Getting a Handle on Smart Drug Delivery Systems – A Comprehensive View of Therapeutic Targeting Strategies

Abstract

Smart drug delivery system (SDDS) is a recently emerging therapeutic approach, now turning into a conventional model to deliver drug to specific sites or target. Drug tar‐ geted (DT) delivery systems maintain the concentration of the drugs at desirable doses in the body and avoid the need for repeated doses. The DT delivery system have specific distinguishing features such as self-regulated, pre-programmed, multi-targeted, controlled by timely response, monitoring of the targeted drug delivery, re‐ sponsive to pH, and spatially targeted. The DT delivery system exploits the biological membrane changes in the physiology of malignant cells to increase absorption or en‐ try of drug-coated nanoparticles into targeted tissues. This system delivers a certain quantity of a therapeutic drug for longevity of its action to a targeted area within the human tissue, which in turn enhances efficacy of the treatment by reducing the side effects of drug administration. A new DT therapy strategy is a health improvement technique used in future generations for treatment of genetic diseases and intelligent drug delivery. The ultimate goal of SDDS is to administrate the drugs at the correct time with an exact dose in the body and with efficiency and specificity to the targeted cells that help the patients better adhere to their therapy regimen. The DT system en‐ hances the maintenance of drug levels in targeted tissues and plasma without any de‐ struction to the healthy tissues. This DT delivery system uses various strategies in targeting cells, drug delivery mechanisms, properties of targeted drug, organ-based targeted sites, disease, and drug-targeted vehicles. This chapter deals with all aspects of drug targeting and provides an overview of approaches in drug targeting, drug de‐ livery vehicles, and strategies involved in successful delivery.