Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems最新文献

The aqueous solubility of active drug moiety plays a crucial role in the development of an efficacious formulation. The poor aqueous solubility of BCS class II and IV drugs is manifested as poor bioavailability. Preparation of cyclodextrin inclusion complex to improve the solubility, stability, and bioavailability is a well-established technique. The latest trend in cyclodextrin research is focused on ternary complexes wherein an auxiliary agent such as water-soluble polymers, organic ions, metals, or amino acids is incorporated in the inclusion complex. The cyclodextrin-based supramolecular ternary complex offers significant advantages over binary complex specifically for oral drug delivery. Compared with the binary complex, the ternary complex exhibits better complexation efficiency and stability constant. Moreover, the ternary complex has a major advantage of reducing the concentration of cyclodextrin required to achieve maximum solubility and stability. Lately, in silico molecular modeling has gained tremendous attention as a preliminary tool to evaluate the cyclodextrin-based ternary or binary complex which has been discussed. This review gives an insight into various ternary agents explored worldwide, significant observations, safety, and clinical studies carried out on ternary cyclodextrin complexes.

Bioactive peptides have gained the attention and interest of researchers and the industry for their therapeutic effects and high specificity, thus reducing the risks of side effects and making them an attractive alternatives in developing new biopharmaceuticals or cosmeceuticals. Nevertheless, their incorporation into formulations and administration presents challenges such as low stability under different storage conditions and gastrointestinal degradation after oral delivery. Likewise, the parenteral route is an invasive method that is painful and therefore reduces patient compliance. Topical delivery of bioactive peptides is a painless noninvasive alternative to reduce peptide degradation, exert local effects in the applied area, and improve patient compliance. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical properties of peptides and the mechanisms involved in their degradation. In addition, the most important aspects of skin structure and skin permeation routes, and the requirements for topical and transdermal drug delivery are also discussed in this article. Finally, nanocarrier development advances for the topical delivery of peptides (water-in-oil-in-water emulsions, microemulsions, nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, niosomes, and microneedles) and other strategies, such as metal complexation, cell-penetrating peptides, and synthetic modification, are also reviewed. All these topics consider the perspective of their effect to improve skin permeability to peptides and their stability over time during storage.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. However, more than half of all incidence and mortality are caused by risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, excessive alcohol consumption, inactivity, and excess weight, and thus can be protected. CRC morbidity and mortality can also be reduced by proper screening and monitoring. Over the last few years the amalgamation of nanotechnology with healthcare system has brought about the potential to administer the delivery of certain therapeutic drugs to cancer cells without affecting normal tissues. Recent strategies combine the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to improve the overall performance of cancer nanomedicines. Targeted cancer nanotherapeutics provides many more opportunities for the selective detection of toxic chemicals within cancer cells. The distinctive features of nanoparticles, such as their small size, large surface to volume ratio, and the ability of nanoparticles to achieve several interactions of ligands at surface, offer great benefits of nanomedicines to treat various types of cancers. This review highlights the molecular mechanisms of colorectal carcinogenesis and discusses various key concepts in the development of nanotherapeutics targeted for CRC treatment.

Peptides are emerging as a promising candidate for therapeutic as well as diagnostic applications within the domain of clinical and scientific research. They are recognized for being highly selective, sensitive and efficacious with minimal or no toxicity. Small size, non-immunogenicity, ease of synthesis and huge scope of modification are some of the well-established properties of peptides, which make them an excellent alternative to not only small drug molecules but also to protein-based biopharmaceuticals such as antibodies and enzymes. The attractive pharmacological profile and intrinsic properties of peptides also make them an interesting diagnostic tool for imaging at the molecular and cellular levels. Molecular imaging coupled with targeted therapy using peptides as theranostics is a two-edged sword. Besides, traditional peptide formats, multifunctional newer peptide designs with improved pharmacokinetics and targetability are also being explored presently. In this review, we come up with a comprehensive summary of the latest progress on peptides and their potential applications in therapeutics and diagnosis for infectious and non-infectious diseases. The last part of the review discusses suitable carrier systems for the delivery of peptides along with highlighting the future challenges.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a pioneering technology that has gained increased popularity in the fields of tissue engineering, drug design, drug delivery systems and biomedical devices. Thus, it enables us to explore this technique for fabricating 3D-printed catheters. Owing to its enhanced productivity and cost-efficiency, this technique can be utilized to fabricate any material for manufacturing or designing catheters with antimicrobial properties. From 1930s, Foley's catheter had been widely used to drain the urinary bladder of patients with impaired bladder function. Despite the complications like catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), kidney damage, chronic infections, encrustations and personal discomfort during inflation of the balloon, Foley's catheter was used universally without any changes in product design. Currently, marketed catheters have been reported for reducing CAUTI, but the prevention of limitations by coating drugs onto the catheter is very expensive. Altering the physical properties of the catheter by biopolymer blend might ease the discomfort. Thus, new technologies have to be adopted to manufacture ideal catheters that are biocompatible and provide antimicrobial and anti-fouling properties. Herein, we provide an overview of 3D printing techniques along with different materials opted for manufacturing catheters to overcome the existing challenges and limitations.

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women and the major cause of worldwide cancer-related deaths among women. Various treatment strategies including conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, gene silencing and deliberately engineered nanomaterials for receptor mediated targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, antibodies, and small-molecule inhibitors, etc are being investigated by scientists to combat breast cancer. Smartly designed/fabricated nanomaterials are being explored to target breast cancer through enhanced permeation and retention effect; and also, being conjugated with suitable ligand for receptor-mediated endocytosis to target breast cancer for diagnostic, and theranostic applications. These receptor-targeted nanomedicines have shown efficacy to target specific tumor tissue/cells abstaining the healthy tissues/cells from cytotoxic effect of anticancer drug molecules. In the last few decades, theranostic nanomedicines have gained much attention among other nanoparticle systems due to their unique ability to deliver chemotherapeutic as well as diagnostic agents, simultaneously. Theranostic nanomaterials are emerging as novel paradigm with ability for concurrent delivery of imaging (with contrasting agents), targeting (with biomarkers), and anticancer therapeutics with one delivery system (as cancer theranostics) and can transpire as promising strategy to overcome various hurdles for effective management of breast cancer including its most aggressive form, triple-negative breast cancer.