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Stimuli-responsive Carriers for Controlled Intracellular Drug Release
Yan Sheng1, Jiaming Hu2, Junfeng Shi2
1College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
|September 7, 2017
Summary
Stimuli-responsive carriers offer controlled intracellular drug release by responding to internal cell signals like pH, redox, and temperature. These advanced drug delivery systems enhance therapeutic bioavailability at disease sites.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Stimuli-responsive carriers dynamically alter properties for targeted drug delivery.
- While passive and active targeting reduce side effects, controlled intracellular release is crucial for drug bioavailability.
Purpose of the Study:
- This review explores recent advancements in stimuli-responsive carriers for controlled intracellular drug release.
- Focuses on carriers responding to intracellular stimuli for precise therapeutic delivery.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on stimuli-responsive carriers.
- Analysis of intracellular stimuli including pH, redox potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS), enzymes, and temperature.
Main Results:
- pH-responsive carriers are widely used for intracellular release.
- Redox-responsive carriers leverage glutathione concentration differences.
- ROS-responsive carriers enable selective release based on oxidative conditions.
- Enzyme-responsive carriers offer high selectivity and mild conditions.
- Temperature-responsive carriers are effective for tumor drug delivery.
Conclusions:
- Stimuli-responsive carriers represent a promising platform for controlled intracellular drug release.
- These systems enhance drug delivery precision and therapeutic efficacy.
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