title: Nanomicellar carriers for targeted delivery of anticancer agents.
abstract: Clinical application of anticancer drugs is limited by problems such as low water solubility, lack of tissue-specificity and toxicity. Formulation development represents an important approach to these problems. Among the many delivery systems studied, polymeric micelles have gained considerable attention owing to ease in preparation, small sizes (10-100 nm), and ability to solubilize water-insoluble anticancer drugs and accumulate specifically at the tumors. This article provides a brief review of several promising micellar systems and their applications in tumor therapy. The emphasis is placed on the discussion of the authors' recent work on several nanomicellar systems that have both a delivery function and antitumor activity, named dual-function drug carriers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaolan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yixian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004777:Environment; D005204:Farnesol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012459:Salicylates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers; D012459:Salicylates; C093323:farnesylthiosalicylic acid; D005204:Farnesol