Abstract
Background: Despite the great development of drug-based therapy in all areas of medicine, microbial infections remain nowadays one of the most complicated issues in human healthcare. In order to improve drugs efficiency, many nanocarriers have been developed, aiming to an increased therapeutic efficacy based on targeted drug delivery at infection sites, reduced drug-resistance by microbial organisms and increased therapeutic index. This leads to reduced side effects and improved patient compliance thanks to the decreased frequency of administration.
Objective: Many materials can be used to prepare nanocarriers, such as lipids, polymers or inorganic particles. Among these, polymers are of great interest including a wide range of materials with the possibility of modification of their physical-chemical properties. Method: Polymeric nanocarriers are here classified as nanogels, dendrimers, polymersomes and polymeric micelles and a general discussion about synthetic strategies is given. Strategy is, indeed, fundamental to control the dimensions of the system, ranging between 10 to 1000 nm, and it is set up also basing on drug loading procedure, incorporating, encapsulating or conjugating the antimicrobial drug. Conclusion: In addition, the main mechanisms of interaction of polymeric nanocarriers with microbial organisms are described and, eventually, peculiar advantages and drawbacks of each class of these systems are explained.Keywords: Hydrogel, nanogel, dendrimer, polymeric micelle, polymersome, antimicrobial drug, antibiotic, nanocarrier.
Graphical Abstract
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advancements in Polymer Nanocomposites for Sustainable and High-Performance Applications
Polymer nanocomposites represent a significant breakthrough in materials science, offering enhanced properties and new functionalities for a wide range of applications. This thematic issue will explore the latest advancements in the field, focusing on sustainable development and high-performance applications. Topics will include novel synthesis methods, innovative nanomaterials, and their integration ...read more
Application of 3D Printed Polymer and its Composites
This special issue focuses on the extensive applications of 3D printed polymers and composites in engineering, exploring how they are driving innovation in design and manufacturing. By analyzing the selection of polymer materials, optimizing printing processes, designing novel structures, and examining specific case studies in various engineering applications, this special ...read more
Functional Conjugated Polymers and Sensor Applications
The term "conjugated polymers" refers to a sub-branch of polymer science. Conjugated polymers are polymers formed by adding various functional groups (usually organic compounds) to one end of a polymer chain. These functional groups can change the properties of the polymer or cause certain changes in the polymer. Conjugated polymers ...read more
New Advances in Chemoenzymatic Processes
Chemical transformations that take advantage of the biocatalysis process are of great interest to chemists. The specific activity and selectivity of the enzymes allow them to perform different chemical reactions with high regio- and stereoselectivity, in addition, they reduce reliance on harsh chemical reagents and promote greener, more sustainable processes. ...read more
31
