Abstract
Among the several delivery materials available so far, polysaccharides represent very attractive molecules as they can undergo a wide range of chemical modifications, are biocompatible, biodegradable, and have low immunogenic properties. Thus, polysaccharides can contribute to significantly overcome the limitation in the use of many types of drugs, including anti-cancer drugs. The use of conventional anti-cancer drugs is hampered by their high toxicity, mostly depending on the indiscriminate targeting of both cancer and normal cells. Additionally, for nucleic acid based drugs (NABDs), an emerging class of drugs with potential anti-cancer value, the practical use is problematic. This mostly depends on their fast degradation in biological fluids and the difficulties to cross cell membranes. Thus, for both classes of drugs, the development of optimal delivery materials is crucial. Here we discuss the possibility of using different kinds of polysaccharides, such as chitosan, hyaluronic acid, dextran, and pullulan, as smart drug delivery materials. We first describe the main features of polysaccharides, then a general overview about the aspects ruling drug release mechanisms and the pharmacokinetic are reported. Finally, notable examples of polysaccharide-based delivery of conventional anti-cancer drugs and NABDs are reported. Whereas additional research is required, the promising results obtained so far, fully justify further efforts, both in terms of economic support and investigations in the field of polysaccharides as drug delivery materials.
Highlights
Polysaccharides can be defined as polymeric carbohydrate structures composed of repeating monosaccharide units joined by glycosidic bonds [1]
Toxicity may depend on the presence, in the pharmaceutical preparations, of organic solvents/detergents necessary to improve the poor solubility in water of many of these drugs [70]
GCS-chlorine e6 (Ce6) had a prolonged circulation time and efficiently accumulated in the tumor, resulting in an excellent therapeutic effect. These findings suggest that the combined delivery of the two NP types may allow a fast delivery (HGC-Ce6) followed by slower release (GCS-Ce6), useful to maintain the pharmacological effects
Summary
Polysaccharides can be defined as polymeric carbohydrate structures composed of repeating monosaccharide units joined by glycosidic bonds [1]. (5) ionic polysaccharides are muco-adhesive [13]; (6) they can be prepared as conjugates or complexes with proteins, peptides, and other bio-macromolecules [14]; (7) they can form gels [14]; and (8) they can give rise to interpenetrated polymeric networks (IPN) and semi-IPN that can show physico-chemical properties which are remarkably different from those of the macromolecular constituents [15] All these characteristics make polysaccharides excellent materials for the realization of “smart” delivery systems capable to release, at the appropriate time and site of action, entrapped drugs in response to specific physiological stimuli [15].
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