Erythrocyte as an ideal carrier for intavascular drug delivery

Abstract

Drug delivery using natural biological carriers, especially erythrocytes, is a rapidly developing field. Erythrocytes can act as carriers with the gradual release of a pharmacological agent, as bioreactors with encapsulated enzymes, or as a tool for targeted delivery of drugs to target organs especially tissue macrophages, liver and spleen. To date, red blood cells have been studied as carriers for a wide range of drug compounds, such as enzymes, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antiviral drugs, etc. The review is devoted to the advantages of erythrocytes as carriers for the delivery of drugs loaded into the erythrocyte, or related to its surface, and defines the main directions of research on erythrocytes carriers of biologically active substances. Particular attention is paid to in vivo studies that reveal the potential of carrier erythrocytes for clinical use.