Table 4.

Drug delivery systems for the efficient encapsulation and enhanced anticancer effect of natural compounds.

Natural Compound	Drug Delivery System	Findings	Ref.
Resveratrol	Peptide and Sucrose Liposomes	Prolonged drug-release in vitro; Breast cancer (MCF-7) cells growth inhibition (IC50 = 20.89 μmol/L); Apoptosis; Tumor growth inhibition in mice bearing breast cancer (Dose = 10 mg/kg)	[128]
	Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin	Improved stability; Longer half-life; Significant cytotoxic potential against non-small cell lung cancer; Suitable for pulmonary delivery	[117]
	Gold Nanoparticles	Optimal cellular uptake; Superior cytotoxic effects on breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancers	[129]
Curcumin	Silver-Decorated Melanin-like Polydopamine/Mesoporous Silica Composites	Improved chemotherapeutic efficiency against human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and Taxol-resistant non-small cell lung cells (A549/TAX); Desirable biocompatibility; Low hemolytic activity	[124]
	Liposomes	Potent cytotoxic effect against human MiaPaCa pancreatic cancer cells (IC50 = 17.5 µM); suppression of tumor growth in tumor-bearing nude mice (Dose = 20 mg/kg); Potent antiangiogenic effect	[130]
	Cyclodextrins	Enhanced delivery; Improved therapeutic efficacy against lung cancer in vitro and in vivo	[131]
EGCG	Deformable Liposomal Formulation	Increased drug-release; Optimal formulation for topical delivery in skin cancer prevention	[132]
	Folic acid and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified Nanoparticles	Inhibition of MCF-7 cells proliferation in a dose-dependent manner; Enhances targeting ability and efficacy of the drug	[133]
Quercetin	Lipid Nanoparticles	Sustained release; Inhibition of the MCF-7 breast cancer cells growth; Increased ROS production; Increased apoptotic and necrotic indexes in MCF-7 cells	[134]
	Polymeric Nanoparticles	Enhanced efficacy in cancer therapy; Reduced tumor volume in breast and lung-bearing mice;	[135]
Rutin	Proniosomal Gel	High biocompatibility of the gel on the 3D reconstructed human epidermis; Lack of irritant and phototoxic potential; Preferential cytotoxic effect of the drug on melanoma cells (IC50 = 8.601 µM)	[136]
	β-cyclodextrins and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrins	Increased antioxidant activity; Antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effect against B164A5 murine melanoma cells	[137]
Betulinic acid	Gamma-cyclodextrins	Improved antiproliferative activity in vitro on metastatic and non-metastatic B164A5 melanoma cells; G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest; Reduced in vivo tumor development	[46]
	Magnetoliposomes	Enhanced antitumor activity when breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells and a microtubule assembly modulatory activity under hypertermic conditions;	[127]
	Silver Nanocolloids	Augmented anticancer effect against lung A549 and liver HepG2 cancer cell lines; Cell type- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect	[138]
Artemisinin (Artesunate)	Chitosan Magnetic Nanoparticles	Enhanced accumulation of nanoparticles in the 4T1 breast tumor tissues of BALB/c mice model	[139]
	pH-Responsive Lipid Nanoparticles	Inhibition of the breast cancer cells growth; down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein survivin, and cyclin D1; down-regulation of the oncogenic proteins HER2 and HER3; Reduced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR or HER1)	[140]
Ginseng	Ginsenoside Rb1/Protopanaxadiol Nanoparticles	High encapsulation efficiency, drug loading capacity, and slow release kinetics; Lack of hemolytic effect; Superior in vitro anticancer activity on murine Lewis lung carcinoma	[141]
	Ginsenoside-based multifunctional liposomal delivery system	Successful delivery of the bioactive combination drugs and internalization into gastric cancer cells; Suppressed gastric cancer tumor growth	[142]