Liposomes for malaria management: the evolution from 1980 to 2020

Nanotechnology based drug delivery systems for malaria

Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes, remains a global health burden, particularly in tropical regions. The most lethal species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, pose significant threats to human health. Despite various treatment strategies, malaria continues to claim lives, with Africa being disproportionately affected. This review explores the advancements in drug delivery systems for malaria treatment, focusing on polymeric and lipid-based nanoparticles. Traditional antimalarial drugs, while effective, face challenges such as toxicity and poor bio-distribution. To overcome these issues, nanocarrier systems have been developed, aiming to enhance drug efficacy, control release, and minimize side effects. Polymeric nanocapsules, dendrimers, micelles, liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, niosomes, and exosomes loaded with antimalarial drugs are examined, providing a comprehensive overview of recent developments in nanotechnology for malaria treatment. The current state of antimalarial treatment, including combination therapies and prophylactic drugs, is discussed, with a focus on the World Health Organization's recommendations. The importance of nanocarriers in malaria management is underscored, highlighting their role in targeted drug delivery, controlled release, and improved pharmacological properties. This review bridges the gap in the literature, consolidating the latest advancements in nanocarrier systems for malaria treatment and offering insights into potential future developments in the field.

Bovine lactoferrin inhibits Plasmodium berghei growth by binding to heme

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is a 77 kDa glycoprotein that is abundant in bovine breast milk and exerts various bioactive functions, including antibacterial and antiviral functions. Few studies have explored bLF activity against parasites. We found that bLF affects hemozoin synthesis by binding to heme, inhibiting heme iron polymerization necessary for Plasmodium berghei ANKA survival in infected erythrocytes, and also binds to hemozoin, causing it to disassemble. In a challenge test, bLF administration inhibited the growth of murine malaria parasites compared to untreated group growth. To determine whether the iron content of bLF affects the inhibition of malaria growth, we tested bLFs containing different amounts of iron (apo-bLF, native-bLF, and holo-bLF), but found no significant difference in their effects. This indicated that the active sites were located within the bLFs themselves. Further studies showed that the C-lobe domain of bLF can inhibit hemozoin formation and the growth of P. berghei ANKA. Evaluation of pepsin degradation products of the C-lobe identified a 47-amino-acid section, C-1, as the smallest effective region that could inhibit hemozoin formation. This study highlights bLF's potential as a novel therapeutic agent against malaria, underscoring the importance of its non-iron-dependent bioactive sites in combating parasite growth.

Plant-based nanoparticles targeting malaria management

Malaria is one of the most devastating diseases across the globe, particularly in low-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The increasing incidence of malaria morbidity is mainly due to the shortcomings of preventative measures such as the lack of vaccines and inappropriate control over the parasite vector. Additionally, high mortality rates arise from therapeutic failures due to poor patient adherence and drug resistance development. Although the causative pathogen (Plasmodium spp.) is an intracellular parasite, the recommended antimalarial drugs show large volumes of distribution and low-to no-specificity towards the host cell. This leads to severe side effects that hamper patient compliance and promote the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Recent research efforts are promising to enable the discovery of new antimalarial agents; however, the lack of efficient means to achieve targeted delivery remains a concern, given the risk of further resistance development. New strategies based on green nanotechnologies are a promising avenue for malaria management due to their potential to eliminate malaria vectors (Anopheles sp.) and to encapsulate existing and emerging antimalarial agents and deliver them to different target sites. In this review we summarized studies on the use of plant-derived nanoparticles as cost-effective preventative measures against malaria parasites, starting from the vector stage. We also reviewed plant-based nanoengineering strategies to target malaria parasites, and further discussed the site-specific delivery of natural products using ligand-decorated nanoparticles that act through receptors on the host cells or malaria parasites. The exploration of traditionally established plant medicines, surface-engineered nanoparticles and the molecular targets of parasite/host cells may provide valuable insights for future discovery of antimalarial drugs and open new avenues for advancing science toward the goal of malaria eradication.

Nanocarrier drug delivery system: promising platform for targeted depression therapy

Depression is a chronic mental disorder characterized by persistent low mood and loss of interest. Treatments for depression are varied but may not be sufficient cure. Drug-based treatment regimens have drawbacks such as slow onset of action, low bioavailability, and drug side effects. Nanocarrier Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) has received increasing attention for brain drug delivery since it assists the drug through the blood-brain barrier and improves bioavailability, which may be beneficial for treating depression. Due to the particle size and physicochemical properties of nanocarriers, it presents a promise to improve the stability and solubility of antidepressants, thereby enhancing the drug concentration. Moreover, ligand-modified nanocarriers can be taken as a target direct medicines release system and reduce drug side effects. The purpose of the present review is to provide an up-to-date understanding of the Nanocarrier drug delivery system and relevant antidepressants in different routes of ingestion, to lay a foundation for the treatment of patients with depression.

