Chitosan Polymeric Micelles as Oral Delivery Platform of Hydrophobic Anticancer Drugs

Abstract

Oral drug administration is the most common and preferred route of administration for both patients and doctors. However, some drugs, as the case of hydrophobic anticancer drugs, cannot be administered orally since they are hampered by the physiological and biological barriers of the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the use of nanotechnology, particularly, the use of polymeric micelles has received great attention to overcome these limitations and achieve a better therapeutic outcome. Polymeric micelles have the ability to protect the drug from the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract, improving the stability and solubility of the drug for an enhanced oral bioavailability. Chitosan is a natural polymer with very interesting biological properties and has received growing interest to produce polymeric micelles to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs. The limitations of the oral administration and the mechanisms of the intestinal absorption, as well as the chitosan modifications to produce polymeric micelles are reviewed in this chapter. Finally, recently developed chitosan-based polymeric micelles were included in the review, with a focus on the delivery of anticancer drugs for oral chemotherapy.