Boronic-acid-modified nanomaterials have inspired significant research interest owing to their unique biocompatibility and excellent reversible interaction with diol groups containing saccharides, protein, DNA, and other related glucose compounds. However, the different sources and methods change the application of nanomaterials. Thus, surface-functionalized nanomaterials are of interest as one of the best ways to improve the application of the biomedical field. In this mini-review, we summarize recent studies on boronic-acid-modified nanomaterials, based on the carbon dot group and graphene oxides, which have been used in the fields of bioimaging, biosensing, antiviral inhibitors, etc. Moreover, the multivalent interaction on boronic-acid-modified materials has become the main key improvement for targeting treatment in the future. We mainly focused on any previously reported papers for synergistic future opportunities of superior biomedical applications of carbon dots (CDs) in the management and diagnostics of nanomedicine fields.
In tropical Southeast Asia, Shorea is the most economically important tree and the largest genus in the Dipterocarpaceae family. It comprises about 150-200 species, of which majority are distributed in Malaysia, with others found in Sumatra and Borneo (Kalimantan) in Indonesia. Research on the chemical constituents of Shorea plants has been ongoing for many years. To date, a total of 113 different compounds, including 83 stilbenes and their resveratrol oligomers, 18 triterpenes/terpenoids, 7 coumarins 3 flavonoids and 2 steroids have been isolated and successfully elucidated from 26 different species of this genus. The diversity of the stilbene resveratrol oligomers in the Shorea genus is primarily due to the difference in the amount of resveratrol constituent units, which include dimers, trimers and tetramers. In addition to the species' traditional usage in the treatment of illnesses, such as diarrhea, toothaches, skin diseases, ear troubles and wounds, the extracts and secondary metabolite compounds isolated from various parts of the plant species are known to have a very potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antiulcer, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activities. This review aims to summarize the most recent research made from 1999 to date on the secondary metabolite compounds isolated from different species of genus Shorea, as well as the bioactivity (in vitro and in vivo) of the crude extracts and the isolated secondary metabolite compounds.
The fluorescent imaging and drug delivery utilizing carbon dots nanomaterials (CDs) have attracted tremendously due to their unique optical ability and outstanding biocompatibility. Herein, we reported a new design of chalcone-loaded carbon dots (Chalcone-APBA-CDs) to serve chalcone transport onto cancer cells and enhance the CDs bioimaging and antitumor activity. The boronic acid was directly introduced to carbon dots (CDs) via pyrolysis process to drive CDs specifically to the cancer cell, and chalcone was mediated on CDs by ultrasonication to perform facile release of the drug delivery model. The successfully synthesized Chalcone-APBA-CDs were proved by their chemical structure, fluorescent activities, in vitro and in vivo analyses, and drug release systems using different pH. In addition, flow cytometry and confocal fluorescent imaging proved CDs' cellular uptake and imaging performance. In vitro analyses further proved that the Chalcone-APBA-CDs exhibited a higher toxicity value than bare CDs and efficiently inhibited the proliferation of the HeLa cells depending on their dose-response. Finally, the performance of Chalcone-APBA-CDs on cancer healing capability was examined in vivo with fibrosarcoma cancer-bearing mice, which showed a remarkable ability to reduce the tumor volume compared with saline (control). This result strongly suggested that the Chalcone-APBA-CDs appear promising simultaneously as cancer cell imaging and drug delivery.