Advancing liposome technology for innovative strategies against malaria

This review discusses the potential of liposomes as drug delivery systems for antimalarial therapies. Malaria continues to be a significant cause of mortality and morbidity, particularly among children and pregnant women. Drug resistance due to patient non-compliance and troublesome side effects remains a significant challenge in antimalarial treatment. Liposomes, as targeted and efficient drug carriers, have garnered attention owing to their ability to address these issues. Liposomes encapsulate hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic drugs, thus providing comprehensive and suitable therapeutic drug delivery. Moreover, the potential of passive and active drug delivery enables drug concentration in specific target tissues while reducing adverse effects. However, successful liposome formulation is influenced by various factors, including drug physicochemical characteristics and physiological barriers encountered during drug delivery. To overcome these challenges, researchers have explored modifications in liposome nanocarriers to achieve efficient drug loading, controlled release, and system stability. Computational approaches have also been adopted to predict liposome system stability, membrane integrity, and drug-liposome interactions, improving formulation development efficiency. By leveraging computational methods, optimizing liposomal drug delivery systems holds promise for enhancing treatment efficacy and minimizing side effects in malaria therapy. This review consolidates the current understanding and highlights the potential of liposome strategies against malaria.

Nanotherapeutics against malaria: A decade of advancements in experimental models

Malaria, caused by different species of protists of the genus Plasmodium, remains among the most common causes of death due to parasitic diseases worldwide, mainly for children aged under 5. One of the main obstacles to malaria eradication is the speed with which the pathogen evolves resistance to the drug schemes developed against it. For this reason, it remains urgent to find innovative therapeutic strategies offering sufficient specificity against the parasite to minimize resistance evolution and drug side effects. In this context, nanotechnology-based approaches are now being explored for their use as antimalarial drug delivery platforms due to the wide range of advantages and tuneable properties that they offer. However, major challenges remain to be addressed to provide a cost-efficient and targeted therapeutic strategy contributing to malaria eradication. The present work contains a systematic review of nanotechnology-based antimalarial drug delivery systems generated during the last 10 years. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease.

Enhanced Antimalarial and Antisequestration Activity of Methoxybenzenesulfonate-Modified Biopolymers and Nanoparticles for Tackling Severe Malaria

Severe malaria is a life-threatening condition that is associated with a high mortality. Severe Plasmodium falciparum infections are mediated primarily by high parasitemia and binding of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) to the blood vessel endothelial layer, a process known as sequestration. Here, we show that including the 5-amino-2-methoxybenzenesulfonate (AMBS) chemical modification in soluble biopolymers (polyglutamic acid and heparin) and poly(acrylic acid)-exposing nanoparticles serves as a universal tool to introduce a potent parasite invasion inhibitory function in these materials. Importantly, the modification did not add or eliminated (for heparin) undesired anticoagulation activity. The materials protected RBCs from invasion by various parasite strains, employing both major entry pathways. Two further P. falciparum strains, which either expose ligands for chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) or intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on iRBCs, were tested in antisequestration assays due to their relevance in placental and cerebral malaria, respectively. Antisequestration activity was found to be more efficacious with nanoparticles vs gold-standard soluble biopolymers (CSA and heparin) against both strains, when tested on receptor-coated dishes. The nanoparticles also efficiently inhibited and reversed the sequestration of iRBCs on endothelial cells. First, the materials described herein have the potential to reduce the parasite burden by acting at the key multiplication stage of reinvasion. Second, the antisequestration ability could help remove iRBCs from the blood vessel endothelium, which could otherwise cause vessel obstruction, which in turn can lead to multiple organ failure in severe malaria infections. This approach represents a further step toward creation of adjunctive therapies for this devastating condition to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Nanomaterials as a Potential Target for Infectious Parasitic Agents

Despite the technological advancement in the era of personalized medicine and therapeutics development, infectious parasitic causative agents remain one of the most challenging areas of research and development. The disadvantages of conventional parasitic prevention and control are the emergence of multiple drug resistance as well as the non-specific targeting of intracellular parasites, which results in high dose concentration needs and subsequently intolerable cytotoxicity. Nanotechnology has attracted extensive interest to reduce medication therapy adverse effects including poor bioavailability and drug selectivity. Numerous nanomaterials-based delivery systems have previously been shown in animal models to be effective in the treatment of various parasitic infections. This review discusses a variety of nanomaterials-based antiparasitic procedures and techniques as well as the processes that allow them to be targeted to different parasitic infections. This review focuses on the key prerequisites for creating novel nanotechnology-based carriers as a potential option in parasite management, specifically in the context of human-related pathogenic parasitic agents.

