gyógyszerhordozó

A gyógyszerhordozó, or drug carrier, is a substance or system that facilitates the transport of a therapeutic agent within the body. Its primary purpose is to deliver the drug to a specific target site, enhance its efficacy, improve its solubility, protect it from degradation, or control its release rate. Various types of drug carriers exist, each with distinct properties and applications.

Common examples of drug carriers include liposomes, which are spherical vesicles composed of lipid bilayers that can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Nanoparticles, typically made from polymers, lipids, or inorganic materials, are another widely studied class of drug carriers. Their small size allows for passive targeting to tumor tissues through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Polymeric micelles, formed by amphiphilic block copolymers, can self-assemble in aqueous solutions to form hydrophobic cores capable of solubilizing poorly water-soluble drugs.

Other drug delivery systems include microspheres, hydrogels, and dendrimers. The choice of drug carrier depends on factors such as the physicochemical properties of the drug, the desired route of administration, the target tissue, and the therapeutic goals. The development of advanced drug carriers aims to overcome the limitations of conventional drug administration, leading to more effective and safer treatments.