Elsevier

Materials Science and Engineering: C

Volume 83, 1 February 2018, Pages 233-246
Materials Science and Engineering: C

Review
A review of recent progress in drug and protein encapsulation: Approaches, applications and challenges

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2017.10.003Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The different techniques of drug/protein encapsulation were reviewed.

  • The efficiency of drugs/proteins increased significantly through encapsulation.

  • A novel encapsulation method by using foam formulations was discussed.

Abstract

Many drugs and proteins formulated for treatment of various diseases are not fully utilised due to environmentally problems such as degradation by enzymes or it being hydrophobic. To counter this problem, the drug and protein of interest are encapsulated by synthetic polymers where they are protected from the environment. This allows the molecule to reach its target safely and maximise its function. In this paper, we will discuss about the different techniques of encapsulation that includes emulsion evaporation, self-emulsifying drug delivery system and supercritical fluid. This will be followed by the drugs and proteins that are commonly encapsulated to counter life-threatening diseases such as cancer and diabetes. A novel method using foam was proposed and will be briefly discussed as it can play a huge role in future developments.

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