Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Biophysics

Cancer is a lethal disease caused by damage in the genetic material (i.e. DNA) which leads to uncontrollable cell division. Chemotherapy is one of the three main methods of cancer treatment including surgical interference and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is characterized with its applicability to all types and stages of cancer. The major problem associated with chemotherapy is the inability to deliver pharmaceuticals to a specific site of the body without inducing normal tissue toxicity. As a consequence, the development of an alternative modalities using {u2018}Natural anticancer agents{u2019} open up new avenue for future cancer therapy due to their safety. Curcumin is one of the most promising natural anticancer agents, however, its medical application has been limited by its poor water solubility and bioavailability. Attempts have been made to encapsulate curcumin in different carriers, but the interest in nanocarriers for cancer chemotherapy is growing to develop a biodegradable controlled drug delivery vehicles that improve the bioavailability and solubility of curcumin

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