Active Targeted Drug Delivery for Microbes Using Nano-Carriers

Lin, Yung-Sheng; Lee, Ming-Yuan; Yang, Chih-Hui; Huang, Keng-Shiang

Nanoparticles including metal and non-metal nanoparticle were systematized by our previous review [80] . Both of them have many unique physicochemical properties including extremely small size [81, 82] , huge surface to mass ratio [83] , high reactivity and a distinctive interaction with biological systems [84] . Nanoparticles have been demonstrated to elevate drug stability, bioavailability, targeting and uptake [85] . Particles less than 5 nm are rapidly expelled from the circulation by extravasation and larger particles have limited diffusion in the extracellular space [86] . In hence, the development of nanoparticles containing medicines has made it possible to increase the therapeutic index of many compo-nents using suited ligand to arrive the intention site [87] . Nanoparticles binding ligands could enhance antiviral activity and improve cytotoxicity, low water solubility, and rapid clearance from circulation of the free drug [88] . The details of studies to treat microbes by nanoparticles with binding ligands are summarized in (Table 2 ).