Review: doxorubicin delivery systems based on chitosan for cancer therapy
Mei Lin Tan1, Peter F M Choong, Crispin R Dass
1Department of Orthopaedics and Surgery, University of Melbourne, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Objectives:
This review sheds insight into an increasingly popular polymer that has been widely explored as a potential drug delivery system. The abundant, biodegradable and biocompatible polysaccharide chitosan, with many other favourable properties, has been favoured as a drug delivery system for the purposes of encapsulating and delivery of doxorubicin with reduced side-effects.
Key Findings:
Doxorubicin is frequently used as a frontline chemotherapeutic agent against a variety of cancers. It has largely been able to demonstrate anti-tumour effects, though there are major shortfalls of doxorubicin, which include serious side-effects such as cardiomyopathy and myelosuppression, and also an ever-present danger of extravasation during drug administration. In view of this, drug delivery systems are currently being explored as alternative methods of drug delivery in a bid to more effectively direct doxorubicin to the specific lesion site and reduce its systemic side-effects. Liposomes and dendrimers have been tested as potential carriers for doxorubicin; however they are not the focus of this review.
Summary:
Recent advancements in doxorubicin and chitosan technology have shown some preliminary though promising results for cancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Drug Delivery Systems: Different Types
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Overview
Drug Delivery: Overview
Enteral delivery involves administering drugs directly through swallowing, sublingual placement, or buccal application. Orally administered drugs predominantly navigate the gastrointestinal...


