title: Physically facilitating drug-delivery systems.
abstract: Facilitated/modulated drug-delivery systems have emerged as a possible solution for delivery of drugs of interest to pre-allocated sites at predetermined doses for predefined periods of time. Over the past decade, the use of different physical methods and mechanisms to mediate drug release and delivery has grown significantly. This emerging area of research has important implications for development of new therapeutic drugs for efficient treatments. This review aims to introduce and describe different modalities of physically facilitating drug-delivery systems that are currently in use for cancer and other diseases therapy. In particular, delivery methods based on ultrasound, electrical, magnetic and photo modulations are highlighted. Current uses and areas of improvement for these different physically facilitating drug-delivery systems are discussed. Furthermore, the main advantages and drawbacks of these technologies reviewed are compared. The review ends with a speculative viewpoint of how research is expected to evolve in the upcoming years.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Program & Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Devora
authors.forename: Sunny
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambure
authors.forename: Zhi-Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yuyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xui
mesh_terms: D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018274:Electroporation; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D045423:Microbubbles; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D014465:Ultrasonics