IMR Press / FBL / Volume 15 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.2741/3627

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Drug delivery systems for potential treatment of intracellular bacterial infections
Show Less
1 Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
2 Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain
3 Infectious Disease Service, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, IDIBELL, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2010, 15(2), 397–417; https://doi.org/10.2741/3627
Published: 1 January 2010
Abstract

Despite the advent of a considerable number of new antibiotics, treatment of intracellular pathogens still represents a major pharmaceutical challenge. The antibiotic concentration in those specialized niches are often subtherapeutic, for which high doses of antibiotics must often be used. This is not only costly but may also increase localized or systemic side effects. There is therefore an urgent need for materials and methods to enable clinicians to achieve therapeutically effective intracellular concentration of those antibiotics which show good efficiency in vitro. In this setting, the possible use of drug delivery systems (DDS) loaded with antibiotics that exhibit a high in vitro bactericidal activity deserves to be considered. Entrapping or encapsulating the drug within a delivery system provides a greater control of the pharmacokinetic behavior of the active molecule. This more efficient use of antibiotics may diminish their drawbacks and provide the basis for shortening the current time required by classical treatments. This review will focus on the role of DDS as a potential tool against intracellular bacteria.

Share
Back to top