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Drug Discovery in Africa pp 407–429Cite as

Nanomedicine in the Development of Drugs for Poverty-Related Diseases

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Abstract

The use of current treatments for poverty-related diseases (PRDs) is compromised due to factors such as toxicity and poor solubility leading to lowered bioavailability and thus reduced efficacy. In addition, there is lack of activity from the pharmaceutical industry due to the difficulty in refinancing the high development costs. Hence, new approaches have to be explored for the treatment of PRDs. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems (nanomedicine) offer a possible solution by presenting the ability to alter the pharmacokinetics of the conventional drugs to enhance bioavailability, increase the half-life of the drugs and reduce the toxicity. The advantages that nanomedicine-based drug delivery systems present in the treatment of PRDs and the progress of its application in Africa are summarised in this chapter. Nanodrug delivery systems seem to be a promising and viable strategy for improving treatment of PRDs and should urgently be considered in drug development programmes in Africa.

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Abbreviations

ACTs:

Artemisinin-based combination therapies

ADME:

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion

ARV:

Antiretroviral

AUC:

Area under the curve

C max :

Maximum plasma concentration

CYP:

Cytochrome P450

ESE:

Emulsion-solvent-evaporation

ESSE:

Emulsion-solvent-surfactant-evaporation

ETB:

Ethambutol

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

INH:

Isoniazid

IV:

Intravenous

MIC:

Minimum inhibitory concentration

NTDs:

Neglected tropical diseases

PBCA:

Poly(butyl-2-cyanoacrylate)

PCL:

Polycaprolactone

PEG:

Polyethylene glycol

PK:

Pharmacokinetics

PLGA:

Poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)

PRDs:

Poverty-related diseases

PZA:

Pyrazinamide

RES:

Reticuloendothelial system

RECG:

Reverse-emulsion-cationic-gelification

RESCG:

Reverse-emulsion-surfactant-cationic-gelification

RIF:

Rifampicin

R&D:

Research and development

TB:

Tuberculosis

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Polymers and Composites, 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Rose Hayeshi, Boitumelo Semete, Lonji Kalombo, Lebogang Katata, Yolandy Lemmer, Paula Melariri, Belle Nyamboli & Hulda Swai

Authors
  1. Rose Hayeshi
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  2. Boitumelo Semete
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  3. Lonji Kalombo
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  4. Lebogang Katata
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  5. Yolandy Lemmer
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  6. Paula Melariri
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  7. Belle Nyamboli
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  8. Hulda Swai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rose Hayeshi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept. of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    Kelly Chibale

  2. , Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Mike Davies-Coleman

  3. and Technology, African Institute of Biomedical Science, Harare, 2294, Zimbabwe

    Collen Masimirembwa

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© 2012 Springer Berlin Heidelberg

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Hayeshi, R. et al. (2012). Nanomedicine in the Development of Drugs for Poverty-Related Diseases. In: Chibale, K., Davies-Coleman, M., Masimirembwa, C. (eds) Drug Discovery in Africa. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28175-4_17

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