Smart nanocarriers against MDR-tuberculosis: stimuli-responsive strategies for granuloma penetration and next generation therapy.

IF 3.4 Q2 PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY

Therapeutic delivery Pub Date : 2026-08-01 Epub Date: 2026-09-25 DOI:10.1080/20415990.2026.2732635

Raj Kumar Mandal, Jitu Halder, Aman Kumar, Balak Das Kurmi, Kirandeep Kaur, Amit Sharma

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a global health concern due to long treatment durations, limited drug penetration into granulomatous lesions, systemic toxicity, and the persistence of dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The granuloma microenvironment, characterized by hypoxia, acidic pH, enzymatic activity, dense extracellular matrix, and redox imbalance, acts as a barrier to the effectiveness of conventional antitubercular therapy. Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers that enable targeted, controlled, and on-demand drug delivery in response to disease-specific stimuli. This narrative review summarizes peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025 on stimuli-responsive nanocarrier systems for MDR-TB therapy, retrieved from major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and ResearchGate, focusing on granuloma-targeted drug delivery and nanomedicine strategies. Stimuli-responsive liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and metallic nanocarriers demonstrate enhanced pulmonary accumulation with improved bacterial targeting and reduced systemic toxicity compared to free drugs. In addition, co-delivery strategies incorporating host-directed immunomodulators further improve bactericidal efficacy. Emerging approaches, including CRISPR-Cas‑based nano-therapies, RNA therapeutics, regenerative and stem cell-based strategies, artificial intelligence‑guided nanocarrier design, and biohybrid delivery systems, represent important future directions. Overall, stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, integrated with next-generation technologies, offer a promising pathway toward precise and effective MDR-TB treatment.

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来源期刊

Therapeutic delivery PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY-

CiteScore

5.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Delivering therapeutics in a way that is right for the patient - safe, painless, reliable, targeted, efficient and cost effective - is the fundamental aim of scientists working in this area. Correspondingly, this evolving field has already yielded a diversity of delivery methods, including injectors, controlled release formulations, drug eluting implants and transdermal patches. Rapid technological advances and the desire to improve the efficacy and safety profile of existing medications by specific targeting to the site of action, combined with the drive to improve patient compliance, continue to fuel rapid research progress. Furthermore, the emergence of cell-based therapeutics and biopharmaceuticals such as proteins, peptides and nucleotides presents scientists with new and exciting challenges for the application of therapeutic delivery science and technology. Successful delivery strategies increasingly rely upon collaboration across a diversity of fields, including biology, chemistry, pharmacology, nanotechnology, physiology, materials science and engineering. Therapeutic Delivery recognizes the importance of this diverse research platform and encourages the publication of articles that reflect the highly interdisciplinary nature of the field. In a highly competitive industry, Therapeutic Delivery provides the busy researcher with a forum for the rapid publication of original research and critical reviews of all the latest relevant and significant developments, and focuses on how the technological, pharmacological, clinical and physiological aspects come together to successfully deliver modern therapeutics to patients. The journal delivers this essential information in concise, at-a-glance article formats that are readily accessible to the full spectrum of therapeutic delivery researchers.