Controlled release

Cervical cancer is a leading global health burden, especially in the context of low- and middle-income countries where screening and vaccination coverage are still low. Although prevention strategies have improved; however, the case for effective treatment modalities remain. Cervical cancer has undergone significant changes in its management since the introduction of multiple therapeutic options over the years. Management of early-stage disease can entail surgical options including conization, hysterectomy, trachelectomy, and pelvic exenteration. Radiotherapy with external beam radiation or brachytherapy remains fundamental to treatment and is frequently administered alongside chemotherapy aimed at improving sensitivity. For locally advanced and metastatic disease, chemotherapy (especially platinum-based regimens) is still the mainstay of treatment, and newer targeted therapies appear effective. In the last few years, immunotherapy has appeared as a revolutionary strategy, among the immune checkpoint inhibitors, therapeutic vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies showed promising results. Moreover, novel targeted therapeutics and combination approaches are being investigated in clinical trials, ushering in an era of personalized medicine for the cervical cancer patient population. Although these advancements lead to improved outcomes for patients, issues related to treatment selection, quality of life, fertility preservation, and access to care continue to be of utmost importance. This review summarizes the status of lock-in treatments in cervical cancer, illustrating both current use and future directions for established and emerging lock-in therapies, with an eye on their real-world clinical implementation and future directions.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) constitutes a significant global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where late-stage diagnoses and therapeutic resistance are prevalent. Conventional treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, are constrained by substantial toxicity, disfigurement, and the emergence of drug resistance. This systematic review evaluates the therapeutic potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in oral cancer therapy by analyzing 42 preclinical studies published between 2013 and 2025. AgNPs demonstrate multifaceted anticancer activity through polypharmacological mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial disruption, DNA damage, and induction of apoptosis via both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Additional effects include anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic, and immunomodulatory properties. AgNPs exhibit selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells, which is enhanced by their nanoscale dimensions and targeted surface functionalization with ligands such as folic acid. Green synthesis methods provide cost-effective and biocompatible alternatives to conventional chemical synthesis, although issues with batch reproducibility and clinical scalability remain. While in vitro and in vivo studies indicate promising efficacy, concerns persist regarding long-term toxicity, bioaccumulation, and regulatory approval. To date, no AgNP-based formulations have advanced to clinical trials for OSCC. This review highlights critical knowledge gaps and outlines future research priorities to optimize AgNP synthesis, ensure safety, and facilitate clinical translation. AgNPs thus represent a promising multifunctional nanomedicine platform with the potential to advance oral cancer therapeutics through targeted, sustainable, and synergistic strategies.

The need for alternative drug delivery methods that enhance patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy has been brought to light by the rising incidence of diabetes mellitus and the drawbacks of traditional oral therapy. In order to improve bioavailability by avoiding first-pass metabolism, this study concentrated on the formulation, development, and assessment of mucoadhesive buccal tablets of metformin hydrochloride. Using the direct compression method, five formulations (F1–F5) were created with different concentrations of the mucoadhesive polymers sodium alginate, HPMC, and carbopol 934. Physical characteristics, mucoadhesive strength, swelling index, surface pH, uniformity of drug content, and in-vitro drug release over an 8-hour period were all assessed for the tablets. With the best mechanical strength, the highest mucoadhesion (30.4 g), the most sustained drug release (93.7%), and controlled swelling (68%), formulation F5 outperformed the others. Significant variations between formulations were validated by statistical analysis employing ANOVA and Tukey HSD, confirming the influence of polymer concentration on drug release kinetics. According to the study's findings, mucoadhesive buccal tablets present a viable and patient-friendly substitute for the regulated administration of medications such as metformin hydrochloride, which are used to treat diabetes.