Clinical treatment of bacterial and fungal infections often meets many drawbacks associated with the low bioavailability of active agents, adverse side effects, difficulty in penetrating and concentrating inside the target cells, intrinsic or acquired resistance of microorganisms. In recent years, nanotechnology has driven efforts toward this therapeutic area, proposing efficient colloidal (nanosized) delivery systems (NDDS) that have attained in some cases a market significance and clinical relevance. NDDS can control the release of loaded drugs or target their distribution within the body, focusing selectively their activity in the infected cells, thus reducing side effects. Loading antibacterials and antifungals in nanocarriers through physical encapsulation, adsorption, or chemical conjugation, makes it possible to overwhelm their poor solubility and improve pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index, compared to the neat drugs. Among the most promising NDDS are polymer- and lipid-based nanocarriers, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and nanocapsules, micelles, and lipid nanoparticles. In this chapter recent developments in the field of NDDS encapsulating antibacterial and antifungal drugs are discussed. Specific attention has been given to the pharmaceutical, microbiological, and clinical outcomes of systems for which the authors have provided in vitro microbiological data and, more hopefully, in vivo results.
Chapter 23 - Nanosized devices as antibiotics and antifungals delivery: past, news, and outlook
Petronio Petronio G;
2017-01-01
Abstract
Clinical treatment of bacterial and fungal infections often meets many drawbacks associated with the low bioavailability of active agents, adverse side effects, difficulty in penetrating and concentrating inside the target cells, intrinsic or acquired resistance of microorganisms. In recent years, nanotechnology has driven efforts toward this therapeutic area, proposing efficient colloidal (nanosized) delivery systems (NDDS) that have attained in some cases a market significance and clinical relevance. NDDS can control the release of loaded drugs or target their distribution within the body, focusing selectively their activity in the infected cells, thus reducing side effects. Loading antibacterials and antifungals in nanocarriers through physical encapsulation, adsorption, or chemical conjugation, makes it possible to overwhelm their poor solubility and improve pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index, compared to the neat drugs. Among the most promising NDDS are polymer- and lipid-based nanocarriers, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and nanocapsules, micelles, and lipid nanoparticles. In this chapter recent developments in the field of NDDS encapsulating antibacterial and antifungal drugs are discussed. Specific attention has been given to the pharmaceutical, microbiological, and clinical outcomes of systems for which the authors have provided in vitro microbiological data and, more hopefully, in vivo results.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
