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Pharmaceutics
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Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments
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Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 19031

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tania Limongi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
Interests: nanoparticles; extracellular vesicles; drug delivery; nanomedicine; in vitro study; nanotoxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The healthcare industry identifies, designs, manufactures and promotes not only drugs and medical devices with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antitumor activities, but also nutraceutical and cosmeceutical remedies. Many oral, nasal, transdermal and injectable remedies on the market are not available in the ideal formulation. Within such a large market, with an ever-increasing number of possible applications, nanotechnologies are making an impressive contribution to the development of safe and effective pharmaceutical solutions that can also be designed for the needs of individual customers or patients. Medications containing drug molecules, nucleic acids, proteins and nanoparticles need more customized cargo and carrier solutions able to enhance their biostability and therapeutic effect while avoiding side effects and non-compliance with established treatments.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect contributions from biologists, chemists, pharmacologists, clinicians, engineers and experts in medication registration and regulation. We are collecting research papers and reviews on the engineering and in vitro/in vivo tests of nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatments, while also including works discussing issues such as safety regulations and good manufacturing practice solutions for the increasingly reliable and conscious use of this new type of pharmaceutical formulation.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatment design;
  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatments: in vitro and in vivo tests;
  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatments in clinics;
  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatment safety;
  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatment patenting;
  • Nanotechnology-based pharmaceutical treatments: registration and regulation.

Dr. Tania Limongi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanotechnology
  • drug molecules
  • medications
  • pharmaceutical treatments
  • safety
  • patenting
  • regulation
  • GMP
  • nutraceutical
  • cosmeceutical remedies

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 7429 KiB  
Article
Germanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Mitigate Biochemical and Molecular Changes Characterizing Alzheimer’s Disease in Rats
by Sara A. Abdel Gaber, Amal H. Hamza, Mohamed A. Tantawy, Eman A. Toraih and Hanaa H. Ahmed
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(5), 1386; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051386 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2479
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that jeopardizes the lives of diagnosed patients at late stages. This study aimed to assess, for the first time, the efficiency of germanium dioxide nanoparticles (GeO2NPs) in mitigating AD at the in vivo level [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that jeopardizes the lives of diagnosed patients at late stages. This study aimed to assess, for the first time, the efficiency of germanium dioxide nanoparticles (GeO2NPs) in mitigating AD at the in vivo level compared to cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs). Nanoparticles were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Their antioxidant activity was tested. For the bio-assessment, rats were randomly assigned into four groups: AD + GeO2NPs, AD + CeO2NPs, AD, and control. Serum and brain tau protein, phosphorylated tau, neurogranin, amyloid β peptide 1-42, acetylcholinesterase, and monoamine oxidase levels were measured. Brain histopathological evaluation was conducted. Furthermore, nine AD-related microRNAs were quantified. Nanoparticles were spherical with diameters ranging from 12–27 nm. GeO2NPs exhibited a stronger antioxidant activity than CeO2NPs. Serum and tissue analyses revealed the regression of AD biomarkers to almost control values upon treatment using GeO2NPs. Histopathological observations strongly supported the biochemical outcomes. Then, miR-29a-3p was down-regulated in the GeO2NPs-treated group. This pre-clinical study substantiated the scientific evidence favoring the pharmacological application of GeO2NPs and CeO2NPs in AD treatment. Our study is the first report on the efficiency of GeO2NPs in managing AD. Further studies are needed to fully understand their mechanism of action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments)
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Review

