Cell Carriers as Systems of Delivery of Antitumor Drugs (Review)

Abstract

Introduction. Drug delivery systems are defined as systems that deliver the optimal amount of a drug to a target target, increase the effectiveness of treatment, and reduce adverse effects. Regulation of the rate of release of drugs and bringing to specific tissues where active ingredients are needed are the main objectives of drug delivery systems. The development of systems for targeted, organ-specific and controlled delivery of medicinal, prophylactic and diagnostic agents is currently a relevant area of research for pharmacy and medicine. Of particular interest is the actual problem of increasing the frequency of manifestations of side effects of drugs. The side effect of drugs, their low efficiency is often explained by the inaccessibility of drugs directly to the target. Text. Currently, targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and drug delivery systems has completely changed the tactics and approaches in the drug treatment of cancer, allowing to reduce the side effects of the drug and generally increase the effectiveness of the course of treatment. This paper summarizes and systematizes information about targeted systems for drug delivery of antitumor activity, described in the scientific literature and used in pharmacy and medicine. Most of the methods for obtaining cellular forms of toxic drugs discussed in this review are still at the development stage, and some methods are gradually finding practical application abroad in medicine and other fields. Vincristine (VCR) and vinblastine (VBL) are the most widely used and effective drugs in chemotherapeutic practice. Despite their effectiveness against various oncological diseases, there are a number of harmful side effects that limit the widespread use of these drugs. Conclusion. There is the possibility of using cellular carriers as a VCR and VBL delivery system. In scientific publications, there is still no data on the use of cellular carriers for encapsulating VCR and VBL. Therefore, relevant studies are devoted to the possibility of using cellular carriers to reduce side effects, improve efficiency, and develop dosage forms for the delivery of VCR and VBL to pathological foci. This topic is currently being actively developed by members of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Faculty, Voronezh State University.

Modern Nanocarriers as a Factor in Increasing the Bioavailability and Pharmacological Activity of Flavonoids

“…In this regard, increase in the bioavailability of flavonoids becomes a fundamentally important factor in enhancing their biological action. This problem is most relevant in oncological practice, where flavonoids, due to their anticarcinogenic activity, are becoming more widespread [16][17][18][19]. This led to the idea of using artificial carriers to increase the efficiency of flavonoid penetration to target organs.…”

“…At present, many drug carriers have been developed of various origins and chemical structures with molecular sizes ranging from one to hundreds of nm [20]. To deliver flavonoids, second generation carriers, combined into the group of so-called colloidal carriers, with a size of below 1 μm, are mainly used [17]. Nanosystems for delivery of plant polyphenols are as follows:…”

“…An important characteristic of liposomes is their amphiphilicity, which allows them to encapsulate water-and fat-soluble substances, as well as amphiphilic compounds, and to release these compounds under certain conditions. Another feature of liposomes is that their membrane can be adsorbed on the cell membrane, then fuse with it and be absorbed by the cell via endocytosis, followed by uncapping of the liposomes and the release of the drugs contained in them [16,17,21,24,46,47].…”