Title:Delivery Systems for Antimicrobial Peptides and Proteins: Towards Optimization of Bioavailability and Targeting
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Joana R. Costa, Nadia C. Silva, Bruno Sarmento and Manuela Pintado
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Antimicrobial peptides, bioavailability, drug carriers, encapsulation systems, toxicity.
Abstract: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and proteins are produced by a wide range of organisms as
important elements of their defense mechanisms, forming a large number of antimicrobial compounds
that can be used to treat several human infections. The potential for the use of AMPs and antimicrobial
proteins in therapeutics is growing, but their application is often limited, due to their poor physical
and/or chemical properties. In recent years, several drug delivery systems have been proposed to carry
such molecules, in an attempt to overcome the difficulties regarding their properties. However, no review
has yet systematized the most relevant information on this subject. Therefore, this review summarizes
the work that has been conducted to develop delivery systems for the transport and protection of
AMPs and antimicrobial proteins, including their description and potential applications, while highlighting
the opportunities for future research in this field.
