Erythrocyte as novel cellular drug delivery system

Abstract

Nowadays so many carrier systems are used for delivery of drug or any other therapeutic agent to specific tissues or cells for achieving desired therapeutic efficacy. Using drug delivery systems can improve action of therapeutic agent and reduce their toxicity. As a novel approach the erythrocyte or red blood cells are used for drug delivery. The resealed erythrocyte is a cellular carrier have more advantage than other carrier system. Based on various studies found that erythrocyte have greater potential in delivery of biopharmaceuticals, therapeutically significant peptides and proteins, nucleic acid-based biological, antigens, anticancer drug and vaccines. The main problem obtain in case of existing carrier systems are biocompatibility of carrier and its degradation products. The biocompatibility, non-pathogenicity, non-immunogenicity and biodegradability make erythrocyte unique and useful carriers. They also possess longer circulation half-life and zero order drug release kinetics. Resealed erythrocyte carriers have certain impact among the activity of certain therapeutic agent like anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, chemotherapeutic agents by reducing their side effect upon incorporation with these carriers. The general preparation step of resealed erythrocyte involve separation of erythrocyte from blood the organism of interest and using different methods the erythrocyte broken and the therapeutic agent or drug entrapped into the erythrocyte. This review article highlights the characteristics, isolation techniques of erythrocyte, preparation method, evaluation, application of resealed erythrocyte as carrier in drug delivery systems.