Macromolecular conjugate and biological carrier approaches for the targeted delivery of antibiotics
Tram, N.D.T Ee, P.L.R
Tram, N.D.T
Citations
Altmetric:
Alternative Title
Abstract
For the past few decades, the rapid rise of antibiotic multidrug-resistance has presented a palpable threat to human health worldwide. Meanwhile, the number of novel antibiotics released to the market has been steadily declining. Therefore, it is imperative that we utilize innovative approaches for the development of antimicrobial therapies. This article will explore alternative strategies, namely drug conjugates and biological carriers for the targeted delivery of antibiotics, which are often eclipsed by their nanomedicine-based counterparts. A variety of macromolecules have been investigated as conjugate carriers, but only those most widely studied in the field of infectious diseases (e.g., proteins, peptides, antibodies) will be discussed in detail. For the latter group, blood cells, especially erythrocytes, have been successfully tested as homing carriers of antimicrobial agents. Bacteriophages have also been studied as a candidate for similar functions. Once these alternative strategies receive the amount of research interest and resources that would more accurately reflect their latent applicability, they will inevitably prove valuable in the perennial fight against antibiotic resistance. © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Keywords
aminoglycoside, ampicillin, antibiotic agent, antigen, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, lincosamide, macrolide, nanocarrier, penicillin derivative, protein, tetracycline, vancomycin, antibacterial activity, antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial activity, Aspergillus fumigatus, atypical Mycobacterium, blood cell, electroporation, erythrocyte, immunogenicity, inflammation, minimum inhibitory concentration, nonhuman, Plasmodium falciparum, priority journal, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Review, Staphylococcus aureus
Source Title
Antibiotics
Publisher
Series/Report No.
Collections
Rights
Date
2017
DOI
10.3390/antibiotics6030014
Type
Review