Drug Carriers: Classification, Administration, Release Profiles, and Industrial Approach

Abstract

This work is aimed at providing a description of the complex world of drug carriers, starting from the description of this particular market in terms of revenue. Then, a brief overview of several types of conventional and innovative drug carrier systems has been included. The types of administration routes were also analyzed, with a critical and qualitative comment on drug release kinetics and drug profile shapes. Carriers were classified according to their ability to provide a prolonged and targeted release. The concept of the therapeutic window has been presented, providing advantages of having pulsed drug release to avoid side effects to target tissues. A critical comment on the use of conventional and innovative techniques for the production of drug carriers by large industrial companies has been proposed. As a final attempt for this work, an overall unique schematization of a drug carrier production process has been added, highlighting the necessity to create a strong double link among world-requested versatility of drug carriers for human applications and the newly developed industrial processes.

Polysorbate-Based Drug Formulations for Brain-Targeted Drug Delivery and Anticancer Therapy

“…Various drug carriers composed of polymers, dendrimers, metal oxides, hydrogels, cell-derived membranes, exosomes, and surfactants have been developed to improve the therapeutic efficacy of drugs and alter their pharmacokinetics [1]. Despite the several advantages of drug carriers, some drug carriers have limitations, including toxicity, low physicochemical stability, immune responses, poor cell specificity, unwanted drug leakage, and high manufacturing cost, which make them unsuitable for practical applications [2]. Extensive research efforts have been made to develop drug carriers for safe, efficient, and targeted drug delivery by addressing the aforementioned issues [2].…”

“…Despite the several advantages of drug carriers, some drug carriers have limitations, including toxicity, low physicochemical stability, immune responses, poor cell specificity, unwanted drug leakage, and high manufacturing cost, which make them unsuitable for practical applications [2]. Extensive research efforts have been made to develop drug carriers for safe, efficient, and targeted drug delivery by addressing the aforementioned issues [2]. Recently, drug carriers composed of surfactants have garnered great attention owing to their enhanced bioavailability and high biocompatibility [3].…”

Glycyrrhizin as a Nitric Oxide Regulator in Cancer Chemotherapy

“…In this regard, studies using GL as carriers for anti-cancer drugs have been actively conducted. There are several advantages using GL as carriers: GL has anti-cancer effects itself, anti-MDR effect through increasing cell membrane elasticity and permeability, and enhancement of cellular internalization due to its negative charge [ 125 , 140 , 150 ]. Paclitaxel is widely used as an anti-cancer drug, but it has poor oral bioavailability due to P-gp-mediated MDR in intestine [ 151 ].…”

Mathematical Modeling of Crosslinked Polyacrylic Based Hydrogels: Physical Properties and Drug Delivery

“…Focusing on drug delivery, as mentioned before, load bearing capacity is one of the pivotal properties of hydrogels. In biological applications, a drug or other therapeutic molecules can be first loaded inside such structure and then released to an external medium [10]. Drug delivery systems (DDS) are structures able to encapsulate drugs and then release them in a controlled way.…”