer and spur demand for improved technologies. Nanotechnology is an emerging and potential platform that uses nanoparticles for the disease diagnosis to targeted drug delivery system (DDS). One of the most important active research fields of nanotechnology is nanomedicine, which provides solutions to the difficulties of conventional chemotherapy. Nanoformulation based drug delivery enhances the properties to improve the pharmacokinetics profile, bioavailability and these drug carriers increases the therapeutic efficiency compared to the regular chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, nanoformulated drugs help to overcome the lack of selectivity and adverse side effects of conventional chemotherapy. This review provides an overview of PCa drug delivery systems. A special emphasis is given to research work around the world in the development of nanoformulations for targeted drug delivery to PCa.