{"title":"Mitochondria-targeted nanocarriers for smart response delivery of natural products: a review.","authors":"Jiansheng Cao, Wenfei Lu, Ying Lv, Meng Li, Ye Tang, Yufei Feng","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2611940","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2611940","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondrial dysfunction is closely associated with the onset and progression of various major diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The design of smart nanomaterial-natural product composite systems offers an innovative strategy for multifunctional nanocarriers. These smart carriers not only enable precise, controlled release of active components at specific mitochondrial targets but also provide novel technical support for natural products to overcome various barriers encountered during <i>in vivo</i> administration, thereby enhancing bioavailability. This review systematically summarises the latest research advances in mitochondria-targeted nano-drug delivery systems based on smart responsive principles for delivering natural products. It focuses on exploring the design principles, mechanisms of action, and representative applications of various responsive systems (including pH-, enzyme-, redox-, temperature-, light-, magnetic-, and ultrasound-responsive systems). Furthermore, existing challenges and unexplored therapeutic opportunities through interdisciplinary strategies integrating AI technology, CRISPR gene editing, and biomimetic materials are also highlighted and discussed to inspire the next generation of mitochondrial-targeted nanotherapeutics.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1116-1132"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145933393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2026.2613054
Ruolan Wu, Yuan Wu
{"title":"SKQ1: a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant with therapeutic potential.","authors":"Ruolan Wu, Yuan Wu","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2613054","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2613054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondria-targeted antioxidants can selectively accumulate within mitochondria at low doses, thereby significantly enhancing therapeutic efficiency while minimising potential side effects. SKQ1, a novel mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, operates through a well-defined mechanism: a lipophilic cation enables mitochondrial targeting, while plastoquinone exerts antioxidant activity. SKQ1 primarily exerts its potent antioxidative effects by directly neutralising reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby protecting mitochondrial function. Numerous studies have explored the biological functions of SKQ1, identifying its significant potential in anti-ageing, immune regulation, and antimicrobial activity. In this review, we summarise all available therapeutic evidence of SKQ1. We propose that SKQ1 represents a promising candidate for treating mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases; however, its safety profile warrants further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1133-1146"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145911718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nanovesicles-enabled concurrent delivery of cyclosporine and Vitamin D for topical treatment of psoriasis.","authors":"Kailas Moravkar, Vishakha Ipar, Kalpesh R Patil, Shailesh Chalikwar, Pradip Nirbhavane","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2604148","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2604148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease, which affects the quality of life of patients. Cyclosporine (Cys-A) & Vitamin D (Vit D<sub>3</sub>) are crucial drugs used in the treatment of the disease. They are mainly administered <i>via</i> oral dosage forms for the treatment of psoriasis. However, their conventional dosage forms suffer from low oral bioavailability, along with systemic adverse effects. Developing the topical dosage forms of these drugs can be advantageous to overcome the problems associated with conventional therapy. Hence, ethosomes (ETH) were developed for the simultaneous administration of both the drugs. The particle size of the developed ethosomes was found to be 120.8 <b>±</b> 5.6 nm, zeta potential value was found to be -24.7 ± 1.5 and entrapment efficiency was found to be 74.8 ± 1.52% & 80 ± 1.8% respectively, for Cys-A and Vit D<sub>3</sub>. <i>In vitro</i> drug release studies exhibited drug release of about 74% and 78% for Cys-A & Vit D<sub>3,</sub> respectively. Skin permeation studies demonstrated significantly higher drug permeation of ETH gel for Cys-A & Vit-D<sub>3</sub> (71.6% and 72.2% respectively) than the conventional gel formulation (52.9% and 54.8% respectively). A cytotoxicity study conducted on the HaCaT cell line showed no cytotoxicity with ≥ 90% of cell viability. The therapeutic efficacy of the formulation tested on the <i>in-vivo</i> antipsoriatic rat model demonstrated comparable efficacy to that of the marketed formulation and the signs of inflammation were reverted within 14 days.