Drug Design, Development and Therapy (Jun 2021)
Nanoscale Formulations: Incorporating Curcumin into Combination Strategies for the Treatment of Lung Cancer
Abstract
Quhui Wu,1 Huiping Ou,1 Yan Shang,1 Xi Zhang,1 Junyong Wu,2 Fuyuan Fan1 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Junyong WuDepartment of Pharmacy, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 139 Renming Road, Furong District, Changsha, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-15065430651Fax +86-0731-85295163Email [email protected] FanDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, No. 95 Shaoshan Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-15084740657Fax +86-0731-85600709Email [email protected]: Lung cancer remains the most common cancer worldwide. Although significant advances in screening have been made and early diagnosis strategies and therapeutic regimens have been developed, the overall survival rate remains bleak. Curcumin is extracted from the rhizomes of turmeric and exhibits a wide range of biological activities. In lung cancer, evidence has shown that curcumin can markedly inhibit tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, overcome resistance to therapy, and even eliminate cancer stem cells (CSCs). Herein, the underlying molecular mechanisms of curcumin were summarized by distinct biological processes. To solve the limiting factors that curtail the clinical applications of curcumin, nanoformulations encapsulating curcumin were surveyed in detail. Nanoparticles, including liposomes, micelles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanosuspensions, and nanoemulsions, were explored as proper carriers of curcumin. Moreover, it was firmly verified that curcumin has the ability to sensitize lung cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, and to various targeted therapies. Regarding the advantages and drawbacks of curcumin, we concluded that combination therapy based on nanoparticles would be the optimal approach to broaden the application of curcumin in the clinic in the near future.Keywords: nanoparticles, curcumin, lung cancer, combination therapy
