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E u r o S c i C o n C o n f e r e n c e o n
Nanotechnology &
Smart Materials
Nano Research & Applications
ISSN 2471-9838
O c t o b e r 0 4 - 0 6 , 2 0 1 8
Am s t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s
Nanotechnology & Smart Materials 2018
Page 47
C
ancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. The acquired
resistance of chemotherapy necessitates using new approaches for
anticancer drug discovery. There is growing interest in using plants as a source of
anticancer agents due to their minimal toxicity to normal cells. Non-specific drug
targeting and the many challenges faced by anticancer drug delivery have been
overcome by nano formulations of these drugs. Thymoquinone has been shown
to inhibit cancer progression selectively in many cancer systems both
in vitro
and
in vivo. Despite the promising anticancer properties of TQ, its clinical translation is
halted by its hydrophobicity, poor bioavailability, limited solubility and high binding
capacity to plasma proteins. This can prevent TQ from reaching its targeted
tumor sites. Several (TQ-NP) formulations have been shown to have enhanced
anticancer activities in comparison to free TQ. We have recently described a novel
TQ formulation that has improved activity over free TQ in breast cancer cell lines.
The efficacy of the TQ-NP formulation depended on the time for drug uptake,
drug concentrations, route of entry and trafficking and cellular interactions.
In this presentation, I will focus on the different nanoparticle formulations of
the anticancer compound Thymoquinone (TQ-NP) derived from black seed.
I will discuss the characteristics and applications of these TQ-NP formulations
and highlight the successes and limitations for developing biologically relevant
models.
Biography
Hala Muhtasib is Professor of Cell Biology at the American
University of Beirut. She received her PhD from Kansas State
University, USA in 1990. Her research interests are in cancer
chemotherapy and anticancer mechanisms of plant-derived
compounds. She has over 90 publications in peer-reviewed
journals and is the recipient of four research achievement
awards.
amro@aub.edu.lbThymoquinone-based nanoformulations
for cancer treatment
Hala Gali-Muhtasib
American University of Beirut, Lebanese Republic
Hala Gali-Muhtasib, Nano Res Appl Volume:4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-9838-C6-023