Cited by 674Nanoparticle-Based Drug DeliveryAdvanced Drug Delivery SystemsPharmacology and Nanomedicine Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 263 of the 264 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 7 of the 235 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Targeted therapy in chronic diseases using nanomaterial-based drug delivery vehicles

Open access
Singh, Akhand Pratap, Biswas, Arpan, Shukla, Aparna, Maiti, Pralay·2019·Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

Abstract

The application of nanomedicines is increasing rapidly with the promise of targeted and efficient drug delivery. Nanomedicines address the shortcomings of conventional therapy, as evidenced by several preclinical and clinical investigations indicating site-specific drug delivery, reduced side effects, and better treatment outcome. The development of suitable and biocompatible drug delivery vehicles is a prerequisite that has been successfully achieved by using simple and functionalized liposomes, nanoparticles, hydrogels, micelles, dendrimers, and mesoporous particles. A variety of drug delivery vehicles have been established for the targeted and controlled delivery of therapeutic agents in a wide range of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. After successful outcomes in preclinical and clinical trials, many of these drugs have been marketed for human use, such as Abraxane®, Caelyx®, Mepact®, Myocet®, Emend®, and Rapamune®. Apart from drugs/compounds, novel therapeutic agents, such as peptides, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and genes have also shown potential to be used as nanomedicines for the treatment of several chronic ailments. However, a large number of extensive clinical trials are still needed to ensure the short-term and long-term effects of nanomedicines in humans. This review discusses the advantages of various drug delivery vehicles for better understanding of their utility in terms of current medical needs. Furthermore, the application of a wide range of nanomedicines is also described in the context of major chronic diseases.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review surveys nanomaterial-based drug delivery vehicles—liposomes, nanoparticles, hydrogels, micelles, dendrimers, mesoporous materials, and scaffolds—for targeted and controlled therapy in chronic diseases including diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, tuberculosis, and cancer. It highlights preclinical and clinical examples and marketed nanomedicines, while stressing that extensive clinical trials, standardized dosing, toxicology, and regulatory frameworks are still needed.

Key findings

  • Nanocarriers can improve site-specific delivery, sustained release, bioavailability, and reduce side effects across chronic diseases; marketed examples include Abraxane®, Caelyx®, Mepact®, Myocet®, Emend®, and Rapamune®.
  • In diabetes, TMC-CSK-INS nanoparticles produced maximum blood glucose depression of ~28% at 3 h versus ~20% for TMC-INS; vitamin B12-coupled dextran nanoparticles reduced blood glucose ~70–75% for 54 h in diabetic rats and 60% at 20 h in diabetic mice.
  • In neurological disease, rivastigmine-loaded PBCA-80 nanoparticles showed 3.82-fold higher brain uptake than free drug; galantamine SLNs had ~83% entrapment, >90% release in 24 h, and two-fold higher bioavailability; curcumin-loaded lactoferrin-functionalized nanolipid carriers enhanced brain uptake 2.78-fold; miR-124 nanoparticles increased mature neurons 2.5-fold in a Parkinson’s disease model.
  • In respiratory/TB/cancer applications, montelukast-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers improved bioavailability 12-fold; mannose-coated SLNs enhanced rifabutin cellular uptake up to six-fold; liposomal ciprofloxacin had 90% loading efficiency with up to 30% remaining after nebulization; 90 nm liposomes escaped leaky tumor vasculature but did not permeate away from the tumor for a week.

Methods

  • Narrative review; no systematic search strategy, databases, inclusion/exclusion criteria, or quantitative synthesis are stated.
  • Synthesizes preclinical and clinical literature on nanomaterial-based drug delivery vehicles and their applications across chronic diseases, including marketed nanomedicines.
  • Main analysis is descriptive and thematic, organized by carrier type and disease area.

Limitations

  • The paper states that clinical translation remains a major challenge requiring many well-defined clinical trials; the one-size-fits-all approach is a drawback; dosage standardization, extensive toxicology, short- and long-term side-effect assessment, new regulatory frameworks, and scalable, cost-effective, reproducible manufacturing are needed.
  • Evident from the text: as a narrative review, it does not systematically assess study quality or risk of bias, and many cited therapeutic results come from preclinical animal or cell models rather than human trials.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41392-019-0068-3

Cites

263 of 263 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

205 Not checked yet · 37 Own interpretation · 5 Supported · 1 Supported so far · 1 Partly supported · accuracy not yet measured

Verify all 228 references — free account

Show all 136 claims

  • Probably not a substantial claim. 23
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 98
113 of 113
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The inability or limited ability of currently available drug molecules to cross the blood–brain barrier is the major reason for their limited therapeutic effects in neurodegenerative diseases.

    “The inability or limited ability to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the major reason for the limited therapeutic effects of the currently available drug molecules.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Nerve growth factor does not cross the blood–brain barrier efficiently.

    “Nerve growth factor (NGF) does not cross the BBB efficiently”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Limited permeability across the blood–brain barrier restricts the therapeutic potential of dopaminergic molecules in Parkinson's disease.

