Research & Review: Drugs and Drugs Development (e-ISSN: 2582-5720)

From Nature to Nurture: Herbal Compounds as Adjuvants in Cancer Chemotherapy

2026-02-25T09:54:26+00:00

The potential and difficulties of combining natural products with contemporary cancer treatments are highlighted in this article, which examines the use of herbal substances as adjuvants in chemotherapy. While chemotherapy remains a keystone in cancer management, its usefulness is sometimes restricted by substantial side effects, toxicity, and the development of medication resistance. The use of traditional herbal remedies offers a complementary approach, potentially enhancing therapeutic outcomes, alleviating adverse effects, and enhancing patients’ quality of life. The article reviews main classes of bioactive plant-based compounds—includes flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyphenols detailing their pharmacological mechanisms, anticancer activities, and effects on chemotherapy sensitivity. Prominent herbal agents such as curcumin, berberine, resveratrol, garlic, and ginger are discussed in terms of their molecular actions in tumor suppression, apoptosis induction, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulation. By synthesizing current evidence, the article underscores the potential of herbal adjuvants in contemporary oncology, advocating further clinical research to optimize their integration into standard cancer therapies.

Protein-Based Nanocarriers for Targeted Cancer Therapy

2026-04-01T10:07:32+00:00

Cancer continues to be a major global health concern, creating a need for targeted and efficient drug delivery systems that improve treatment outcomes while reducing side effects. Nanoparticles are increasingly being used for various applications, especially in delivering therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Numerous nanoparticle-based drug delivery approaches have been developed to treat cancer, and a wide range of materials have been tested to enhance the safety and effectiveness of anticancer drugs. Proteins and other natural biomolecules are considered better alternatives to synthetic polymers commonly used in drug formulations due to their safety and compatibility. In recent years, protein-based nanoparticles have gained attention as effective drug delivery carriers in cancer therapy because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to specifically target tumor cells. This review discusses the design, preparation, and evaluation of different protein-based nanostructures, such as albumin nanoparticles, lipoprotein carriers, ferritin nanocages, and virus-like particles. It also highlights the challenges and potential toxicity issues related to these nanocarriers and suggests possible solutions. Finally, the review summarizes current applications and prospects of protein nanoparticles in cancer treatment, emphasizing their potential to improve therapy by making it safer and more effective.

Lactose Tolerance: The Genetic Mystery Behind Milk Drinking

2026-02-09T12:08:47+00:00

Lactose tolerance, or the ability to digest lactose into adulthood, is one of the most prominent examples of recent human genetic evolution. In contrast to most other mammals, in which the activity of the lactase enzyme decreases post-weaning, some human populations have evolved lactase persistence, allowing for the lifelong consumption of milk and dairy products. The purpose of this study is to explore the genetic, evolutionary, and population dynamics behind lactose tolerance. This review integrates evidence from genome-wide association studies (GWAS), population genetics, and anthropology to examine the worldwide distribution of lactase persistence alleles. The results show a significant link between lactase persistence and past dairy cattle-keeping cultures, providing evidence for a gene-culture co-evolutionary model. Lactase persistence is believed to have evolved in Europe during the Neolithic transition, together with the domestication of animals and the development of agriculture. Independent adaptations also occurred in African and Middle Eastern pastoralist groups. Some important regulatory single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that play a crucial role in the persistence of lactase expression in adulthood are found upstream of the LCT gene, especially −13910T and −14010C. The distribution of these variants differs considerably among different populations, which is a result of different evolutionary pressures driven by dietary selection. Besides genetic factors, epigenetics and gene-environment interactions could also affect lactase activity. In conclusion, this study illustrates the intricate dynamics among genetic transmission, dietary practices, and natural selection in the evolution of human nutritional adaptation. The evolutionary origins of lactose tolerance provide important information on human population diversity, evolution, and contemporary health aspects of lactose intolerance.