Computer simulations of drug release from a liposome into the bloodstream

Eur Phys J E Soft Matter. 2018 Feb 8;41(2):20. doi: 10.1140/epje/i2018-11626-7.

Abstract

I propose two-dimensional simulations of drug release from a liposome into the bloodstream. I perform the fluid-structure coupling, between the particles deformation (the liposome and the red blood cells) and the plasma flow, using the immersed boundary method. I compute both the flow and the drug mass transport using the lattice Boltzmann method. The simulations allow computing the instantaneous amount of the released drug, its distribution and its accumulation in the blood vessel wall. These quantities are sensitive to multiple factors and parameters. Here, I briefly explore the impact of having surrounding red blood cells, which are found to enhance slightly the drug release at large Schmidt numbers. In the limit of extremely large permeability of the particles, the drug transport is mainly affected by the complex flow induced by the interplay between the applied flow and the collective motion of the particles.

Keywords: Topical issue: Fluids and Structures: Multi-scale coupling and modeling.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Vessels / physiology
  • Computer Simulation*
  • Drug Liberation*
  • Erythrocytes / physiology
  • Hemodynamics
  • Humans
  • Liposomes / blood*

Substances

  • Liposomes