Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy: Recent Trends in Application of Nanotechnology for Enhanced Delivery

• Main Authors: Hussein O. Ammar, Rehab N. Shamma, Rasha S. E. Elbatanony, Basma Khater
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Österreichische Apotheker-Verlagsgesellschaft m. b. H. 2020-01-01
• Series: Scientia Pharmaceutica
• Subjects: nanotechnology; antioxidants; cancer therapy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2218-0532/88/1/5

Recently, the occurrence of cancer has significantly increased; it represents the second-most frequent cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Many dietary antioxidants have shown large impact as effective agents for cancer prevention by reducing oxidative stress, which has been a part in the development of many diseases, including cancer. One of the obstacles in the delivery of antioxidant therapies into the required domain lies in the inadequate delivery of these agents to their intended site of action. Using nanotechnology in delivery of antioxidants leads to increased therapeutic index and higher drug concentration in tumor tissues, thus enhancing anticancer treatment. In this review, we discuss the role of different antioxidants in cancer therapy and their improved therapeutic effect through their formulation using nanotechnology.