Title:2 Receptor Specific Ligand Conjugated Nanocarriers: An Effective Strategy
for Targeted Therapy of Tuberculosis
Volume: 19
Issue: 8
Author(s): Pratiksha Prabhu, Trinette Fernandes, Mansi Damani, Pramila Chaubey, Shridhar Narayanan and Sujata Sawarkar*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutics, SVKM’s Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, University of Mumbai, Mumbai,
India
Keywords:
Tuberculosis, nanotechnology, ligands, mannose, mycolic acid, trehalose, lectin.
Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is an ancient chronic disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium
tuberculosis, which has affected mankind for more than 4,000 years. Compliance with the standard
conventional treatment can assure recovery from tuberculosis, but the emergence of drug-resistant
strains poses a great challenge for the effective management of tuberculosis. The process of discovery
and development of new therapeutic entities with better specificity and efficacy is unpredictable
and time-consuming. Hence, delivery of pre-existing drugs with improved targetability is
the need of the hour. Enhanced delivery and targetability can ascertain improved bioavailability, reduced
toxicity, decreased frequency of dosing and therefore better patient compliance. Nanoformulations
are being explored for effective delivery of therapeutic agents, however, optimum specificity
is not guaranteed. In order to achieve specificity, ligands specific to receptors or cellular components
of macrophage and Mycobacteria can be conjugated to nanocarriers. This approach can improve
localization of existing drug molecules at the intramacrophageal site where the parasites reside,
improve targeting to the unique cell wall structure of Mycobacterium or improve adhesion to
the epithelial surface of intestine or alveolar tissue (lectins). The present review focuses on the investigation
of various ligands like Mannose, Mycolic acid, Lectin, Aptamers, etc., installed nanocarriers
that are being envisaged for targeting antitubercular drugs.