Anticarcinogenic Potency of EF24: An Overview of Its Pharmacokinetics, Efﬁcacy, Mechanism of Action, and Nanoformulation for Drug Delivery

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz

EF24, a synthetic monocarbonyl analog of curcumin, is evaluated as a promising anticancer compound with both chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential. The review outlines EF24’s rapid absorption, broad tissue distribution, and efficient metabolism that support bioavailability and sustained target-tissue exposure, including its ability to cross biological barriers and accumulate in tumors. It consolidates evidence of anticancer efficacy across breast, lung, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancers, and explains how EF24 modulates NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling to reduce pro-tumor inflammation and oxidative stress, promoting apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. The work also covers mechanisms involving NF-κB inhibition, microRNA regulation, and proteasomal pathways, and discusses nanoformulation strategies for improved drug delivery, while emphasizing solubility and stability challenges requiring further study.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages31

Reading Time1 h 18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Structurally Related Mechanisms of Action

Simple Summary

cancers Review Anticarcinogenic Potency of EF24: An Overview of Its Pharmacokinetics, Efﬁcacy, Mechanism of Action, and Nanoformulation for Drug Delivery Iliyana Sazdova 1, Milena Keremidarska-Markova 1, Daniela Dimitrova 2, Vadim Mitrokhin 3, Andre Kamkin 3, Nikola Hadzi-Petrushev 4, Jane Bogdanov 5, Rudolf Schubert 6, Hristo Gagov 1, Dimiter Avtanski 7, *,† and Mitko Mladenov 3,4, *,† Citation: Sazdova, I.; KeremidarskaMarkova, M.; Dimitrova, D.; Mitrokhin, V.; Kamkin, A.; HadziPetrushev, N.; Bogdanov, J.; Schubert, R.; Gagov, H.; Avtanski, D.; et al. Anticarcinogenic Potency of EF24: An Overview of Its Pharmacokinetics, Efﬁcacy, Mechanism of Action, and Nanoformulation for Drug Delivery. Cancers 2023, 15, 5478. [https://](https://)[ ](https://)[doi.org/10.3390/cancers15225478](doi.org/10.3390/cancers15225478) Academic Editor: Lingzhi Wang Received: 8 October 2023 Revised: 10 November 2023 Accepted: 14 November 2023 Published: 20 November 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://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Department of Animal and Human Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Soﬁa University `St. Kliment Ohridski', 1504 Soﬁa, Bulgaria; i.sazdova@biofac.uni-soﬁ[a.bg](a.bg) (I.S.); m_keremidarska@uni-soﬁ[a.bg](a.bg) (M.K.-M.); hgagov@uni-soﬁ[a.bg](a.bg) (H.G.) 2 Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Soﬁa, Bulgaria; [daniadim@yahoo.com](daniadim@yahoo.com) 3 Department of Fundamental and Applied Physiology, Russian States Medical University, 117997 Moscow, Russia; [mitrokhin_vm@rsmu.ru](mitrokhin_vm@rsmu.ru) (V.M.); [andrey.kamkin@rsmu.ru](andrey.kamkin@rsmu.ru) (A.K.) 4 Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia; [nikola@pmf.ukim.mk](nikola@pmf.ukim.mk) 5 Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia; [jane.bogdanov@pmf.ukim.mk](jane.bogdanov@pmf.ukim.mk) 6 Institute of Theoretical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstrasse 2, 86159 Augsburg, Germany; [rudolf.schubert@med.uni-augsburg.de](rudolf.schubert@med.uni-augsburg.de) 7 Friedman Diabetes Institute, Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, 110 E 59th Street, New York, NY 10022, USA * Correspondence: [davtanski@northwell.edu](davtanski@northwell.edu) (D.A.); [mitkom@pmf.ukim.mk](mitkom@pmf.ukim.mk) (M.M.)† These authors contributed equally to this work. Simple Summary: This study summarizes the current state of knowledge about the anticancer potential of the curcumin analog EF24, including its pharmacokinetic proﬁle, therapeutic efﬁcacy, underlying mechanisms, and advancements in nanoformulations for effective drug delivery. EF24 and its nanoformulations hold great promise as novel and effective therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment and provide hope for patients to ﬁght this devastating disease. More preclinical and clinical investigations are needed to fully unlock their potential and integrate them into clinical practice. Abstract: EF24, a synthetic monocarbonyl analog of curcumin, shows signiﬁcant potential as an anticancer agent with both chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties. It exhibits rapid absorption, extensive tissue distribution, and efﬁcient metabolism, ensuring optimal bioavailability and sustained exposure of the target tissues. The ability of EF24 to penetrate biological barriersand accumulate at tumor sites makes it advantageous for effective cancer treatment. Studies have demonstrated EF24's remarkable efﬁcacy against various cancers, including breast, lung, pr

FAQs

What is EF24 and why is it considered anticancer?

EF24 is a synthetic monocarbonyl analog of curcumin with chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties, showing significant anticancer potential.

How does EF24 work at the molecular level?

EF24 modulates NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling, disrupting tumor-promoting inflammation and oxidative stress, and promotes tumor growth inhibition through mechanisms such as apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest.

What advantages do EF24 nanoformulations provide for drug delivery?

Nanoformulations aim to improve effective delivery by enhancing how the drug reaches tumor sites, complementing EF24’s barrier penetration and accumulation, while addressing delivery-related limitations.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz