Erythrocyte-based drug delivery

Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2005 Mar;2(2):311-22. doi: 10.1517/17425247.2.2.311.

Abstract

The use of a physiological carrier to deliver therapeutics throughout the body to both improve their efficacy while minimising inevitable adverse side effects, is an extremely fascinating perspective. The behaviour of erythrocytes as a delivery system for several classes of molecules (i.e., proteins, including enzymes and peptides, therapeutic agents in the form of nucleotide analogues, glucocorticoid analogues) has been studied extensively as they possess several properties, which make them unique and useful carriers. Furthermore, the possibility of using carrier erythrocytes for selective drug targeting to differentiated macrophages increases the opportunities to treat intracellular pathogens and to develop new drugs. Finally, the availability of an apparatus that permits the encapsulation of drugs into autologous erythrocytes has made this technology available in many clinical settings and competitive with other drug delivery systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dialysis
  • Drug Carriers*
  • Drug Compounding
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / chemistry
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / physiology*
  • Erythrocytes / chemistry
  • Erythrocytes / physiology*
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Glucocorticoids / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypotonic Solutions
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mononuclear Phagocyte System / physiology
  • Nucleotides / administration & dosage
  • Nucleotides / metabolism
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / administration & dosage*
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / metabolism
  • Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Hypotonic Solutions
  • Nucleotides
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Proteins