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1234-1245"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145756777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nanomedicines: an update of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in multiple cancers.","authors":"Sani Jaysing Shinde, Priyanka, Manju Jakhar, Isha Arora, Deepika Sehgal, Mahak, Anupama Kumari, Tamanna Dhiman, Priya, Narender Kumar, Vishal Kumar, Sunny Kumar","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2613059","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2613059","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer remains a major global health challenge, with existing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies often limited by poor selectivity, systemic toxicity and resistance. Nanomedicine - a convergence of nanotechnology and molecular medicine - offers promising solutions to these limitations by enabling more precise cancer diagnosis and effective treatment. Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) such as liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers and metallic NPs have been widely studied for their ability to deliver therapeutic agents or genetic materials directly to tumours. NPs can exploit the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect for passive targeting and can be further functionalised with ligands for active targeting of tumour-specific markers such as EGFR, HER2 or folate receptors. In diagnostics, nanoprobes and nanobiosensors enable high-resolution imaging modalities including MRI, PET and optical imaging, allowing early tumour detection and real-time monitoring. Moreover, multifunctional theranostic NPs integrate both therapeutic and diagnostic functions in a single platform. Recent innovations also include nanocarriers for RNA interference, CRISPR-Cas9 delivery and stimuli-responsive drug release. Additionally, NPs are being explored for photothermal therapy (PTT) and radio-sensitisation to further enhance treatment outcomes. This review summarises recent progress in nanomedicine applications across multiple cancer types - lung, breast, brain, liver and gastrointestinal - and correlates these developments with tumour biology and microenvironmental factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1147-1180"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145900586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2026.2620707
Surya Nath Pandey, Muhammad Afzal, Kavita Goyal, Rekha M M, Priya Priyadarshini Nayak, Mudasir Maqbool, Yumna Khan, Chandana Maji, Gaurav Gupta, Sami I Alzarea, Imran Kazmi, Md Sadique Hussain
{"title":"The role of MSC-derived exosomes in immune modulation and regenerative medicine.","authors":"Surya Nath Pandey, Muhammad Afzal, Kavita Goyal, Rekha M M, Priya Priyadarshini Nayak, Mudasir Maqbool, Yumna Khan, Chandana Maji, Gaurav Gupta, Sami I Alzarea, Imran Kazmi, Md Sadique Hussain","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2620707","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2620707","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes have emerged as promising cell-free therapeutic agents in immunomodulation and regenerative medicine. These extracellular vesicles transport bioactive lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids that mediate intercellular communication.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This narrative review summarizes current strategies for isolating MSC-derived exosomes, including ultracentrifugation, size-exclusion chromatography, and immunoaffinity capture, and evaluates their functional cargo and therapeutic applications.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>MSC-derived exosomes exhibit potent immunomodulatory effects, including suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, expansion of regulatory T cells, and promotion of anti-inflammatory microenvironments. They demonstrate therapeutic potential across autoimmune, cardiovascular, oncologic, and neurodegenerative disease models. Engineered exosomes further show promise as targeted drug-delivery systems, particularly in oncology, by enhancing drug bioavailability and overcoming chemoresistance. Compared with MSC-based therapies, exosomes offer advantages such as reduced safety concerns and improved stability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>By integrating cargo-specific immune modulation with organ-specific regenerative outcomes, MSC-derived exosomes represent a versatile therapeutic platform. Standardized purification methods and further clinical studies are essential to advance their translational and clinical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1181-1199"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146029768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Venlafaxine suppressed PD-L1 expression through oxidative stress and improved anti-tumour immune responses in melanoma mice.","authors":"Mingyu Mo, Lirui Liang, Kairun Li, Weiwei Ren, Yuqing Wei, Mengyu Lei, Aoyuan Fan, Panpan Guo, Sheng Guo, Yongxi Zhang, Huijie Jia, Tiesuo Zhao","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2609200","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2609200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Melanoma