Nanocarrier-Enabled Delivery of Glucosinolates for Skin Cancer Prevention and Therapy.

Abstract

Skin cancer continues to pose a significant global health burden, with conventional therapeutic modalities limited by systemic toxicity, poor tumor selectivity, and the development of therapeutic resistance. Glucosinolates (GLs) and their hydrolyzed product, sulforaphane, have attracted considerable interest as chemopreventive and therapeutic agents owing to their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pleiotropic anticancer activities. However, the clinical translation of these phytochemicals is severely hindered by their chemical instability, rapid metabolism, and poor bioavailability. Nanocarrier systems, particularly biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles, offer a promising strategy to overcome these barriers by enhancing compound stability, improving bioavailability, and enabling tumor-targeted delivery via the enhanced permeability and retention effect. This review critically evaluates recent progress in the development of GL and sulforaphane-loaded nanocarriers, detailing their physicochemical properties, in vitro and in vivo anticancer efficacy, and safety profiles, highlighting their potential to advance more effective and less toxic therapeutic strategies for skin cancer prevention and treatment.