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Micro and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 12942

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/a, Parma, Italy
2. Interdepartmental Centre for Innovation in Health Products Biopharmanet-TEC, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/a, Parma, Italy
Interests: polymers; drug delivery; biopharmaceuticals; in vitro models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Intelligent Nanohybrid Materials Laboratory (INML), Institute of Tissue Regeneration Engineering (ITREN), Dankook University, Cheonan Campus, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea
Interests: drug delivery; cancer therapy; anti-viral formulations; curcumin formulations; inorganic nano-hybrids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Formulation is known as the ‘Cinderella’ of drug development, often regarded as playing a secondary role in the success of a medicinal product. On the contrary, drug delivery is essential in overcoming challenges in the administration of therapeutics, whose efficacy is sometimes limited by the physico-chemical characteristics of the active substance. Drug solubility and drug absorption are indispensable for successful therapy, both for small chemical entities and for the members of the fast-growing field of biopharmaceutical products. Micro- and nano-systems provide the opportunity to positively modify the fate of a drug in an organism by improving its bioavailability and biodistribution, stability, efficacy and specificity. Size is the key element that determines the unique performances of these innovative drug delivery systems, whatever is the intended route of administration. Due to the inborn interdisciplinarity and the variety of the methods proposed to produce micro- and nano-systems, the number of publications about this topic has reached an impressive number, spanning, among many disciplines, from pharmacy to tissue engineering, and is bound to increase. In addition, demonstration of therapeutic efficacy of these systems is sometimes elusive. Some order is needed, in particular with respect to the correlation between the physico-chemical features of these structures and their performances as a delivery system. This Special Issue aims to focus on models of micro and nano drug delivery systems, intended for different routes of administration, with specific emphasis on their biological fate and their ability to interact with biological targets. This is a mandatory step in the pipeline to the approval of these systems as medicinal products.

Dr. Annalisa Bianchera
Dr. N. Sanoj Rejinold
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • microparticles
  • nanoparticles
  • biopharmaceuticals
  • drug delivery
  • drug targeting
  • absorption
  • particle internalization
  • endocytosis
  • mucoadhesion

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 7007 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Nanofibers Encapsulated with Natural Products:  A Novel Strategy to Counteract Skin Aging
by Diletta Serra, Giuseppe Garroni, Sara Cruciani, Donatella Coradduzza, Aleksei Pashchenko, Evzen Amler, Giorgio Pintore, Rosanna Satta, Maria Antonietta Montesu, Yvonne Kohl, Carlo Ventura and Margherita Maioli
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1908; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031908 - 5 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1813
Abstract
The skin is the primary tissue affected by wounds and aging, significantly impacting its protective function. Natural products are widely used in cosmetics, representing a new approach to preventing age-related damage. Nanomedicine combines nanotechnology and traditional treatments to create innovative drugs. The main [...] Read more.
The skin is the primary tissue affected by wounds and aging, significantly impacting its protective function. Natural products are widely used in cosmetics, representing a new approach to preventing age-related damage. Nanomedicine combines nanotechnology and traditional treatments to create innovative drugs. The main targets of nanotechnological approaches are wound healing, regeneration, and rejuvenation of skin tissue. The skin barrier is not easily permeable, and the creation of modern nanodevices is a way to improve the passive penetration of substances. In this study, Helichrysum italicum oil (HO) was combined with different types of electrospun nanofibers to study their protective activity on the skin and to evaluate their future application for topical treatments. In the present research, we used biodegradable polymers, including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), which were characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). All results show a positive trend in cell proliferation and viability of human skin stem cells (SSCs) and BJ fibroblasts pre-treated with combined nanofibers and then exposed to UV stress. Gene expression analysis revealed the activation of a molecular rejuvenation program in SSCs treated with functionalized nanofibers before UV exposure. Understanding the mechanisms involved in skin changes during aging allows for the future application of nanomaterials combined with HO directly to the patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery)
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25 pages, 6193 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Hypromellose on Pharmaceutical Properties of Alginate Microparticles as Novel Drug Carriers for Posaconazole
by Katarzyna Kruk, Marta Szekalska, Anna Basa and Katarzyna Winnicka
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10793; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310793 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1528
Abstract
Fungal infections are a group of diseases which are challenging to treat because of drug-resistant fungi species, drug toxicity, and often severe patient conditions. Hence, research into new treatments, including new therapeutic substances and novel drug delivery systems, is being performed. Mucoadhesive dosage [...] Read more.
Fungal infections are a group of diseases which are challenging to treat because of drug-resistant fungi species, drug toxicity, and often severe patient conditions. Hence, research into new treatments, including new therapeutic substances and novel drug delivery systems, is being performed. Mucoadhesive dosage forms are beneficial to improving drug bioavailability by prolonging the residence time at the site of application. Sodium alginate is a natural polymer with favorable mucoadhesive and gelling properties, although its precipitation in acidic pH significantly disrupts the process of drug release in gastric conditions. Hypromellose is a hydrophilic, semi-synthetic cellulose derivative with mucoadhesive properties, which is widely used as a control release agent in pharmaceutical technology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of hypromellose on alginate microparticles with posaconazole, designed to modify drug release and to improve their mucoadhesive properties for both oral or vaginal application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery)
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Review

