Approaches of Prodrug Designing to Treat Cancer, Neurodegenerative Disorders and Viral Diseases

Classical prodrug design is a sweeping approach to throw away futile side effects related to drug therapy. The main purpose of prodrug designing is to ameliorate physicochemical, pharmaceutical, and pharmacokinetic characteristics of particular compounds to resolve issues like formulation, delivery to the target site, and toxicity limitations. To fabricate the pharmacological action in CNS, drugs must cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Therefore, prodrug strategies are designed which include lipidization and the use of carriers and transporters. In this article, we have reviewed different anticancer, neuroprotective, and antiviral prodrugs. Flurbiprofen prodrugs, glycosylated prodrugs, resveratrol prodrugs, levodopa, etc., are mapped out for neurodegenerative disorders in CNS. Due to the poor oral pharmacokinetic properties of antiviral agents, drug design methods are performed by combining the parent drug molecule with a number of active components such as dipeptide esters, amino acids, nucleosides, and macromolecular-based prodrugs.

Conventional and Novel Treatment Strategies to Combat COVID-19 along with Review of most Affected Countries

This review illustrates a comparison of currently implemented strategies and the need of a novel technique to cure the COVID-19. Current strategies served a lot to cope up with the situation by decreasing the rate of fatalities i.e. some FDA approved drugs and giving immunity by the plasma proteins of cured patients, however these approaches could not eliminate the pandemic from the society emphasizing that some advance technology need to be considered in order to fight with SARS-COV-2 virus. CRISPR-Cas based approach to inactivate the virus before its fusion with host DNA has been successful in in-vitro studies performed at Stanford University along with SHERLOCK & MAMMOTH biosciences who were able to degrade 80 % viral genome. Here we have also done a literature review of major affected countries China, Italy, United states, and India.

Design of Hollow Nanocapsules and their Applications in Biomedical Imaging

Different nanocarrier systems owing to their nano size, increased surface area and unique electrical and magnetic properties are employed for biomedical applications. Among the various nanocarrier systems, hollow nanocapsules are one of the most interesting carrier systems for thier use in bioimaging and biomedical applications. The unique properties of hollow nanocapsules make them suitable for use in bioimaging. In this article hollow nanocpsules have been classified into four classes based on thier composition: (i) liposomes, (ii) polmersomes and other polymeric hollow nanocapsules, (iii) metallic hollow nanocapsules and (iv) others. The formation and design of these hollow nanocapsules and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications using different agents/imaging probes and imaging modalities is discussed briefly. Hollow nanocapsules have revolutionized the field of biomedical imaging.

Organ Specific Toxicity of Single and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: A Review

Carbon nanotubes are one of the most widely investigated carbon structures because of variety of physicochemical features offered by them. Their dimensions, surface chemistry and functionalization opportunities make them exceptional carrier for targeted drug delivery gene therapy, diagnosis and cell imaging. Both single and multi-walled CNTs have been functionalized for therapeutic applications. However, these structures have been associated with potential in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic effects. Such toxicities have been described to involve both cellular and subcellular mechanisms. Major organs that have shown significant CNTs related toxic effects include lungs, brain, heart, kidney, liver and skin. This review focuses on the potential toxicological effects of single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and functionalization on these organs and associated mechanisms of toxicity

Fragment-Based Approach towards the Design of Potent and Versatile Anti-Cancer Agents

Despite years of clinical research and trials of encouraging new therapies, cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The fragment-based drug discovery has evolved formerly as an efficient approach for identification, optimization, and generation of lead. After identifying the fragments having binding affinity with the target using computational method for fragment screening, they are optimized into more active compounds. This review elaborates the application of methodology of fragment-based drug design in designing potent and versatile anti-cancer drug candidates. It comprises of details such as construction of fragment library and screening, principles of library design, fragment hit identification, fragment to lead optimization, deconstruction and reconstruction approach, unified fragment based QSAR technique, phytochemical and pharmacophoric fragment based drug development and FBDD based targeting of epigenetic regulators in cancer. The agents discussed include STAT-3 inhibitor, vemurafenib, pazopanib, TAS-116 HSP-90 α/β inhibitor, pexidartinib, venetoclax and erdafitinib, FBDD based designed Anticancer Agents.

A Comprehensive Insights of the Multiple Dose Regimen

A multiple dose regimen is a concept that is used for certain diseases as arthritis, heart diseases etc. It is used to increase the therapeutic activity and clinical efficacy of the drugs. Drugs are usually used in single doses to produce acute effect but in cases where chronic affect is required multiple dosage regimen is required. Designing the dosage regimen and maintaining the drug concentration in blood plasma after administration are the primary goals to achieve safety and efficacy. That is to maintain drug concentration in therapeutic window. Moreover, the IV infusion and continuous IV diffusion is reviewed.

Current Pharmaceutical Options for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease that describes the joints persistent inflammation and tendon sheets synovial lining. The primary symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are stiffness, pain, and swelling of peripheral joints. Persistent inflammation results in many systemic and extra-articular manifestations involving many organ systems. Rheumatoid arthritis treatment goals are symptomatic management of pain, stiffness and restricted mobility. NSAIDs are commonly prescribed for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Analgesic effects of NSAIDs are based mainly on the inhibition of COX-enzyme and consequently the production of prostaglandins.

A Review of Novel Techniques for Nanoparticles Preparation

Various types of material are produced by using nanotechnology techniques at nano scale level. Nanoparticle is wide class of nanotechnology having one dimension and particle size less than 100 nm. Nano particles has wide range of application in the field of biomedical because a large number of nano materials such as nano carriers, nanotubes, nanowires and nanorods have been developed. In this review our main focus is to discuss different methods for the preparation of nanoparticles.

Bio-Adhesive Nanomedicine for Targeted Drug Delivery

The bio/muco-adhesive auxiliary agents are considered as a promising strategy for the administration of various challenging drugs including peptides, proteins and oligosaccharides therapeutics. The delivery of such therapeutics is hampered due to rapid degradation, restricted uptake, short residence time, poor solubility and limited half-life. The recent emergence of nanomedicine based on bio/mucoadhesive auxiliary agents is offering new avenues to overcome these drawbacks. Hence, it is important to understand the mechanism of nanoscale bio/mucoadhesion, protocols for investigating bio/mucoadhesive potential at nanoscale. This chapter is an endeavor to focus on the mechanism of bio adhesion and the bio/mucoadhesive auxiliary agents that are used in the design of the targeted oral, nasal, ocular, vaginal, and buccal nanomedicine with their properties that affect the bio/mucoadhesion.

Carbon Nanotubes: A Brief Review on Its Use for Biomedical Imaging Purpose

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) belong to the fullerene family, also known as graphene. These graphenes are similar to the graphite sheets and when these are turn up in the cylindrical form they are known as carbon nanotubes. Currently, the most common methods used for CNTs preparation are: Electric-arc-discharge methods, Chemical-vapor-deposition method and Laserablation method. In order to cross the cell membrane, functionalization of the pristine CNTs is performed. Because of the sp2 hybridization and closely packed hexagons in their structure, functionalization of the pristine CNTs can be done easily with either therapeutic agent or the imaging agent. They have wide applications in the field of bio-imaging because of their intrinsic optical, mechanical and electrical properties. They can be used as efficient contrast agents and the biosensors as well as efficient carriers for the delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents.