avenue for the transport of nucleoside antitumor drugs. © 2020 Zhang et al.Introduction A novel biocomposite chitosan/graphite based on zinc-grafted mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CGZM-bio) was synthesized and the antibacterial activities of this compound along with that of Zn-MSN nanoparticles were investigated. Methods The CGZM-bio biocomposite was synthesized using sol-gel and post-synthesis method under UV radiation. The characterizations of the samples were carried out using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and nitrogen adsorption and desorption. The antibacterial activity was carried out against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) after 18 h at 310 K. Results The suspension samples of the Zn-MSN and CGZM-bio (2-100 µg.mL-1) presented antibacterial activities against S. aureus and E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against E. coli for the Zn-MSN and CGZM-bio samples were 10 and 5 µg.mL-1, respectively, while the MIC against S. aureus for both nanomaterials was 10 µg.mL-1. Discussion The antibacterial activities of these materials are due to the generation of radical oxygen species such as •OH, H2O2, and O2 2- during the UV radiation via the generation of the electron-hole pairs which in turn damage the bacteria cells. These nanomaterials may be used in biomedical devices as antibacterial agents. © 2020 Jamshidi and Sazegar.Purpose Lidocaine (LID) is a local anesthetic that is administered either by injection and/or a topical/transdermal route. However, there is a current need to develop efficacious methods for the oral delivery of LID with optimized bioavailability. Methods We developed oral LID biodegradable microspheres that were loaded with alginate-chitosan with different mass ratios, and characterized these microspheres in vitro. We also developed, and utilized, a simple and sensitive HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method for assaying LID microspheres. Results The mean particle size (MPS) of the LID microspheres ranged from 340.7 to 528.3 nm. As the concentration of alginate was reduced, there was a significant reduction in MPS. However, there was no significant change in drug entrapment efficiency (DEE), or drug yield, when the alginate concentration was either increased or decreased. DSC measurements demonstrated the successful loading of LID to the new formulations. After a slow initial release, less than 10% of the LID was released in vitro within 4 h at pH 1.2. In order to evaluate nephrotoxicity, we carried out MTT assays of LID in two types of cell line (LLC-PK1 and MDCK). LID significantly suppressed the cell toxicity of both cell lines at the concentrations tested (100, 200, and 400ng/µL). Conclusion Experiments involving the oral delivery of LID formulations showed a significant reduction in particle size and an improvement in dissolution rate. The formulations of LID developed exhibit significantly less toxicity than LID alone. © 2020 ALQuadeib et al.Aim Sequential treatment with paclitaxel (PTXL) and gemcitabine (GEM) is considered clinically beneficial for non-small-cell lung cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a nano-system capable of sequential release of PTXL and GEM within cancer cells. Methods PTXL-ss-poly(6-O-methacryloyl-d-galactopyranose)-GEM (PTXL-ss-PMAGP-GEM) was designed by conjugating PMAGP with PTXL via disulfide bonds (-ss-), while GEM via succinic anhydride (PTXLGEM=13). An amphiphilic block copolymer N-acetyl-d-glucosamine(NAG)-poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride)58-b-polystyrene130 acted as a targeting moiety and emulsifier in formation of nanostructures (NLCs). Results The PTXL-ss-PMAGP-GEM/NAG NLCs (119.6 nm) provided a sequential in vitro release of, first PTXL (redox-triggered), then GEM (pH-triggered). The redox- and pH-sensitive NLCs readily distributed homogenously in the cytoplasm. NAG augmented the uptake of NLCs by the cancer cells and tumor accumulation. PTXL-ss-PMAGP-GEM/NAG NLCs exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity in vitro and strongest antitumor effects in tumor-bearing mice compared to NLCs lacking pH/redox sensitivities or free drug combination. Conclusion This study demonstrated the abilities of PTXL-ss-PMAGP-GEM/NAG NLCs to achieve synergistic antitumor effect by targeted intracellularly sequential drug release. © 2020 Liang et al.[This corrects the article DOI 10.2147/IJN.S209325.]. © 2020 Tahir et al.Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma represents a major health problem with the related death numbers still increasing. Active targeting is considered an attractive choice for the development of selective therapeutics with limited side effects and improved efficiency. In this study, we report the design, development and evaluation of a novel dual-ligand functionalized core-shell chitosan-based nanocarrier for the selective delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Following factorial design experiments, DOX was initially complexed with negatively charged carboxymethyl chitosan-g-poly(acrylate) and then the complex was coated with a positively charged dual-ligand (lactobionic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid)-conjugated chitosan. The developed active targeting system was then tested in vitro on Hep-G2 cells using flow cytometry and fluorescence imaging. Results The obtained results proved the ability of the dual-ligand system to enhance the intracellular uptake of the drug by 4-fold and 8-fold after 4 hrs and 24 hrs of incubation, respectively. Pyrvinium clinical trial The efficiency of the dual-ligand functionalized nanoparticles was also tested in vivo on Wistar rats with induced liver tumors. Testing of serum biomarkers (albumin, creatinine, urea, alpha fetoprotein, ALT, AST and ALP) in addition to histopathological microscopic examination of liver, kidney and heart tissues confirmed the enhanced safety of the developed targeted nanocarrier system compared to the conventional DOX. Discussion The developed targeted system showed improved intracellular drug delivery and uptake as well as enhanced safety profile. The nanoparticles were formed based on electrostatic interactions providing the flexibility that allows their use as a model for delivery of other drugs and other targets. © 2020 Hefnawy et al.