Chitosan-Based Nano Systems for Natural Antioxidants in Breast Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Breast cancer is a major cause of death globally, accounting for around 13% of all deaths. Chemotherapy, the common treatment for cancer, can have side effects that lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an increase in oxidative stress in the body. Antioxidants are important for maintaining the health of cells and helping the immune system function properly. They play a crucial role in balancing the body’s internal environment. Using natural antioxidants is an alternative to mitigate the harmful effects of oxidative stress. However, around 80% of natural antioxidants have limited effectiveness when taken orally because they do not dissolve well in water or other solvents. This poor solubility affects their ability to be absorbed by the body and limits their bioavailability. One strategy that has been considered is to increase their water solubility to increase their oral bioavailability. Chitosan-based nanoparticle (CSNP) systems have been extensively explored due to their reliability and simpler synthesis routes. This review focuses on the various methods of chitosan-based nanoformulation for developing effective oral dosage forms for natural antioxidants based on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties. Chitosan (CS) could be a model, because of its wide use in polymeric NPs research, thus providing a better understanding of the role of vehicles that carry natural antioxidants in maintaining the stability and enhancing the performance of cancer drugs.

Biological Roles and Clinical Applications of Exosomes in Breast Cancer: A Brief Review

“…Although a variety of treatments are already used for the treatment of cancer, more treatments still need to be developed [120][121][122][123]. Exosomes are independent units with a complete membrane structure.…”

A Review of Recent Developments in Biopolymer Nano-Based Drug Delivery Systems with Antioxidative Properties: Insights into the Last Five Years

“…Chitosan is a biopolymer derived from chitin, which is found in the shells of crustaceans. Chitosan-based formulations have been used for the delivery of a variety of drugs, including antibiotics, anticancer agents, and growth factors [62,63]. Chitosan can be formulated into nanoparticles, microspheres, or hydrogels, which can control the release of drugs over a period of hours to weeks [64].…”

Chitosan in Oral Drug Delivery Formulations: A Review

“…It enables researchers to design drug formulations that can withstand the acidic environment of the stomach and optimize drug release and absorption in the intestines. There are more challenges to contemplate, such as [28][29][30][31][32], which are as follows:…”

“…It enables researchers to design drug formulations that can withstand the acidic environment of the stomach and optimize drug release and absorption in the intestines. There are more challenges to contemplate, such as [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ], which are as follows: The risk of the administered medicine becoming unstable is increased by the presence of digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. In the context of using large molecules, such as proteins, and nucleic acids, this is a particularly significant concern.…”