RK Dey
Adapting existing antimalarial nanocarriers to novel Plasmodium stages, medicines, targeting compounds, or encapsulating structures is a method that could lead to new nanotechnology-based, low-cost malaria treatments. We investigated the modification of various liposome prototypes developed in our laboratory for the targeted delivery of antimalarial medicines to Plasmodium-infected red blood cells (pRBCs). These new models include: immunoliposome-mediated release of new lipid-based antimalarials; liposomes targeted to pRBCs with covalently linked heparin to reduce anticoagulation risks; heparin adaptation to pRBC targeting of chitosan nanoparticles; heparin use for Plasmodium stage targeting in the mosquito vector; and use of the non-anticoagulant glycosaminoglycan chondroitin 4-s.
Pre-existing antimalarial nanocarriers and targeting molecules (grey boxes) have been adjusted in their nanocapsule, targeting molecule, and drug payload to respond to novel malaria parasite therapy techniques.
Keywords: Plasmodium; Antimalarial; Nanocarriers