is an aggressive cutaneous malignancy characterised by high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in melanoma pathogenesis, as tumour cells exploit reactive oxygen species (ROS) to promote survival, drive progression, and regulate critical signalling pathways-including the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), a key immune checkpoint molecule that facilitates immune evasion. This study aimed to investigate whether venlafaxine, a compound with known biological activities, could modulate oxidative stress to suppress PD-L1 expression and enhance anti-tumour immune responses in melanoma. <i>In vitro</i> experiments demonstrated that venlafaxine significantly inhibited melanoma cell proliferation and migration, accompanied by a marked reduction in intracellular ROS production and altered expression of PD-L1-related proteins. In a murine melanoma model, venlafaxine administration effectively retarded tumour growth, downregulated PD-L1 levels in tumour tissues, promoted the infiltration of T lymphocytes into the tumour microenvironment, and increased the proportion of T lymphocytes in the spleen. Collectively, these findings indicate that venlafaxine exerts anti-melanoma effects by mitigating ROS release and potentiating anti-tumour immune responses, thereby highlighting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for melanoma treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1291-1300"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145810071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2025.2600101
Marco Vigo, Sujey Palma-Florez, Rita Grimalt-Mirada, Marina Placci, Andrés Crespo, Marina I Giannotti, Anna Lagunas, Mònica Mir, Josep Samitier, Silvia Muro
{"title":"ICAM-1 targeting of nanocarriers in a human blood-brain-barrier-on-a-chip complements <i>in vivo</i> brain delivery observations.","authors":"Marco Vigo, Sujey Palma-Florez, Rita Grimalt-Mirada, Marina Placci, Andrés Crespo, Marina I Giannotti, Anna Lagunas, Mònica Mir, Josep Samitier, Silvia Muro","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2600101","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2600101","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Targeting therapeutic nanocarriers (NCs) to endothelial receptors favours transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a main obstacle to access the brain. While these strategies compel validation in animals, quantitative sub-cellular resolution is non-viable <i>in vivo</i>. BBB-on-chip (BBB-oC) devices can help. Illustrating this, we used a BBB-oC comprising a lateral channel containing a human brain endothelial lining and a central chamber containing hydrogel-embedded pericytes and astrocytes. We studied NCs targeting intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a cell-surface protein overexpressed in pathology and involved in CAM-mediated transport. Brain access was validated <i>in vivo</i> after injection of NCs coated with anti-ICAM-1 <i>vs</i>. control IgG. ICAM-1 expression was verified <i>in vitro</i> using endothelial cells, pericytes, and astrocytes (756-, 511-, 690-fold over non-specific signal under TNFα). VE-cadherin presence and lack of dextran leakage demonstrated a restrictive BBB-oC barrier. Data showed endothelial targeting of anti-ICAM-1 NCs (428 NCs/cell at 1 h), uptake (60% of cell-interacting NCs), and transcytosis (90%; 24 h) downregulated by a CAM-pathway inhibitor (88% decay; 1 h). Non-transcyosed NCs trafficked to lysosomes, while transcytosed NCs interacted with pericytes and astrocytes (2643 NCs/cell; 24 h) and entered them (90% of transcytosed NCs). This BBB-oC represents a valuable model to evaluate ICAM-1-mediated transcytosis, complementing animal studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1210-1223"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13231930/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145701136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-04-09DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2025.2596083
Yan Cheng
{"title":"Exploring chitosan/clay microparticles enriched with fenugreek extract as a potential treatment strategy for infectious diarrhea: preclinical investigation.","authors":"Yan Cheng","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2596083","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2025.2596083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to develop a new delivery system, Fenugreek extract loaded into chitosan/clay particles, to treat bacterial diarrhoea in a rat model. Microstructure studies, cell viability assay, release assay, antibacterial assay, and anti-inflammatory assay were performed to characterise the delivery system <i>in vitro</i>. The submicron-sized particles were non-toxic to intestinal epithelial cells. The animals receiving the Fenugreek extract-loaded chitosan/clay particles had significantly less defaecation frequency, stool water content, and weight loss <i>in vivo</i>. Their blood parameters (complete blood count and blood electrolytes levels) were improved. The histopathological examination revealed significantly lower mucus-filled Goblet cells. The results from enzyme-linked immunoassay showed that the Fenugreek extract-delivering microparticles reduced the tissue level of TNF-a, IL1, and IL6, while the tissue level of IL10 was found to be increased. The developed delivery system might have potential for clinical use in the treatment of bacterial diarrhoea.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1200-1209"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145661367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2026.2621844
