Microsphere-Based Drug Delivery to Alveolar Macrophages - a Review

Abstract

Lungs have a complex but coordinated system to eliminate inhaled pathogenic and pollutant particles. Pulmonary contact with pathogenic particles has the potential to cause respiratory disturbances, so the process of eliminating foreign particles must be ensured to continue functioning normally. Pulmonary delivery system becomes the choice of drug delivery, for example in the provision of inhaled antibiotics aimed at several diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. This delivery route is also intended for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension 1 and the administration of paclitaxel and doxurobicin in the treatment of lung cancer. 2 In several studies that have been carried out, inhalation delivery system is also intended to have a systemic effect, for example insulin delivery, 3 delivery of antinerve growth factor hormone, 4 and antithrombotic therapy. 5 Lungs' natural defense mechanism to fight pollutants and potentially pathogenic particles is a complex system and involves several processes such as mucociliary cleansing, the release of anti-pathogenic endogenous proteins, and the presence of leukocyte responses that occur in the lungs. 6 Alveolar macrophages are the first defense