curcumin and hypericin

Atherosclerosis (AS), a chronic arterial disease, is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several treatment modalities have been demonstrated to be effective in treating AS; however, the mortality rate due to AS remains high. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a promising new treatment using low-intensity ultrasound in combination with sonosensitizers. Although SDT was developed from photodynamic therapy (PDT), it has a stronger tissue-penetrating capability and exhibits a more focused effect on the target lesional site requiring treatment. Furthermore, SDT has been demonstrated to suppress the formation of atheromatous plaques, and it can increase plaque stability both in vitro and in vivo. In this article, we critically summarize the recent literature on SDT, focusing on its possible mechanism of action as well as the existing and newly discovered sonosensitizers and chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of AS.

Topics: Animals; Anthracenes; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Atherosclerosis; Berberine; Cell Death; Chalcone; Curcumin; Emodin; Humans; Inflammation; Macrophages; Matrix Metalloproteinases; Mice; Neoplasms; Perylene; Photochemotherapy; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Quinones; Reactive Oxygen Species; THP-1 Cells; Ultrasonic Therapy

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) are natural occurring vehicles attractive for drug delivery and targeting tumor cells. Here we have investigated the encapsulation and interaction of a well-known anticancer agent curcumin with LDL and HDL. LDL particles have been found to accumulate more curcumin molecules inside their structure than HDL. The chemical stability of curcumin is enhanced and its photo-physical properties are altered due to encapsulation inside both lipoproteins. Combining photodynamic therapy with chemotherapy can improve anticancer treatment by overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy. Therefore, we have also investigated a co-loading of curcumin with a natural potent photosensitizer hypericin into molecules of LDL using fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The loading patterns of curcumin and hypericin into LDL particles were found to be different as revealed by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments. Present study illustrates the potential of LDL nanoparticles in combination therapy because of simultaneous loading of more than one type of drugs into these nanoparticles with high level of efficiency.

Topics: Anthracenes; Antineoplastic Agents; Curcumin; Drug Delivery Systems; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; Lipoproteins, HDL; Lipoproteins, LDL; Perylene; Photosensitizing Agents