Abstract
Successful homing of drugs to the desired biological compartment of the host usually depends on the intrinsic properties of the drug molecules. However, it can always be manipulated by appropriate designing of the carrier/ delivery system, as little can be done to influence the target and its surroundings. Various carrier systems have emerged to deliver drugs to macrophages, albeit the efficacy, reliability and selectivity of these carriers are still in question. To date, the most extensively studied carriers are liposomes and microspheres. In fact, physicochemical properties of these carriers can alter their efficacy and specificity to a great extent. These properties include hydrophilicity, surface charge, composition, concentration, and presence of various target specific ligands on their surface. Incidentally, the particulate nature of these vehicles may facilitate passive homing of the entrapped drug molecules to the macrophages, which may harbour many of the important pathogens in their intracellular compartments, such as Mycobacterium sps, Leishmania and dengue virus etc., belonging to three different major classes of microbes. Moreover, macrophages upon interaction with particulate drug delivery vehicles may act as secondary drug depot, thus helping in localized delivery of the drug at the infected site. In the present article, a comprehensive review of literature is presented on the suitability of some lipid-based and polymeric materials as vehicles in delivery of drugs to macrophages in parasitic infections.
Keywords: macrophages, infections, mycobacteria, leishmania, drugs, liposomes, microspheres, targeting
Current Drug Delivery
Title: Targeted Drug Delivery to Macrophages in Parasitic Infections
Volume: 2 Issue: 4
Author(s): M. Owais and C. M. Gupta
Affiliation:
Keywords: macrophages, infections, mycobacteria, leishmania, drugs, liposomes, microspheres, targeting
Abstract: Successful homing of drugs to the desired biological compartment of the host usually depends on the intrinsic properties of the drug molecules. However, it can always be manipulated by appropriate designing of the carrier/ delivery system, as little can be done to influence the target and its surroundings. Various carrier systems have emerged to deliver drugs to macrophages, albeit the efficacy, reliability and selectivity of these carriers are still in question. To date, the most extensively studied carriers are liposomes and microspheres. In fact, physicochemical properties of these carriers can alter their efficacy and specificity to a great extent. These properties include hydrophilicity, surface charge, composition, concentration, and presence of various target specific ligands on their surface. Incidentally, the particulate nature of these vehicles may facilitate passive homing of the entrapped drug molecules to the macrophages, which may harbour many of the important pathogens in their intracellular compartments, such as Mycobacterium sps, Leishmania and dengue virus etc., belonging to three different major classes of microbes. Moreover, macrophages upon interaction with particulate drug delivery vehicles may act as secondary drug depot, thus helping in localized delivery of the drug at the infected site. In the present article, a comprehensive review of literature is presented on the suitability of some lipid-based and polymeric materials as vehicles in delivery of drugs to macrophages in parasitic infections.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Owais M. and Gupta M. C., Targeted Drug Delivery to Macrophages in Parasitic Infections, Current Drug Delivery 2005; 2 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720105774370177
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720105774370177 |
Print ISSN 1567-2018 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5704 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances of natural products, bio-actives and novel drug delivery system against emerging viral infections
Due to the increasing prevalence of viral infections and the ability of these human pathogens to develop resistance to current treatment strategies, there is a great need to find and develop new compounds to combat them. These molecules must have low toxicity, specific activity and high bioavailability. The most suitable ...read more
Electrospun Fibers as Drug Delivery Systems
In recent years, electrospun fibers have attracted considerable attention as potential platforms for drug delivery due to their distinctive properties and adaptability. These fibers feature a notable surface area-to-volume ratio and can be intentionally designed with high porosity, facilitating an increased capacity for drug loading and rendering them suitable for ...read more
Emerging Nanotherapeutics for Mitigation of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Conditions affecting the central nervous system (CNS) present a significant hurdle due to limited access of both treatments and diagnostic tools for the brain. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) acts as a barrier, restricting the passage of molecules from the bloodstream into the brain. The most formidable challenge facing scientists is ...read more
Nanotechnology Based Chemotherapy for the treatment of Head & Neck Cancer
The escalating recurrence rates observed in Head and Neck cancer, particularly within the chemo-therapeutically treated cohort (50-60%), can be attributed to the non-selective nature of current anticancer drug delivery modalities. In this context, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems emerge as a promising avenue for achieving precise localization of therapeutic agents to ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Manipulation of Glycolysis in Malignant Tumors: Fantasy or Therapy?
Current Medicinal Chemistry Cell Cycle Kinases in Osteosarcoma: Potential for Therapeutic Intervention
Current Pharmaceutical Design A Review of the Possible Mechanisms of Action of Tocotrienol – A Potential Antiosteoporotic Agent
Current Drug Targets Molecular Mechanisms of Biological Activity of Oleanolic Acid - A Source of Inspiration for A New Drugs Design
Mini-Reviews in Organic Chemistry Advancements in the Treatment and Repair of Tendon Injuries
Current Tissue Engineering (Discontinued) A Pan-Cancer Review of <i>ALK</i> Mutations: Implications for Carcinogenesis and Therapy
Current Cancer Drug Targets Patents in Cancer Stem Cells
Recent Patents on Biomarkers Tumor Bone Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Opportunities for Novel Treatments
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents The Role of cMet in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Resistant to EGFRInhibitors: Did We Really Find the Target?
Current Drug Targets Application of Radiolabeled Antibodies in Targeting Therapy of Breast Cancer
Current Molecular Imaging (Discontinued) Salmonella as Live Trojan Horse for Vaccine Development and Cancer Gene Therapy
Current Gene Therapy Modular Protein Engineering in Emerging Cancer Therapies
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Endothelin Axis as Therapeutic Target in Human Malignancies: Present and Future
Current Pharmaceutical Design Anti-Tumour Effects of Bisphosphonates - What have we Learned from In Vivo Models?
Current Cancer Drug Targets Cancer Stem Cells and their Management in Cancer Therapy
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Bioactive Triterpenic Acids: From Agroforestry Biomass Residues to Promising Therapeutic Tools
Mini-Reviews in Organic Chemistry Statins: Are They All the Same?
Current Drug Therapy Macroautophagy as a Target of Cancer Therapy
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Electron Spin Resonance as a Powerful Tool for Studying Antioxidants and Radicals
Current Medicinal Chemistry Thymidine Kinase-Mediated Shut Down of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 Expression Allows Regulated Bone Production
Current Gene Therapy