Past, Recent Progresses and Future Perspectives of Nanotechnology Applied to Antifungal Agents.
Candida species remain a significant cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections, associated with prolonged hospital stay in the ICU and high healthcare cost. The incidence of Candida is very high in certain risk groups of patients (AIDS, diabetes, cancer, etc.). Recent developments of nanotechnology have strongly contributed to the design of new multifunctional drug carriers that improve drug bioavailability through a controlled and prolonged release profile or even through a more specific targeted delivery of the antifungal agent. Those types of systems have strongly increased with a progressive generation of new structures, permitting the conjunction of new materials, biomolecules, physical and chemical techniques, for better outcomes. Nanotechnology shows expanded possibilities within the medical field and in the case of the yeast infections it may overcome several issues related with the fungal proliferation or higher inhibition of the pathogen causing the infection. This review covers a period of the most representative research of Candidiasis since 1993 to the present.
CBiOS - Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa. Portugal.
Luis
L
Roque
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcala, Ctra. A2 km 33,600, 28871 Alcala de Henares. Spain.
Jesus
J
Molpeceres
Centro Hospitalar de Tras-os-montes e Alto Douro. Portugal.
Claudia
C
Reis
iMed.ULisboa - Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa. Portugal.
Patrícia
P
Rijo
CBIOS, Universidade Lusofona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, P.O. Box: 1749-024, Lisboa. Portugal.
Catarina Pinto
CP
Reis
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011108:Polymers
Fungal infections; antifungal agents; candidiasis; encapsulation; mucoadhesion; nanoparticles