China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Antiviral Drugs as Tools for Nanomedicine
Published in Devarajan Thangadurai, Saher Islam, Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Viral and Antiviral Nanomaterials, 2022
Nanoparticles have different shapes and morphologies, surface charge, biomimetic properties (Gagliardi 2017), increased target specificity, and controlled drug release (Muthu and Singh 2009), which make them ideal drug-delivery agents. Such properties impart efficient delivery of antiviral drugs through impermeable barriers (Petros and DeSimone 2010; Mahajan et al. 2012). Their large surface area to volume ratio encourages a large amount of drug incorporation (McNeil 2011) with enhanced stability and bioavailability (Goldberg et al. 2007). Surface conjugation with target specific markers can result in reduced toxicity to normal healthy cells. Due to these properties, nano drug-delivery systems show promising virucidal activity against variety of viruses viz. HIV, HSV, HBV, etc. Such targeted, sustained, and efficient delivery through the engineered nano-delivery systems result in reduction in drug resistance and adverse side effects.
Drug Targeting: General Aspects and Relevance to Nanotechnology
Published in Raj K. Keservani, Anil K. Sharma, Rajesh K. Kesharwani, Drug Delivery Approaches and Nanosystems, 2017
Preethi Naik, Megha Marwah, Meenakshi Venkataraman, Gopal Singh Rajawat, Mangal Nagarsenker
Localization of drug at the site of infection allows achievement of therapeutically effective concentrations for longer duration. This approach is advantageous for antibiotic therapy since it reduces incidence of drug resistance by lowering drug dose, dosing frequency and improving patient compliance (Gao et al., 2011). Polymeric carriers are preferred for such applications as exemplified by hydrogels and mucoadhesive systems discussed below. Hydrogels are a class of swelling hydrophilic matrix systems which inherently possess antimicrobial activity owing to the polymeric material and/or antibiotics housed within, finding wide application in wound dressings (Ng et al., 2014). These swellable gels can also stabilize nanoparticles like liposomes within their matrix (Gao et al., 2011). Such dual action is incredibly efficient in breaking down biofilms and overcoming resistance (Li et al., 2013; Ng et al., 2014; Wu et al., 2014). Mucoadhesive systems localize drug along the mucosal epithelia and are applied to combat a variety of infections like, corneal infections, periodontitis, oropharyngeal candidiasis, infection of oral cavity (Nguyen and Hiorth, 2015). These systems have been extensively studied for antibiotic delivery to stomach and eradication of H. Pylori infections (Adebisi and Conway, 2015; Parreira et al., 2014; Siddalingam and Chidambaram, 2014). Combination of mucoadhesion and pH responsiveness of polymer present a dual attack against stomach ulcers of H. Pylori (Du et al., 2015).
Nanoimaging of Biomolecules Using Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy
Published in Tuan Vo-Dinh, Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine, 2017
Musundi B. Wabuyele, Tuan Vo-Dinh
We have exploited the optical detection sensitivity and the high resolution of NSOM to detect the cellular localization and effect of ABC (ATP-binding cassette) proteins associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) (35–39). Drug resistance can be associated with several cellular mechanisms ranging from reduced drug uptake to reduction of drug sensitivity caused by genetic alterations. MDR is therefore a phenomenon that indicates a variety of strategies that cancer cells are able to develop in order to resist the cytotoxic effects of anticancer drugs. Decades of studies have demonstrated that there are different ways in which tumor cells can develop resistance. MDR can result from (1) decreased influx of cytotoxic drugs (40); (2) overexpression of drug transporters that belong to the ABC family of proteins including the P-glycoprotein (Pgp), MDR-associated protein (MRP1), and the breast cancer resistance protein 1 (BCRP1); and (3) changes in cellular physiology affecting the structure of the plasma membrane, the cytosolic pH, and the rates and extent of intracellular transport through membranes (41–43).
Optimization problems involving matrix multiplication with applications in materials science and biology
Published in Engineering Optimization, 2022
The second example arises from biology and is called the antibiotics time machine problem. Antibiotic drug resistance is a serious concern in modern medical practices since the successive application of antibiotics may cause mutations, which might lead to ineffective or even harmful treatment plans. Complicating the problem even further is the inherent randomness associated with administering a certain drug. Given a list of drugs and a predetermined length of treatment plan, the antibiotics time machine problem seeks to find the optimal drug sequence to be applied so that the probability of reversing the mutations altogether at the end of the treatment is maximized. Although there is significant interest in the biology community in understanding the quantitative aspect of antibiotics resistance (Kim, Lieberman, and Kishony 2014; Nichol et al.2015; Mira et al.2015, 2017; Yoshida et al.2017), the only method used to attack the antibiotic times machine problem appears to be complete enumeration.
A review on the biomedical efficacy of transition metal triazole compounds
Published in Journal of Coordination Chemistry, 2022
Sajjad Hussain Sumrra, Wardha Zafar, Muhammad Imran, Zahid Hussain Chohan
Antibiotic resistance is a complex phenomenon that is the outcome of a number of factors. The foremost factor is the vertiginous decline in research and development of new antibiotics [1]. From the time when the first antibiotic (Penicillin, 1928) was discovered, there has been a “race” between researchers to design and develop new antibiotics and pathogenic bacterial species harboring a number of resistance mechanisms. Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is alarming, particularly resistance in Gram negative bacteria. In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed 12 bacteria, which have such a high level of resistance to antibiotics that they represent a threat to human health. Most of these bacteria are Gram negative bacteria. Based on their priority, WHO has grouped and categorized these bacteria as medium, high and critical [2]. It was also stated that 700,000 people are killed by antibiotic resistance each year worldwide. Experts in another report, “Tackling Drug-Resistant Infections Globally: Final Report and Recommendations”, also predicted that drug resistant infections may cause death of 10,000,000 people annually by 2050, beyond the number of deaths due to even cancer or traffic accidents, if no attempts are done to curtail resistance by developing new antibiotics [3].
An overview of the plant-mediated synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles and their antimicrobial potential
Published in Inorganic and Nano-Metal Chemistry, 2020
Sadia Akbar, Isfahan Tauseef, Fazli Subhan, Nighat Sultana, Ibrar Khan, Umair Ahmed, Kashif Syed Haleem
The rapid global spread of microorganisms’ resistance to antibiotics and the development of multi drug resistant strains poses a serious threat to public health all over the world. Hence, numerous alternative strategies are being utilized in biomedicine and health.[1] Among these, nano-medicine is an interesting field of research, which combines knowledge from medicine and nanotechnology and presents nanostructured materials as unique antimicrobial agents.[2,3] Currently, nanotechnology is a fresh front line of science and technology that manipulates matter at the nanometer scale (1–100 nm) to create new and novel materials with unique properties and functions. Significantly improved chemical, physical, mechanical and biological properties of materials emerged when the matter was structured at the nanoscale. Because of these unique physicochemical characteristics based on size, distribution and morphology, nanoscale materials offer large scope of applications in different areas of science including physics, chemistry, biology, bioengineering, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine, textile sizing, surface coating agents, agriculture and antimicrobials.[4–8] Nano-scale materials are known as “a wonder of modern medicine”.[9] It is stated that antibiotics can possibly kill half a dozen different disease-causing organisms but nanoparticles can kill some 650 cells.[10] Several classes of nanoparticles have shown their effectiveness as antimicrobial agents and nano-sized carriers for antibiotics delivery in-vitro as well as in animal models.[11,12]