Title:Management of Glioblastoma Multiforme by Phytochemicals: Applications of Nanoparticle-Based Targeted Drug Delivery System
Volume: 22
Issue: 4
Author(s): Sayed M. Mumtaz, Gautam Bhardwaj, Shikha Goswami, Rajiv Kumar Tonk, Ramesh K. Goyal, Tareq Abu-Izneid and Faheem Hyder Pottoo*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. BOX 1982, Dammam 31441,Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
Glioblastoma multiforme, nanotechnology, nanomedicine, phytochemicals, targeted drug delivery, traditional medicine,
blood-brain tumor barrier.
Abstract: The Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM; grade IV astrocytoma) exhorts tumors of star-shaped
glial cells in the brain. It is a fast-growing tumor that spreads to nearby brain regions specifically to
cerebral hemispheres in frontal and temporal lobes. The etiology of GBM is unknown, but major risk
factors are genetic disorders like neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis, which develop the tumor in
the nervous system. The management of GBM with chemo-radiotherapy leads to resistance, and current
drug regimen like Temozolomide (TMZ) is less efficacious. The reasons behind the failure of
drugs are due to DNA alkylation in the cell cycle by enzyme DNA guanidase and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Naturally occurring bioactive compounds from plants referred as phytochemicals, serve as
vital sources for anti-cancer drugs. Some prototypical examples include taxol analogs, vinca alkaloids
(vincristine, vinblastine), podophyllotoxin analogs, camptothecin, curcumin, aloe-emodin, quercetin,
berberine etc. These phytochemicals often regulate diverse molecular pathways, which are implicated
in the growth and progression of cancers. However, the challenges posed by the presence of
BBB/BBTB to restrict the passage of these phytochemicals, culminates in their low bioavailability and
relative toxicity. In this review, we integrated nanotech as a novel drug delivery system to deliver phytochemicals
from traditional medicine to the specific site within the brain for the management of
GBM.
