Nanotechnology applied to the treatment of malaria

Despite the fact that we live in an era of advanced technology and innovation, infectious diseases, like malaria, continue to be one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The main drawbacks of conventional malaria chemotherapy are the development of multiple drug resistance and the non-specif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced drug delivery reviews 2010-03, Vol.62 (4), p.560-575
Main Authors: Santos-Magalhães, Nereide Stela, Mosqueira, Vanessa Carla Furtado
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antimalarials
Antimalarials - administration & dosage
Antimalarials - therapeutic use
Carriers
Dendrimers
Developing Countries
Drug Carriers - chemistry
Drug Delivery Systems
Drugs
Humans
Lipids - chemistry
Liposomes
Liposomes - chemistry
Malaria
Malaria - drug therapy
Malaria - parasitology
Malaria - prevention & control
Malaria Vaccines - administration & dosage
Malaria Vaccines - therapeutic use
Nanocapsules
Nanocarriers
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles - chemistry
Nanostructure
Nanotechnology - trends
Parasites
Plasmodium
Receiving
Suspensions
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Summary:Despite the fact that we live in an era of advanced technology and innovation, infectious diseases, like malaria, continue to be one of the greatest health challenges worldwide. The main drawbacks of conventional malaria chemotherapy are the development of multiple drug resistance and the non-specific targeting to intracellular parasites, resulting in high dose requirements and subsequent intolerable toxicity. Nanosized carriers have been receiving special attention with the aim of minimizing the side effects of drug therapy, such as poor bioavailability and the selectivity of drugs. Several nanosized delivery systems have already proved their effectiveness in animal models for the treatment and prophylaxis of malaria. A number of strategies to deliver antimalarials using nanocarriers and the mechanisms that facilitate their targeting to Plasmodium spp.-infected cells are discussed in this review. Taking into account the peculiarities of malaria parasites, the focus is placed particularly on lipid-based (e.g., liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and nano and microemulsions) and polymer-based nanocarriers (nanocapsules and nanospheres). This review emphasizes the main requirements for developing new nanotechnology-based carriers as a promising choice in malaria treatment, especially in the case of severe cerebral malaria.
ISSN:0169-409X
1872-8294
DOI:10.1016/j.addr.2009.11.024