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Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery
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Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2023) | Viewed by 16801

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Petr P. Snetkov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Chemical Engineering, ITMO University, Kronverkskiy prospekt, 49A, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Interests: biocompatible materials; biologically active agents; drug delivery systems; electrospinning; hyaluronic acid; nanofibers; polymeric nano- and microparticles; polymeric nanocomposites
Prof. Dr. Mayya Uspenskaya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Chemical Engineering, ITMO University, Kronverkskiy Prospekt, 49A, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Interests: radical polymerization; super-water absorbents; hydrogels; cross-linked chain polymers; polymeric nanocomposites; delivery of the medical products; biochemical sensors; diagnostic tools
Dr. Svetlana N. Morozkina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center of Chemical Engineering, ITMO University, Kronverkskiy prospekt, 49A, 197101 St. Petersburg, Russia
Interests: drug development; medicinal chemistry; bioorganic chemistry; natural products; drug delivery systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modern medicine needs safe and highly effective pharmaceuticals and diagnostic systems, the development of which is impossible without polymer nanomaterials. For instance, drugs, mainly having a hydrophobic nature, when encapsulated (loaded) in a polymeric matrix (capsule), begin to possess controlled and dosed release rates and have significantly higher bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy compared to pure pharmaceuticals. Moreover, due to the binding ability of certain biopolymers to specific cell receptors, targeted effect on the disease site (organ) is provided, which allows the transition to personalized medicine and the enhancement of human welfare.

This Special Issue aims to summarize the recent topical results in the drug delivery systems based on polymer nanomaterials, with a particular focus on the challenging methods for the improvement of drug bioavailability and for the decrease in side effects, resulting in improvement in living standards. 

In this Special Issue, original research articles, communications, and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: technology of polymer drug delivery systems; polymer nanoscale diagnostic systems; synthesis of special polymer derivatives for controllable release; morphological, physico-chemical, chemical, and biological properties of targeted systems, etc.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Petr P. Snetkov
Prof. Dr. Mayya Uspenskaya
Dr. Svetlana N. Morozkina
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3169 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Antifungal Activity and Ophthalmic Transport of Fluconazole from PEGylated Polycaprolactone Loaded Nanoparticles
by Alshaimaa M. Almehmady, Khalid M. El-Say, Manal A. Mubarak, Haneen A. Alghamdi, Njood A. Somali, Alaa Sirwi, Rahmah Algarni and Tarek A. Ahmed
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010209 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2167
Abstract
Fungal eye infections are caused mainly by an eye injury and can result in serious eye damage. Fluconazole (FLZ), a broad-spectrum antifungal agent, is a poorly soluble drug with a risk of hepatotoxicity. This work aimed to investigate the antifungal activity, ocular irritation, [...] Read more.
Fungal eye infections are caused mainly by an eye injury and can result in serious eye damage. Fluconazole (FLZ), a broad-spectrum antifungal agent, is a poorly soluble drug with a risk of hepatotoxicity. This work aimed to investigate the antifungal activity, ocular irritation, and transport of FLZ-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles using a rabbit eye model. Three formulation factors affecting the nanoparticle’s size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were optimized utilizing the Box-Behnken design. Morphological characteristics and antifungal activity of the optimized nanoparticles were studied. The optimized nanoparticles were loaded into thermosensitive in situ hydrogel and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) hydrogel ophthalmic formulations. The rheological behavior, in vitro release and in vivo corneal transport were investigated. Results revealed that the percentage of poly (ε-caprolactone) in the nanoparticle matrix, polymer addition rate, and mixing speed significantly affected the particle size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency. The optimized nanoparticles were spherical in shape and show an average size of 145 nm, a zeta potential of −28.23 mV, and a FLZ entrapment efficiency of 98.2%. The antifungal activity of FLZ-loaded nanoparticles was significantly higher than the pure drug. The developed ophthalmic formulations exhibited a pseudoplastic flow, prolonged the drug release and were found to be non-irritating to the cornea. The prepared FLZ pegylated nanoparticles were able to reach the posterior eye segment without eye irritation. As a result, the developed thermosensitive in situ hydrogel formulation loaded with FLZ polymeric nanoparticles is a promising drug delivery strategy for treating deep fungal eye infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery)
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13 pages, 3449 KiB  
Article
Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) and Its Modified Form from Durian Rind as Dexamethasone Carrier
by Jindrayani Nyoo Putro, Felycia Edi Soetaredjo, Wenny Irawaty, Sandy Budi Hartono, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Jenni Lie, Maria Yuliana, Widyarani, Hardy Shuwanto, Christian Julius Wijaya, Chintya Gunarto, Nathania Puspitasari and Suryadi Ismadji
Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5197; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235197 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2271
Abstract
In this study, CNCs were extracted from durian rind. Modification to CNCs with saponin was conducted at 50 °C for one h. CNCs and CNCs-saponin were employed as dexamethasone carriers. Modification to CNCs using saponin did not change the relative crystallinity of CNCs. [...] Read more.
In this study, CNCs were extracted from durian rind. Modification to CNCs with saponin was conducted at 50 °C for one h. CNCs and CNCs-saponin were employed as dexamethasone carriers. Modification to CNCs using saponin did not change the relative crystallinity of CNCs. CNCs’ molecular structure and surface chemistry did not alter significantly after modification. Both nanoparticles have surface charges independently of pH. Dexamethasone-released kinetics were studied at two different pH (7.4 and 5.8). Higuchi, Ritger–Peppas, first-order kinetic and sigmoidal equations were used to represent the released kinetic data. The sigmoidal equation was found to be superior to other models. The CNCs and CNCs-saponin showed burst release at 30 min. The study indicated that cell viability decreased by 30% after modification with saponin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery)
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Review