Analysis of complementarities between nanomedicine and phytodrugs for the treatment of malarial infection

The use of nanocarriers in medicine, so-called nanomedicine, is one of the most innovative strategies for targeting drugs at the action site and increasing their activity index and effectiveness. Phytomedicine is the oldest traditional method used to treat human diseases and solve health problems. The recent literature on the treatment of malaria infections using nanodelivery systems and phytodrugs or supplements has been analyzed. For the first time, in the present review, a careful look at the considerable potential of nanomedicine in promoting phytotherapeutic efficacy was done, and its key role in addressing a translation through a significant reduction of the current burden of malaria in many parts of the world has been underlined.

Exploring the potential of antimalarial nanocarriers as a novel therapeutic approach

Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease that affects millions of people worldwide, especially in developing countries. Despite advances in conventional therapies, drug resistance in malaria parasites has become a significant concern. Hence, there is a need for a new therapeutic approach. To combat the disease effectively means eliminating vectors and discovering potent treatments. The nanotechnology research efforts in nanomedicine show promise by exploring the potential use of nanomaterials that can surmount these limitations occurring with antimalarial drugs, which include multidrug resistance or lack of specificity when targeting parasites directly. Utilizing nanomaterials would possess unique advantages over conventional chemotherapy systems by increasing the efficacy levels while reducing side effects significantly by delivering medications precisely within the diseased area. It also provides cheap yet safe measures against Malaria infections worldwide-ultimately improving treatment efficiency holistically without reinventing new methods therapeutically. This review is an effort to provide an overview of the various stages of malaria parasites, pathogenesis, and conventional therapies, as well as the treatment gap existing with available formulations. It explores different types of nanocarriers, such as liposomes, ethosomal cataplasm, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, polymeric nanocarriers, and metallic nanoparticles, which are frequently employed to boost the efficiency of antimalarial drugs to overcome the challenges and develop effective and safe therapies. The study also highlights the improved pharmacokinetics, enhanced drug bioavailability, and reduced toxicity associated with nanocarriers, making them a promising therapeutic approach for treating malaria.

New-age vaccine adjuvants, their development, and future perspective

In the present scenario, immunization is of utmost importance as it keeps us safe and protects us from infectious agents. Despite the great success in the field of vaccinology, there is a need to not only develop safe and ideal vaccines to fight deadly infections but also improve the quality of existing vaccines in terms of partial or inconsistent protection. Generally, subunit vaccines are known to be safe in nature, but they are mostly found to be incapable of generating the optimum immune response. Hence, there is a great possibility of improving the potential of a vaccine in formulation with novel adjuvants, which can effectively impart superior immunity. The vaccine(s) in formulation with novel adjuvants may also be helpful in fighting pathogens of high antigenic diversity. However, due to the limitations of safety and toxicity, very few human-compatible adjuvants have been approved. In this review, we mainly focus on the need for new and improved vaccines; the definition of and the need for adjuvants; the characteristics and mechanisms of human-compatible adjuvants; the current status of vaccine adjuvants, mucosal vaccine adjuvants, and adjuvants in clinical development; and future directions.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases and Their Control Strategies: An Overview Focused on Green Synthesized Plant-Based Metallic Nanoparticles

Mosquitoes act as vectors of pathogens that cause most life-threatening diseases, such as malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Zika, West Nile, Lymphatic filariasis, etc. To reduce the transmission of these mosquito-borne diseases in humans, several chemical, biological, mechanical, and pharmaceutical methods of control are used. However, these different strategies are facing important and timely challenges that include the rapid spread of highly invasive mosquitoes worldwide, the development of resistance in several mosquito species, and the recent outbreaks of novel arthropod-borne viruses (e.g., Dengue, Rift Valley fever, tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile, yellow fever, etc.). Therefore, the development of novel and effective methods of control is urgently needed to manage mosquito vectors. Adapting the principles of nanobiotechnology to mosquito vector control is one of the current approaches. As a single-step, eco-friendly, and biodegradable method that does not require the use of toxic chemicals, the green synthesis of nanoparticles using active toxic agents from plant extracts available since ancient times exhibits antagonistic responses and broad-spectrum target-specific activities against different species of vector mosquitoes. In this article, the current state of knowledge on the different mosquito control strategies in general, and on repellent and mosquitocidal plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles in particular, has been reviewed. By doing so, this review may open new doors for research on mosquito-borne diseases.

