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HERO ID
3013446
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Barrier or carrier? Pulmonary surfactant and drug delivery
Author(s)
Hidalgo, A; Cruz, A; Pérez-Gil, J
Year
2015
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics
ISSN:
0939-6411
EISSN:
1873-3441
Volume
95
Issue
Pt A
Page Numbers
117-127
Language
English
PMID
25709061
DOI
10.1016/j.ejpb.2015.02.014
Web of Science Id
WOS:000363824200014
Abstract
To consider the lung as a target for drug delivery and to optimise strategies directed at the pulmonary route, it is essential to consider the role of pulmonary surfactant, a thin lipid-protein film lining the respiratory surface of mammalian lungs. Membrane-based surfactant multilayers are essential for reducing the surface tension at the respiratory air-liquid interface to minimise the work of breathing. Different components of surfactant are also responsible for facilitating the removal of potentially pathological entities such as microorganisms, allergens or environmental pollutants and particles. Upon inhalation, drugs or nanoparticles first contact the surfactant layer, and these interactions critically affect their lifetime and fate in the airways. This review summarises the current knowledge on the possible role and effects of the pulmonary surfactant system in drug delivery strategies. It also summarises the evidence that suggests that pulmonary surfactant is far from being an insuperable barrier and could be used as an efficient shuttle for delivering hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds deep into the lung and the organism.
Keywords
Air-liquid interface; Monolayer; Lung surfactant; Nanoparticles; Inhalation; Respiratory nanomedicine; Nanocarriers
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