Light-sensitive intelligent drug delivery systems.
Drug delivery systems (DDS) capable of releasing an active molecule at the appropriate site and at a rate that adjusts in response to the progression of the disease or to certain functions/biorhythms of the organism are particularly appealing. Biocompatible materials sensitive to certain physiological variables or external physicochemical stimuli (intelligent materials) can be used for achieving this aim. Light-responsiveness is receiving increasing attention owing to the possibility of developing materials sensitive to innocuous electromagnetic radiation (mainly in the UV, visible and near-infrared range), which can be applied on demand at well delimited sites of the body. Some light-responsive DDS are of a single use (i.e. the light triggers an irreversible structural change that provokes the delivery of the entire dose) while others able to undergo reversible structural changes when cycles of light/dark are applied, behave as multi-switchable carriers (releasing the drug in a pulsatile manner). In this review, the mechanisms used to develop polymeric micelles, gels, liposomes and nanocomposites with light-sensitiveness are analyzed. Examples of the capability of some polymeric, lipidic and inorganic structures to regulate the release of small solutes and biomacromolecules are presented and the potential of light-sensitive carriers as functional components of intelligent DDS is discussed.
Alvarez-Lorenzo
Carmen
C
Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. carmen.alvarez.lorenzo@usc.es
Bromberg
Lev
L
Concheiro
Angel
A
D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005782:Gels; D008027:Light; D008081:Liposomes; D008823:Micelles; D053761:Nanocomposites
D005782:Gels; D008081:Liposomes; D008823:Micelles