Marine nanopharmaceuticals for drug delivery and targeting

Abstract

The current need for new medicines with reduced toxicity, enhanced bioavailability as well as improved drug efficacy and patient compliance is more pressing than ever before. Clinical active agents can now be reformulated with the help of nanotechnology into “nanopharmaceuticals” with superior pharmacokinetics for site-specific delivery. With the available nanotechnology, studies suggested that marine drugs hold tremendous promise to bring forth novel medicines for the treatment of a wide range of human diseases, but unfortunately this promise has yet to be fully realized. Deadliest diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and neurological disorders, just to mention few, can be halted by using marine nanopharmaceuticals, which are cost-effective natural products. Legal and scientific frameworks have to be in place with full support from global human health communities to create a unique set of opportunities in the cause of biodiscovery and marine drug development processes.