CRISPR-Cas13 in malaria parasite: Diagnosis and prospective gene function identification

Malaria caused by Plasmodium is still a serious public health problem. Genomic editing is essential to understand parasite biology, elucidate mechanical pathways, uncover gene functions, identify novel therapeutic targets, and develop clinical diagnostic tools. Recent advances have seen the development of genomic diagnostic technologies and the emergence of genetic manipulation toolbox comprising a host of several systems for editing the genome of Plasmodium at the DNA, RNA, and protein level. Genomic manipulation at the RNA level is critical as it allows for the functional characterization of several transcripts. Of notice, some developed artificial RNA genome editing tools hinge on the endogenous RNA interference system of Plasmodium. However, Plasmodium lacks a robust RNAi machinery, hampering the progress of these editing tools. CRISPR-Cas13, which belongs to the VI type of the CRISPR system, can specifically bind and cut RNA under the guidance of crRNA, with no or minimal permanent genetic scar on genes. This review summarizes CRISPR-Cas13 system from its discovery, classification, principle of action, and diagnostic platforms. Further, it discusses the application prospects of Cas13-based systems in Plasmodium and highlights its advantages and drawbacks.

An Overview of Herbal-Based Antidiabetic Drug Delivery Systems: Focus on Lipid- and Inorganic-Based Nanoformulations

Diabetes is a metabolic pathology with chronic high blood glucose levels that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body does not properly use the insulin it produces. Diabetes management is a puzzle and focuses on a healthy lifestyle, physical exercise, and medication. Thus far, the condition remains incurable; management just helps to control it. Its medical treatment is expensive and is to be followed for the long term, which is why people, especially from low-income countries, resort to herbal medicines. However, many active compounds isolated from plants (phytocompounds) are poorly bioavailable due to their low solubility, low permeability, or rapid elimination. To overcome these impediments and to alleviate the cost burden on disadvantaged populations, plant nanomedicines are being studied. Nanoparticulate formulations containing antidiabetic plant extracts or phytocompounds have shown promising results. We herein aimed to provide an overview of the use of lipid- and inorganic-based nanoparticulate delivery systems with plant extracts or phytocompounds for the treatment of diabetes while highlighting their advantages and limitations for clinical application. The findings from the reviewed works showed that these nanoparticulate formulations resulted in high antidiabetic activity at low doses compared to the corresponding plant extracts or phytocompounds alone. Moreover, it was shown that nanoparticulate systems address the poor bioavailability of herbal medicines, but the lack of enough preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic trials still delays their use in diabetic patients.

Liposomes as Multifunctional Nano-Carriers for Medicinal Natural Products

Although medicinal natural products and their derivatives have shown promising effects in disease therapies, they usually suffer the drawbacks in low solubility and stability in the physiological environment, low delivery efficiency, side effects due to multi-targeting, and low site-specific distribution in the lesion. In this review, targeted delivery was well-guided by liposomal formulation in the aspects of preparation of functional liposomes, liposomal medicinal natural products, combined therapies, and image-guided therapy. This review is believed to provide useful guidance to enhance the targeted therapy of medicinal natural products and their derivatives.

Review: Liposomes in the prophylaxis and treatment of infectious diseases

Infectious diseases remain as one of the major burdens among health communities as well as in the general public despite the advances in prevention and treatment. Although vaccination and vector eliminations have greatly prevented the transmission of these diseases, the effectiveness of these strategies is no longer guaranteed as new challenges such as drug resistance and toxicity as well as the missing effective therapeutics arise. Hence, the development of new tools to manage these challenges is anticipated, in which nano technology using liposomes as effective nanostructure is highly considered. In this review, we concentrate on the advantages of liposomes in the drug delivery system and the development of vaccine in the treatment of three major infectious diseases; tuberculosis (TB), malaria and HIV.