Biomaterial and Drug Delivery Systems (DDSs)
Introduction
In modern pharmaceutical research, the development of efficient drug delivery systems (DDS) is essential to enhance therapeutic efficacy, reduce side effects, and improve patient compliance. Conventional drug administration methods often suffer from limitations such as poor bioavailability, rapid drug degradation, non-specific distribution, and the inability to bypass biological barriers like the hepatic portal system. Advanced drug delivery strategies have been developed to overcome these challenges, focusing on targeted, localized, and controlled release approaches.
Major Objectives of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems
- Use of Specialized Carriers: Employ biocompatible carriers (e.g., nanoparticles, hydrogels, liposomes) to encapsulate and protect drugs from premature degradation or elimination.
- Improved Bioavailability: Enhance drug absorption and effectiveness either systemically or locally, depending on the therapeutic goal.
- Targeted Delivery: Maximize therapeutic action by directing the drug specifically to the site of interest (e.g., tumors), thereby minimizing off-target effects.
- Alternative Administration Routes: Explore non-oral delivery pathways—such as ocular, nasal, transdermal, or vaginal—to bypass gastrointestinal degradation and the hepatic first-pass effect.
- Bypass Hepatic Metabolism: Deliver drugs through routes or mechanisms that avoid the liver’s metabolic breakdown, increasing their efficacy.
- Enhanced Therapeutic Outcomes: Improve the overall treatment results by optimizing drug concentration at the target site while reducing systemic toxicity.
- Critical Application in Oncology: Especially vital for anticancer drugs, where precision and reduced toxicity are crucial due to the narrow therapeutic index.
Methodological Approaches
- Localized Application: Direct delivery of the drug at or near the site of action to increase local concentration and minimize systemic exposure.
- Ligand Conjugation: Attach targeting ligands (e.g., antibodies, peptides) to drug carriers to recognize and bind to specific receptors on target cells.
- Stimuli-Responsive Systems: Design DDS that respond to physiological conditions such as pH, temperature, or enzymatic activity to trigger drug release at the desired site.
- Active Targeting Strategies: Incorporate mechanisms that actively seek out and bind to diseased cells, enhancing selectivity and reducing off-target effects.
Recent researches