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34 pages, 2546 KiB  
Review
Polymeric Nanoparticles for Delivery of Natural Bioactive Agents: Recent Advances and Challenges
by Mohammed Elmowafy, Khaled Shalaby, Mohammed H. Elkomy, Omar Awad Alsaidan, Hesham A. M. Gomaa, Mohamed A. Abdelgawad and Ehab M. Mostafa
Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051123 - 23 Feb 2023
Cited by 77 | Viewed by 9046
Abstract
In the last few decades, several natural bioactive agents have been widely utilized in the treatment and prevention of many diseases owing to their unique and versatile therapeutic effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective action. However, their poor aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, [...] Read more.
In the last few decades, several natural bioactive agents have been widely utilized in the treatment and prevention of many diseases owing to their unique and versatile therapeutic effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective action. However, their poor aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, low GIT stability, extensive metabolism as well as short duration of action are the most shortfalls hampering their biomedical/pharmaceutical applications. Different drug delivery platforms have developed in this regard, and a captivating tool of this has been the fabrication of nanocarriers. In particular, polymeric nanoparticles were reported to offer proficient delivery of various natural bioactive agents with good entrapment potential and stability, an efficiently controlled release, improved bioavailability, and fascinating therapeutic efficacy. In addition, surface decoration and polymer functionalization have opened the door to improving the characteristics of polymeric nanoparticles and alleviating the reported toxicity. Herein, a review of the state of knowledge on polymeric nanoparticles loaded with natural bioactive agents is presented. The review focuses on frequently used polymeric materials and their corresponding methods of fabrication, the needs of such systems for natural bioactive agents, polymeric nanoparticles loaded with natural bioactive agents in the literature, and the potential role of polymer functionalization, hybrid systems, and stimuli-responsive systems in overcoming most of the system drawbacks. This exploration may offer a thorough idea of viewing the polymeric nanoparticles as a potential candidate for the delivery of natural bioactive agents as well as the challenges and the combating tools used to overcome any hurdles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery)
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19 pages, 3968 KiB  
Review
Nanogels as Potential Delivery Vehicles in Improving the Therapeutic Efficacy of Phytopharmaceuticals
by Murtada Taha, Nabil A. Alhakamy, Shadab Md, Mohammad Zaki Ahmad, Md. Rizwanullah, Sana Fatima, Naveed Ahmed, Faisal M. Alyazedi, Shahid Karim and Javed Ahmad
Polymers 2022, 14(19), 4141; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14194141 - 3 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2425
Abstract
Nanogel is a promising drug delivery approach to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic prospect of phytopharmaceuticals. In the present review, phytopharmaceuticals with astonishing therapeutic utilities are being explored. However, their in vivo delivery is challenging, owing to poor biopharmaceutical attributes that impact their [...] Read more.
Nanogel is a promising drug delivery approach to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic prospect of phytopharmaceuticals. In the present review, phytopharmaceuticals with astonishing therapeutic utilities are being explored. However, their in vivo delivery is challenging, owing to poor biopharmaceutical attributes that impact their drug release profile, skin penetration, and the reach of optimal therapeutic concentrations to the target site. Nanogel and its advanced version in the form of nanoemulgel (oil-in-water nanoemulsion integrated gel matrix) offer better therapeutic prospects than other conventional counterparts for improving the biopharmaceutical attributes and thus therapeutic efficacy of phytopharmaceuticals. Nanoemulgel-loaded phytopharmaceuticals could substantially improve permeation behavior across skin barriers, subsequently enhancing the delivery and therapeutic effectiveness of the bioactive compound. Furthermore, the thixotropic characteristics of polymeric hydrogel utilized in the fabrication of nanogel/nanoemulgel-based drug delivery systems have also imparted improvements in the biopharmaceutical attributes of loaded phytopharmaceuticals. This formulation approach is about to be rife in the coming decades. Thus, the current review throws light on the recent studies demonstrating the role of nanogels in enhancing the delivery of bioactive compounds for treating various disease conditions and the challenges faced in their clinical translation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress of Polymer Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery)
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