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46 pages, 3156 KiB  
Review
An Overview on the Physiopathology of the Blood–Brain Barrier and the Lipid-Based Nanocarriers for Central Nervous System Delivery
by Francesca Susa, Silvia Arpicco, Candido Fabrizio Pirri and Tania Limongi
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(7), 849; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16070849 - 22 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1995
Abstract
The state of well-being and health of our body is regulated by the fine osmotic and biochemical balance established between the cells of the different tissues, organs, and systems. Specific districts of the human body are defined, kept in the correct state of [...] Read more.
The state of well-being and health of our body is regulated by the fine osmotic and biochemical balance established between the cells of the different tissues, organs, and systems. Specific districts of the human body are defined, kept in the correct state of functioning, and, therefore, protected from exogenous or endogenous insults of both mechanical, physical, and biological nature by the presence of different barrier systems. In addition to the placental barrier, which even acts as a linker between two different organisms, the mother and the fetus, all human body barriers, including the blood–brain barrier (BBB), blood–retinal barrier, blood–nerve barrier, blood–lymph barrier, and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier, operate to maintain the physiological homeostasis within tissues and organs. From a pharmaceutical point of view, the most challenging is undoubtedly the BBB, since its presence notably complicates the treatment of brain disorders. BBB action can impair the delivery of chemical drugs and biopharmaceuticals into the brain, reducing their therapeutic efficacy and/or increasing their unwanted bioaccumulation in the surrounding healthy tissues. Recent nanotechnological innovation provides advanced biomaterials and ad hoc customized engineering and functionalization methods able to assist in brain-targeted drug delivery. In this context, lipid nanocarriers, including both synthetic (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers, niosomes, proniosomes, and cubosomes) and cell-derived ones (extracellular vesicles and cell membrane-derived nanocarriers), are considered one of the most successful brain delivery systems due to their reasonable biocompatibility and ability to cross the BBB. This review aims to provide a complete and up-to-date point of view on the efficacy of the most varied lipid carriers, whether FDA-approved, involved in clinical trials, or used in in vitro or in vivo studies, for the treatment of inflammatory, cancerous, or infectious brain diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments)
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19 pages, 5394 KiB  
Review
Robotics and Aseptic Processing in View of Regulatory Requirements
by Andrea Tanzini, Marco Ruggeri, Eleonora Bianchi, Caterina Valentino, Barbara Vigani, Franca Ferrari, Silvia Rossi, Hermes Giberti and Giuseppina Sandri
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(6), 1581; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15061581 - 24 May 2023
Viewed by 3746
Abstract
Several nanomedicine based medicinal products recently reached the market thanks to the drive of the COVID-19 pandemic. These products are characterized by criticality in scalability and reproducibility of the batches, and the manufacturing processes are now being pushed towards continuous production to face [...] Read more.
Several nanomedicine based medicinal products recently reached the market thanks to the drive of the COVID-19 pandemic. These products are characterized by criticality in scalability and reproducibility of the batches, and the manufacturing processes are now being pushed towards continuous production to face these challenges. Although the pharmaceutical industry, because of its deep regulation, is characterized by slow adoption of new technologies, recently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) took the lead in pushing for process improvements using technologies already established in other manufacturing sectors. Foremost among these technologies, robotics is a technological driver, and its implementation in the pharma field should cause a big change, probably within the next 5 years. This paper aims at describing the regulation changes mainly in aseptic manufacturing and the use of robotics in the pharmaceutical environment to fulfill GMP (good manufacturing practice). Special attention is therefore paid at first to the regulatory aspect, explaining the reasons behind the current changes, and then to the use of robotics that will characterize the future of manufacturing especially in aseptic environments, moving from a clear overview of robotics to the use of automated systems to design more efficient processes, with reduced risk of contamination. This review should clarify the regulation and technological scenario and provide pharmaceutical technologists with basic knowledge in robotics and automation, as well as engineers with regulatory knowledge to define a common background and language, and enable the cultural shift of the pharmaceutical industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments)
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27 pages, 1798 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Nano-Zinc Oxide Biocomposites for Wound Healing Applications: A Review
by Paolo Pino, Francesca Bosco, Chiara Mollea and Barbara Onida
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(3), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15030970 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 6477
Abstract
Chronic wounds are a major concern for global health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. As their occurrence is correlated with age and age-related comorbidities, their incidence in the population is set to increase in the forthcoming years. This burden is further worsened by [...] Read more.
Chronic wounds are a major concern for global health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. As their occurrence is correlated with age and age-related comorbidities, their incidence in the population is set to increase in the forthcoming years. This burden is further worsened by the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which causes wound infections that are increasingly hard to treat with current antibiotics. Antimicrobial bionanocomposites are an emerging class of materials that combine the biocompatibility and tissue-mimicking properties of biomacromolecules with the antimicrobial activity of metal or metal oxide nanoparticles. Among these nanostructured agents, zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most promising for its microbicidal effects and its anti-inflammatory properties, and as a source of essential zinc ions. This review analyses the most recent developments in the field of nano-ZnO–bionanocomposite (nZnO-BNC) materials—mainly in the form of films, but also hydrogel or electrospun bandages—from the different preparation techniques to their properties and antibacterial and wound-healing performances. The effect of nanostructured ZnO on the mechanical, water and gas barrier, swelling, optical, thermal, water affinity, and drug-release properties are examined and linked to the preparation methods. Antimicrobial assays over a wide range of bacterial strains are extensively surveyed, and wound-healing studies are finally considered to provide a comprehensive assessment framework. While early results are promising, a systematic and standardised testing procedure for the comparison of antibacterial properties is still lacking, partly because of a not-yet fully understood antimicrobial mechanism. This work, therefore, allowed, on one hand, the determination of the best strategies for the design, engineering, and application of n-ZnO-BNC, and, on the other hand, the identification of the current challenges and opportunities for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments)
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Other

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38 pages, 7322 KiB  
Systematic Review
Targeting the Gut: A Systematic Review of Specific Drug Nanocarriers
by Patrizia Garbati, Cristiana Picco, Raffaella Magrassi, Paolo Signorello, Ludovica Cacopardo, Mauro Dalla Serra, Maria Grazia Faticato, Maria De Luca, Francesco Balestra, Maria Principia Scavo and Federica Viti
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(3), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16030431 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3068
Abstract
The intestine is essential for the modulation of nutrient absorption and the removal of waste. Gut pathologies, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and celiac disease, which extensively impact gut functions, are thus critical for human health. Targeted [...] Read more.
The intestine is essential for the modulation of nutrient absorption and the removal of waste. Gut pathologies, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and celiac disease, which extensively impact gut functions, are thus critical for human health. Targeted drug delivery is essential to tackle these diseases, improve therapy efficacy, and minimize side effects. Recent strategies have taken advantage of both active and passive nanocarriers, which are designed to protect the drug until it reaches the correct delivery site and to modulate drug release via the use of different physical–chemical strategies. In this systematic review, we present a literature overview of the different nanocarriers used for drug delivery in a set of chronic intestinal pathologies, highlighting the rationale behind the controlled release of intestinal therapies. The overall aim is to provide the reader with useful information on the current approaches for gut targeting in novel therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology-Based Pharmaceutical Treatments)
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