Chapter category: Drug Design
Erythrocytes as Carriers of Anthracycline Antibiotics in vitro and in
Erythrocyte Engineering for Drug Delivery and Targeting
Edited by: Mauro MagnaniISBN: 0-306-47691-6
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Chapter authors:
Victor M. Vitvitsky
Modern pharmacology largely relies on the use of drugs that selectively affect their target cells and tissues. The selectivity of antibacterial drugs of new generations is quite high. It comes as no surprise because most of them are specific inhibitors of metabolic pathways vitally important in bacteria but absent from multicellular organisms. The selectivity of antitumor drugs is usually relatively low, because tumor cell metabolism is qualitatively similar to that of normal cells. A natural consequence of the low selectivity of antitumor drugs is their high toxicity.
At present, it is a general view that the use of various vehicles to carry drugs in the organism is a promising way to enhance their efficacy while reducing their toxicity. The carrier is able to prevent premature drug degradation, inactivation, or elimination from the organism, as well as to abolish or reduce undesirable immune responses to drug administration. Retarded release of the drug may prolong its persistence at a necessary level in the organism. One of the most important results expected of the use of drug carriers is their selective delivery to the target cells or organs. In one way or another, carriers may profoundly alter the pharmacokinetics of the drug, diminishing the required dose or a peak concentration, which, in its turn, results in reduced toxicity and increased efficacy. Various macromolecules, microparticles, microcapsules, or even cells are suitable for the use as drug vehicles. All the aforesaid are fully pertinent to anthracycline antibiotics.
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Erythrocytes as Carriers of Anthracycline Antibiotics in vitro and in
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