Application of Poloxamers for the Development of Drug Delivery System to Treat Leishmaniasis: A Review.

Autores da FMUP

• Rui Manuel Lopes Nunes

  Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

• Silva A
• Costa A
• Jain S
• Coelho E
• Fujiwara R
• Scher R
• Dolabella S

Unidades de investigação

• Laboratório Associado RISE- Rede de Investigação em Saúde

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

• Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde

• RISE-Health

  

  Investigador

  Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting more than 1.5 million people annually, with an annual mortality of over 20.000. The drugs used for its treatment are toxic, expensive, require extended treatment times and present variable efficacy. The disease severity and therapy limitations suggest the need for new antileishmanial agents. In this context, in order to identify new options for treatment, a number of studies based on nanotechnological strategies have been carried out. Poloxamers are triblock copolymers very often utilized for nanotherapeutic solutions, resulting in products with better solubility, higher stability, superior therapeutic efficacy and less toxicity. This review will discuss the physicochemical properties of the copolymers, as well as describe the use of poloxamers for the development of therapeutic formulations to treat leishmaniasis.

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Keywords

• Pluronic; chemotherapy; leishmania; nanotechnology; treatment; triblock copolymers