Journal of
Pharmacology & Clinical Research
ISSN: 2473-5574
Mini Review
Volume 2 Issue 5 - May 2017
DOI: 10.19080/JPCR.2017.02.555599
J of Pharmacol & Clin Res
Copyright © All rights are reserved by Adesuyi A Leslie Ajayi
Nano and Microtechnology Emerging Impact on
Pharmacology and Medical Advances: Prospects
and Challenges-Mini Review
Obafunso A Ajayi
1
* and Adesuyi A Leslie Ajayi
2
1
Columbia Technology Ventures, Columbia University, USA
2
Hypertension and Clinical Pharmacology Division, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
Submission: April 26, 2017; Published: May 04, 2017
*Corresponding author: Adesuyi A Leslie Ajayi, MD, PhD, Division of Hypertension and Clinical pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, TX 77060, USA, Tel: ; Email:
Abstract
We conducted a focused review of the emerging impact of micro and nanoscale engineered products (nano structures or nano vehicles)
on the future efficacy and safety of old and newer medicines or biologics. The combination of medicines and biologics with nano vehicles
constitute nano medicines. The size of these nano medicines in use range from 10-1000nm, which crosses the boundaries of nano to micro
technology. The arena of greatest advance was in the preclinical and clinical development of novel engineered drug delivery systems through
the use adjunctive nano vehicles, which permitted greater site of action drug delivery and increased concentrations, targeted site delivery by
passive and active targeting, delivery into hard to reach areas (including brain, eyes, intracellular sites), and cell nucleus. These developments
hold the promise to reduce systemic adverse effects of toxic drugs, such as seen with cancer chemotherapeutic drugs, reduce systemic adverse
drug reactions, and overcome multidrug drug (MDR) resistance. There are issues of local toxicity arising from prolonged half life and increased
residence time of PEGlylated liposomes bearing anticancer agents. Nano medicines that are site targeted also have a role in personalized
medicine. Taken together, the l engineered nano vehicles have a promising impact, to translate to improved therapeutic outcomes in a wide
variety of clinical situations, whilst also achieving some unmet therapeutic goals, but the issue of safety of the biodegradable products, and
the cost and cost-effectiveness remain unanswered.
Keywords: Nano medicines; Nano vehicles; Cancers; Brain; Eye; Nano toxicity
Abbreviations: BBB: blood brain barrier; PEG: Polyethylene Glycol; ALL: Acute lymphocytic Leukemia; AMD: Age related -Macular
Degeneration; SiRNA: Small interfering RNA; f-CNT: Functionalized Carbon Nano tubes; SWCNT: Single Walled CNT; MWCNT: Multi-walled
CNT; VEGF: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; CNTMTT: CNT mediated Thermal Therapy; EPR: Enhanced and Permeation Retention; MDR:
Multi-Drug Resistance
Introduction
Nanostructures are engineered materials with one of the
dimensions ranging from 1- 100nm, whilst microstructures are
devices or products ranging from 1micrometer and above. The
physical, chemical, optical properties of these materials at this
size tend to differ from the bulk substances from which they
were made [1]. One major advantage of nano particles or nano
vehicles is the possession of a high surface area to weight ratio,
this permits their greater reactivity with molecules and ligands
than larger ones in standard drug formulations, leading to
putatively greater efficacy [1,2]. The various types of smart nano
vehicles with tunable physicochemical properties range from
drug-polymer conjugates, micro particles up to 100micrometers
in size, protein filled nano particles, micelle- polymers and
liposomes and other temperature or body PH sensitive
structures [1-5]. The current reviews discusses the nano
engineered materials and their properties, focuses on how the
nano vehicles transport drugs, genes or biologicals to ‘sanctuary
sites” which are hard to reach for conventional drug delivery
systems, owing to barriers to drug penetration. These include
areas, such as the brain and brain or brain neoplasms, due to
J of Pharmacol & Clin Res 2(5): JPCR.MS.ID. 555599 (2017)
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