Current review on nail drug delivery system and their future perspectives

Abstract

Human nails are not only beautiful and protective, but they may also be utilized as a vehicle for drug delivery, particularly in the treatment of nail disorders such as psoriasis and onychomycosis. Even though nails develop at a somewhat moderate rate, their highly keratinized structure presents unique opportunities and challenges for medication penetration. Achieving therapeutic doses might be difficult even with topical pharmaceutical delivery, which offers advantages like non-invasiveness and customized effect. Many physical and chemical methods, such as acid etching and permeation enhancers, have been studied to improve drug penetration. It has recently been demonstrated that nail lacquers have potential for effectively delivering medication through the nails. Nail anatomy, common nail diseases, nail medication administration methods, and the advantages and disadvantages of nail lacquers are all covered in this overview. In addition, it discusses factors influencing drug diffusion through nails, draws comparisons between topical nail lacquers and oral antifungal medications, and looks at recent studies and patents on the topic. Future prospects for transungual medicine administration are promising, thanks to innovations such as photodynamic therapy and water-based lacquers. To fully realize the promise of this distribution method, more research is necessary.