Nguyen Hoang Khue Tu

By Nguyen Tu H.K.

Part of the book: Advances in Cancer Therapy

By Tu Nguyen

Drug delivery system (DDS) is an important challenge in medicine over the conventional drug delivery system in case of therapeutic efficacy. In recent years, due to the shortcomings of conventional chemotherapy such as poor bioavailability, low treatment index, and unclear side effects, the focus of drug development and research has shifted to new nanocarriers of chemotherapeutic drugs. By using biodegradable materials, nanocarriers generally have the advantages of good biocompatibility, low side effects, specific target, controlled release profile, and improved efficacy. There are many kinds of DDS such as lyposome, vesicle, peptide, gene, microchip, polysaccharide and so on being studied nowadays. Each DDS has the advantages and disadvantage. However, the materials made them are expensive and the preparation techniques sometimes are complicated. Moreover, those DDS are rarely shown the ability in drug delivery to target. In the study, nano sized bacterial minicells were showed to clarify the importance of this material in drug delivery and target therapy.

Part of the book: Drug Development and Safety [Working title]

By Tu Nguyen

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between oxidation and antioxidant responses caused by the accumulation of free radicals in the body. Cells produce free radicals that cause oxidative damage such as aging, atherosclerosis, arthritis, cancer, and neurological diseases. Antioxidants are substances that can neutralize free radicals, thereby reducing the damage to the body. Antioxidants are classified as synthetic and natural antioxidants. Natural products, mainly extracted from some medicinal plants, have strong antioxidant activity and low toxicity and side effects. Moreover, antioxidant activities are also detected in probiotics. Therefore, this chapter summarized the roles of antioxidants and then suggested antioxidants from natural sources have good prospects in the prevention and treatment of various diseases related to oxidative stress. In this study, antioxidant activities were mentioned in plants such as Basella alba, Cistanche sp., and representative probiotics such as Bifidobacterium breve ATCC 15700, Lactobacillus rhamnosus PN04, and Lactococcus lactis PN05 which could serve in DNA damage protection and cytotoxicity oriented for cancer treatment. With the results obtained in these medicinal herbs and probiotics, the antioxidant activities of more and more medicinal herbs and probiotics should be exploited in health care and pharmaceutical product development.

Part of the book: The Power of Antioxidants - Unleashing Nature's Defense Against Oxidative Stress [Working title]