Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Construction of Cyclic Cell-Penetrating Peptides for Enhanced Penetration of Biological Barriers
Published on: September 19, 2022
Using peptides to increase transport across the intestinal barrier
M Sánchez-Navarro1, J Garcia1, E Giralt2
1Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
The oral route is the preferred for the administration of drugs; however, it has some serious limitations. One of the main disadvantages is poor permeability across the intestinal barrier. Various approaches are currently being adopted to overcome this issue. In this review, we describe the alternatives that use peptides to enhance intestinal absorption. First, we define the various sources of peptide enhancers followed by the analysis of the absorption mechanism used. We then comment on the possible toxic effects derived from their use as permeation enhancers, as well as potential formulation strategies. Finally, the advantages and drawbacks of peptides as intestinal enhancers are examined.
Related Concept Videos
Carrier-Mediated Transport
Active transport involves two types of membrane-spanning transporters: uptake and efflux. Uptake transporters are expressed in the small...
Pore Transport and Ion-Pair Transport
Pore transport, also known as convective transport, is a process where small molecules like urea, water, and sugars rapidly cross cell membranes as though there were channels or pores in the membrane. Although direct microscopic evidence is limited but the concept of pores or channels is widely accepted based on physiological evidence. Despite the lack of direct...
Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Permeability Enhancement
Transcellular Transport of Solutes
Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport
However, most drugs use the transcellular route, traversing directly through the cell membranes via two mechanisms: passive and active transport. Passive...
Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport
Phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer, with hydrophilic heads oriented outward and hydrophobic tails facing inward.

