Recent Advances in Drug Delivery of Polymeric Nano-Micelles

Abstract

In clinical studies, drugs with hydrophobic characteristic usually reflect low bioavailability, poor drug absorption, and inability to achieve the therapeutic concentration in blood. The production of poor solubility drugs, in abundance, by pharmaceutical industries calls for an urgent need to find the alternatives for resolving the above mentioned shortcomings. Poor water solubility drugs loaded with polymeric micelle seem to be the best alternative to enhance drugs solubility and bioavailability. Polymeric micelle, formed by self-assembled of amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous environment, functioned as solubilizing agent for hydrophobic drug. This review discusses the fundamentals of polymeric micelle as drug carrier through representative literature, and demonstrates some applications in various clinical trials. The structure, characteristic, and formation of polymeric micelle have been discussed firstly. Next, this manuscript focuses on the potential of polymeric micelles as drug vehicle in oral, transdermal routes, and anti-cancer agent. Several results from previous studies have been reproduced in this review in order to prove the efficacy of the micelles in delivering hydrophobic drugs. Lastly, future strategies to broaden the application of polymeric micelles in pharmaceutical industries have been highlighted.

VCAM-1-targeted and PPARδ-agonist-loaded nanomicelles enhanced suppressing effects on apoptosis and migration of oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells

“…Currently, nanomicelles (NMs) are reported to be a promising drug delivery system, and widely applied in disease therapy [14]. As the most common nanocarriers, NMs possess several favorable properties (such as high biocompatibility and ability) to carry large drug payloads [14]. Previous studies have developed drug-loaded NMs, which exhibit improved effects compared with free drug [15][16][17].…”

Nanodrug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

“…At low ratios in aqueous media, copolymers exist separately, however, once the molar concentration is increased, aggregation occurs [61]. The aggregates known as nanomicelles, comprises of several copolymers in a spherical arrangement [62,63]. When attachments to the polymer functional groups are anticipated, complexes including carboxylic (COO − ) conjugate bases and amine (NH) bases are joined as the sequence terminating clusters [33].…”

Pluronic P123 modified nano micelles loaded with doxorubicin enhanced tumor-suppressing effect on drug-resistant breast cancer cells

“…Thus, it is indispensable to design an effective targeted drug delivery system that not only is able to increase the concentration of drugs in tumor cells, but also resensitize to MDR cancer cells. Currently, nanomicelles (NMs) are reported to be a promising drug delivery system, and widely applied in cancer therapy [17,18]. As the most common nanocarriers, NMs possess several favorable properties such as high biocompatibility and ability to carry large drug payloads [17].…”

“…Currently, nanomicelles (NMs) are reported to be a promising drug delivery system, and widely applied in cancer therapy [17,18]. As the most common nanocarriers, NMs possess several favorable properties such as high biocompatibility and ability to carry large drug payloads [17]. Previous studies have developed Dox-loaded NMs, and Dox-loaded NMs exhibits improved tumorsuppressing effects compared with free Dox [19,20].…”