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61 pages, 7248 KiB  
Review
Development of Phytochemical Delivery Systems by Nano-Suspension and Nano-Emulsion Techniques
by Guendalina Zuccari and Silvana Alfei
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 9824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24129824 - 6 Jun 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2585
Abstract
The awareness of the existence of plant bioactive compounds, namely, phytochemicals (PHYs), with health properties is progressively expanding. Therefore, their massive introduction in the normal diet and in food supplements and their use as natural therapeutics to treat several diseases are increasingly emphasized [...] Read more.
The awareness of the existence of plant bioactive compounds, namely, phytochemicals (PHYs), with health properties is progressively expanding. Therefore, their massive introduction in the normal diet and in food supplements and their use as natural therapeutics to treat several diseases are increasingly emphasized by several sectors. In particular, most PHYs possessing antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-cholesterol, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties have been isolated from plants. Additionally, their secondary modification with new functionalities to further improve their intrinsic beneficial effects has been extensively investigated. Unfortunately, although the idea of exploiting PHYs as therapeutics is amazing, its realization is far from simple, and the possibility of employing them as efficient clinically administrable drugs is almost utopic. Most PHYs are insoluble in water, and, especially when introduced orally, they hardly manage to pass through physiological barriers and scarcely reach the site of action in therapeutic concentrations. Their degradation by enzymatic and microbial digestion, as well as their rapid metabolism and excretion, strongly limits their in vivo activity. To overcome these drawbacks, several nanotechnological approaches have been used, and many nanosized PHY-loaded delivery systems have been developed. This paper, by reporting various case studies, reviews the foremost nanosuspension- and nanoemulsion-based techniques developed for formulating the most relevant PHYs into more bioavailable nanoparticles (NPs) that are suitable or promising for clinical application, mainly by oral administration. In addition, the acute and chronic toxic effects due to exposure to NPs reported so far, the possible nanotoxicity that could result from their massive employment, and ongoing actions to improve knowledge in this field are discussed. The state of the art concerning the actual clinical application of both PHYs and the nanotechnologically engineered PHYs is also reviewed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery)
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11 pages, 836 KiB  
Review
Biodrug Delivery Systems: Do mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles Come of Age?
by Matteo Puccetti, Aurelie Schoubben, Stefano Giovagnoli and Maurizio Ricci
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 2218; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24032218 - 22 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5993
Abstract
As an appealing alternative to treat and prevent diseases ranging from cancer to COVID-19, mRNA has demonstrated significant clinical effects. Nanotechnology facilitates the successful implementation of the systemic delivery of mRNA for safe human consumption. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of [...] Read more.
As an appealing alternative to treat and prevent diseases ranging from cancer to COVID-19, mRNA has demonstrated significant clinical effects. Nanotechnology facilitates the successful implementation of the systemic delivery of mRNA for safe human consumption. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of current mRNA therapeutic applications and discuss key biological barriers to delivery and recent advances in the development of nonviral systems. The relevant challenges that LNPs face in achieving cost-effective and widespread clinical implementation when delivering mRNA are likewise discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nanosystems for Drug Delivery)
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