Citation: Sarfraz, M.; Arafat, M.;
Zaidi, S.H.H.; Eltaib, L.; Siddique,
M.I.; Kamal, M.; Ali, A.; Asdaq,
S.M.B.; Khan, A.; Aaghaz, S.; et al.
Resveratrol-Laden Nano-Systems in
the Cancer Environment: Views and
Reviews. Cancers 2023, 15, 4499.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
cancers15184499
Academic Editor: Ayan Kumar Barui
Received: 29 July 2023
Revised: 31 August 2023
Accepted: 7 September 2023
Published: 10 September 2023
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
cancers
Review
Resveratrol-Laden Nano-Systems in the Cancer Environment:
Views and Reviews
Muhammad Sarfraz
1,
* , Mosab Arafat
1
, Syeda Huma H. Zaidi
2
, Lina Eltaib
3
, Muhammad Irfan Siddique
3
,
Mehnaz Kamal
4
, Abuzer Ali
5
, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq
6
, Abida Khan
7
, Shams Aaghaz
8
,
Mohammed Sanad Alshammari
9,
* and Mohd Imran
7
1
College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain Campus, Al Ain P.O. Box 64141, United Arab Emirates
2
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Northern Border University, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia
3
Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia
4
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University,
Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia; m.uddin@psau.edu.sa
5
Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
6
Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh 13713, Saudi Arabia
7
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University,
Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia; imran.pchem@gmail.com (M.I.)
8
Department of Pharmacy, School of Medical & Allied Sciences, Galgotias University,
Greater Noida 203201, India
9
Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology,
Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia
* Correspondence: muhammad.sarfraz@aau.ac.ae (M.S.); mohammed.alshammari@nbu.edu.sa (M.S.A.)
Simple Summary: Resveratrol, a polyphenolic stilbene derivative, is gaining popularity in cancer
treatment for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its pharmacokinetic and
physicochemical limitations, such as a limited water solubility, photosensitivity, and oxidative stability,
limit its effectiveness. Nanotechnology has emerged as an effective tactic for molecular targeted
therapy, enabling passive and active targeted techniques to improve stability, therapeutic efficacy,
and reduced toxicity. This article compiles studies on resveratrol-rich nano-formulations in various
cancer types, focusing on improved drug stability, higher therapeutic potential, and less toxicity to
cells and tissues.
Abstract: The genesis of cancer is a precisely organized process in which normal cells undergo genetic
alterations that cause the cells to multiply abnormally, colonize, and metastasize to other organs
such as the liver, lungs, colon, and brain. Potential drugs that could modify these carcinogenic
pathways are the ones that will be used in clinical trials as anti-cancer drugs. Resveratrol (RES) is a
polyphenolic natural antitoxin that has been utilized for the treatment of several diseases, owing to its
ability to scavenge free radicals, control the expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes, and have
effects on inflammation, cancer, aging, diabetes, and cardioprotection. Although RES has a variety
of pharmacological uses and shows promising applications in natural medicine, its unpredictable
pharmacokinetics compromise its therapeutic efficacy and prevent its use in clinical settings. RES
has been encapsulated into various nanocarriers, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, lipidic
nanocarriers, and inorganic nanoparticles, to address these issues. These nanocarriers can modulate
drug release, increase bioavailability, and reach therapeutically relevant plasma concentrations.
Studies on resveratrol-rich nano-formulations in various cancer types are compiled in the current
article. Studies relating to enhanced drug stability, increased therapeutic potential in terms of
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and reduced toxicity to cells and tissues are the main
topics of this research. To keep the readers informed about the current state of resveratrol nano-
formulations from an industrial perspective, some recent and significant patent literature has also
been provided. Here, the prospects for nano-formulations are briefly discussed, along with machine
learning and pharmacometrics methods for resolving resveratrol’s pharmacokinetic concerns.
Cancers 2023, 15, 4499. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15184499 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers