Nanopharmaceuticals for improved topical vaginal therapy: can they deliver?

Abstract

Nanopharmaceuticals have the potential to revolutionise medical treatment by permitting the design of more potent, less toxic "smart" therapeutics, ultimately leading to personalised medicine. This review summarises the challenges and potential uses of nanodelivery system for the topical drug therapy of vaginal diseases. The vaginal route of drug administration remains a challenge in the development of novel drug therapies, including nanomedicines. We attempted to provide an unbiased overview of currently investigated nanodelivery systems, some of which remain to be extensively studied under laboratory conditions, and some of which are already in clinical trials. Most nanodelivery systems are aimed at improving the treatment of vaginal infections, including HIV prevention. Promising new approaches in nanopharmaceutical design are discussed in this review, as well as the controversies related to mucoadhesiveness of nanopharmaceuticals.

• Authors: Željka Vanić, Nataša Škalko-Basnet
• Journal: European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Eur J Pharm Sci) Vol. 50 Issue 1 Pg. 29-41 (Sep 27 2013) ISSN: 1879-0720 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 23684936 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Dendrimers
• Drug Carriers
• Emulsions
• Liposomes
• Pharmaceutical Preparations

Topics

• Administration, Intravaginal
• Animals
• Bacterial Infections (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Dendrimers
• Drug Carriers (chemistry)
• Emulsions
• Female
• Humans
• Liposomes
• Mycoses (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Nanoparticles (chemistry)
• Pharmaceutical Preparations (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Vaginitis (drug therapy, microbiology, virology)
• Virus Diseases (drug therapy, virology)