Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems for the treatment of neglected tropical protozoan diseases

Abstract

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) comprise of a group of seventeen infectious conditions endemic in many developing countries. Among these diseases are three of protozoan origin, namely leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and African trypanosomiasis, caused by the parasites Leishmania spp. , Trypanosoma cruzi , and Trypanosoma brucei respectively. These diseases have their own unique challenges which are associated with the development of effective prevention and treatment methods. Collectively, these parasitic diseases cause more deaths worldwide than all other NTDs combined. Moreover, many current therapies for these diseases are limited in their efficacy, possessing harmful or potentially fatal side effects at therapeutic doses. It is therefore imperative that new treatment strategies for these parasitic diseases are developed. Nanoparticulate drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising area of research in the therapy and prevention of NTDs. These delivery systems provide novel mechanisms for targeted drug delivery within the host, maximizing therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic side effects. Currently approved drugs may also be repackaged using these delivery systems, allowing for their potential use in NTDs of protozoan origin. Current research on these novel delivery systems has provided insight into possible indications, with evidence demonstrating their improved ability to specifically target pathogens, penetrate barriers within the host, and reduce toxicity with lower dose regimens. In this review, we will examine current research on these delivery systems, focusing on applications in the treatment of leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and African trypanosomiasis. Nanoparticulate systems present a unique therapeutic alternative through the repositioning of existing medications and directed drug delivery.

Recent Advances in Polymeric Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Drugs against Intracellular Infections

“…The infections caused by bacteria, fungus, viruses, or parasites are treated with antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals and antiparasitics, respectively. Each antimicrobial presents different challenges, mostly related to the biology of the microorganisms and the pathogenesis of the diseases [ 1 , 9 , 129 , 130 , 131 ]. Physicochemical properties of antimicrobials (solubility, molecular weight, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, charge, and alkalinity) are important parameters to predict drug-pathogens action.…”

Parasitological and immunological evaluation of a novel chemotherapeutic agent against visceral leishmaniasis

“…Distinct delivery systems, such as liposomes, nanoemulsions, polymeric micelles, among others, have been used extensively in the field of drug development, since they can increase drug efficacy and thus allow lower drug concentration in their formulations 52‐55 . In a similar fashion, the use of polymeric micelles for delivery of antileishmanial agents has led also to increased drug efficacy against Leishmania 56,57 .…”

Resveratrol Nanoparticles: A Promising Therapeutic Advancement over Native Resveratrol

“…However, the effect was more pronounced when the cells were treated with RES-loaded SLNs or NLCs. This is because the stability of the molecule was greater when they were encapsulated in colloids [86][87][88], rather than being administered orally. Among the solid and liquid lipid encapsulations, NLCs were found to have reduced the fluorescence intensity and is primarily due to the higher encapsulation efficiency of the NLCs due to their greater accommodation of the molecules within them rather than driving out of RES to the outer matrix in case of SLNs.…”