Oral Nanomedicine: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Compared to injection administration, oral administration is free of discomfort, wound infection and complications and has a higher compliance rate for patients with diverse diseases. However, oral administration reduces the bioavailability of medicines, especially biologics (e.g., peptides, proteins, and antibodies), due to harsh gastrointestinal biological barriers. In this context, the development and prosperity of nanotechnology have helped improve the bioactivity and oral availability of oral medicine. On this basis, we first discussed the biological barriers to oral administration, and then reviewed oral nanomedicine based on organic and inorganic nanomaterials and their biomedical applications in diverse diseases. Finally, we put forward the challenges and potential opportunities in the future development of oral nanomedicine, which may provide a vital reference for the eventual clinical transformation and standardized production of oral nanomedicine.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Microenvironment-responsive metal-phenolic network release platform with ROS scavenging, anti-pyroptosis, and ECM regeneration for intervertebral disc degeneration

“…The high fluidity of nanosolutions used for disc injection therapy often poses a significant safety hazard [ 42 ]. Solutions injected into IVDs can flow to critical surrounding areas, such as the spinal cord, thereby posing a serious threat to life [ 43 ].…”

Nanodrug delivery materials for digestive system diseases

“…Therefore, for effective oral medication administration, the primary strategies that the nanotechnology uses to cross the intestinal mucosal barrier are mucus permeability, adhesion, enzyme inhibition, transitory tight junction protein opening, and transcellular transport facilitation. 20 The small intestine's mucus layer is a layer of mucus secreted from the wall of the small intestine, and it is mainly composed of mucin and water. 21 It functions to protect the small intestinal wall, which in turn affects drug absorption by slowing the rate of drug absorption, restricting the dispersion of drug molecules, and influencing factors in the intestinal microenvironment, where intestinal metabolism limits the oral bioavailability of medications.…”

“…Quantum dots (QDs) are ultrasmall NPs between 1 and 10 nm in size that are frequently employed in medication delivery and cellular imaging. 20 QDs are uniquely suited for drug delivery inside the GI tract, where their dimensions and features can be tuned to precisely regulate medication release to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and reduce adverse consequences. For example, oral administration of silver sulfide QDs allows for swift gut transit and precise delivery to hepatic endothelial cells, a process mediated by lattice protein endocytosis and microcellular drinking.…”