    “However, limited permeability across the BBB restricts the therapeutic potential of these dopaminergic molecules.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Chronic administration of levodopa induces dyskinesis.

    “The chronic administration of levodopa induces dyskinesis”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Pulsatile administration of the dopaminergic system promotes motor complications such as dyskinesia.

    “pulsatile administration promotes motor complications (dyskinesia)”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    pH differences of the gastrointestinal tract hinder the pharmacological activity of drugs.

    “the pH differences of gastrointestinal tracts (acidic in stomach and basic in the intestine) hinder the pharmacological activity of the drugs.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The major reason for the failure of most clinical trials in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury is insufficient drug delivery within a limited therapeutic time window.

    “The major reason for the failure of most clinical trials in myocardial IR injury is insufficient drug delivery within a limited therapeutic time window.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Inhalation minimizes drug resistance, therapeutic dose, and side effects when delivering nanomedicines to the lung.

    “inhalation is an advantageous approach to deliver nanomedicines to the lung because this delivery method minimizes drug resistance, therapeutic dose, and side effects.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    CaMKII is overexpressed in asthmatic patients.

    “Reports suggest the overexpression of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in asthmatic patients.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    CaMKII inhibition reduces disease phenotypes of allergic asthma.

    “CaMKII inhibition reduced disease phenotypes of allergic asthma”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The major challenges in nanotherapeutics of COPD are airway defense, mucus hypersecretion and severe inflammation.

    “The major challenges in the nanotherapeutics of COPD are airway defense, mucus hypersecretion and severe inflammation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    New drugs are always needed to fight drug-resistant tuberculosis.

    “new drugs are always needed to fight drug-resistant TB.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Repeated administration of high doses is required to achieve therapeutic levels of anti-TB drugs by the oral route due to rapid hepatic first-pass metabolism and reduced gastro-intestinal absorption.

    “Although the oral route is the most convenient and least expensive, repeated administration of high doses is required to achieve therapeutic levels of anti-TB drugs due to rapid hepatic first-pass metabolism and reduced gastro-intestinal absorption.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Encapsulation of drugs into nano drug delivery systems offers potential benefits to penetrate and cross biological barriers to reach targeted sites in the lungs.

    “In this context, the encapsulation of drugs into nano drug delivery systems offers a number of potential benefits to penetrate and cross the biological barriers to reach the targeted sites in the lungs.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Technologies such as chemotherapy, injections of micro/nanoparticles, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy possess defects associated with systemic delivery, such as poor/low drug concentration at the tumor site, nonselectivity towards cells or tissues leading to toxicity, and low efficacy due to short half-life.

    “However, these technologies possess some defects associated with systemic delivery, such as poor/low drug concentration at the tumor site, nonselectivity towards cells or tissues leading to toxicity, and the low efficacy of the drugs due their short half-life.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Common features of tumors include leaky vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage.

    “Common features of tumors include leaky vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    In conventional chemotherapy, it is difficult to achieve therapeutic concentrations at the tumor site through systemic delivery.

    “In conventional chemotherapy, it is difficult to achieve therapeutic concentrations at the tumor site through systemic delivery.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The physicochemical properties of drugs encapsulated in nanoparticles are the most important characteristic for achieving proper drug distribution in the lungs.

    “The physicochemical properties of drugs encapsulated in nanoparticles are the most important characteristic for achieving a proper drug distribution in lungs.”
18 of 18

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Self-check

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Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

2 of 2

Citations

Cites

1 retracted

Show all 264 references

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Maiti, P., Senapati, S. & Saraf, S. Inhibition of Chronic Osteomyelitis using Sustained Release of Drug from Biodegradable Polymeric Chip. Clin. Oncol. 3, 1406 (2018).
  2. Nepolean, R., Narayanan, N., Subramaniyan, N., Venkateswaran, K. & Vinoth, J. Colon targeted methacrylic acid copolymeric nanoparticles for improved oral bioavailability of nisoldipine. Int. J. Biol. Pharm. Res. 3, 962–967 (2012).
  3. Sia, I. G. & Wieland, M. L. in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 348–361 (Elsevier).

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Items 401–500 of 674

Metadata

Authors
Singh, A. P., Biswas, A., Shukla, A., & Maiti, P.
Affiliations
Indian Institute of Technology BHU (IN)
Corresponding author
Maiti, Pralay
Venue
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
Published
2019-08-30
Volume
4
Issue
1
Pages
33-33
ISSN
2059-3635 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2970857608
Cited by
645
References
264
Citations by year
2026: 53 · 2025: 105 · 2024: 123 · 2023: 98 · 2022: 96 · 2021: 89 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 5
FWCI
4.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Science and Engineering Research Board (PDF/2016/004063)
  • Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Advanced Drug Delivery Systems
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Drug Discovery › Pharmacology and Nanomedicine Research
Keywords
nanomedicine, targeted drug delivery, drug carriers, chronic disease, liposomes, nanoparticles, hydrogels, micelles, dendrimers, mesoporous particles, diabetes mellitus, cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, gene therapy, nucleic acid delivery, peptide delivery, biocompatible nanomaterials

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