Wenxue Jin, Marwa H Elkarmalawy, Amr Gamal Fouad, Amany Belal, Alaa Ismail, Mohamed A M Ali, Nisreen Khalid Aref Albezrah, Samar F Miski, Fatma I Abo El-Ela, Marwa M Nagib
{"title":"Design, optimization, and <i>in vivo</i> assessment of <i>in situ</i> pH-sensitive quercetin transbilosomes for the treatment of diabetes mellitus-associated heart failure.","authors":"Wenxue Jin, Marwa H Elkarmalawy, Amr Gamal Fouad, Amany Belal, Alaa Ismail, Mohamed A M Ali, Nisreen Khalid Aref Albezrah, Samar F Miski, Fatma I Abo El-Ela, Marwa M Nagib","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2621844","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2621844","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quercetin (QCT) is an effective flavonoid that offers protection against diabetes mellitus-associated heart failure (HF) due to its antioxidant properties. The effectiveness of QCT is, however, constrained by its low bioavailability and poor solubility. An in-situ pH-sensitive formulation of QCT-loaded transbilosomes (IPSQLT) was developed for nasal administration. This formulation aims to enhance sustainability, bioavailability, permeability, and the effectiveness of QCT in treating diabetes-associated HF. To determine the optimal QLT formulation, various formulations were developed using the Box-Behnken design. The IPSQLT formulation was developed by incorporating an optimal QLT formulation along with chitosan and glyceryl monooleate. The <i>in vivo</i> study employed an experimental diabetes and HF-induced rat model to evaluate the bioavailability and effectiveness of the IPSQLT formulation. The IPSQLT formulation enhanced QCT's sustainability, permeability, and bioavailability by 60.64%, 7.11 times, and 7.37 times, respectively, compared to free QCT. The nasal IPSQLT formulation significantly reduced levels of glucose, LDH, CK-MB, troponin-1, and MDA compared to the positive control group, with reductions of 92.52%, 97.89%, 93.22%, 97.60%, and 98.79%, respectively. Additionally, IPSQLT elevated the levels of GSH, SOD, and CAT by 3.41-fold, 3.13-fold, and 3.13-fold, respectively. These findings suggest that nasal IPSQLT could serve as a potential treatment option for diabetes-associated heart failure.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1359-1375"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146040871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Drug TargetingPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2026.2614975
Mohd Shoab Ali, Tenzin Sonam Dongsar, Niladri Haldar, Virendra Gajbhiye, Mohd Aqil, Prashant Kesharwani
{"title":"Triphenylphosphonium-functionalised cubosomes for mitochondrial-targeted delivery of 5-fluorouracil and lycopene in skin cancer therapy.","authors":"Mohd Shoab Ali, Tenzin Sonam Dongsar, Niladri Haldar, Virendra Gajbhiye, Mohd Aqil, Prashant Kesharwani","doi":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2614975","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1061186X.2026.2614975","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The importance of mitochondria in cancer is undeniable, as they serve as a vital centre for energy metabolism and regulating apoptosis. Herein, we engineered cubosomes as a nanocarrier with encapsulation of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil and an antioxidant with reported antitumor activity, lycopene. The formulation was fabricated by utilising glyceryl monooleate, oleic acid, and polaxamer-407, facilitating simultaneous encapsulation of hydrophobic lycopene and hydrophilic 5-fluorouracil. To target mitochondria, the nanoparticle surface was decorated with triphenylphosphine, a lipophilic cation known to gather within the negatively charged mitochondrial membrane. Physicochemical evaluation verified nanoscale particle size (158.7 nm), uniform distribution (0.2482 PDI), and high encapsulation efficiency (79 <b>±</b> 5.2% for 5-FU and 85 <b>±</b> 7.1% for lycopene). The synergistic impact of 5-FU-induced DNA synthesis suppression and lycopene-mediated mitochondrial oxidative stress was augmented by TPP-driven mitochondrial accumulation, resulting in significant apoptotic activity in cancer cells, as confirmed in <i>in vitro</i> cytotoxicity assays and <i>in vivo</i> animal studies. These findings highlight the potential of synergism of 5-FU and lycopene in skin cancer and also the potential of TPP-functionalised entrapped dual-drug-loaded cubosomes in mitochondrial targeting of skin cancerous cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":15573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Drug Targeting","volume":" ","pages":"1334-1358"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145959572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}