Paper Title
Bubble-Generating Carrier Systems for Therapeutic Applications
Abstract
We have recently developed a few bubble-generating carrier systems forvarious therapeutic applications. We will
first report a “Transformers”-like nanocarrier system that allows a poorly water-soluble drug such as curcumin to self-emulsify
in the intestinal lumen, owing to the in situ CO2 evolution, to form nanoemulsions and then to be absorbed effectively,
improving its oral bioavailability. Additionally, a carrier system containing NONOate and an anticancer agent CTP-11 is
formulated. In an acidic, aqueous condition, NONOate decomposes and generates NO bubbles, triggering localized drug
release; meanwhile, NO can be used to inhibit the expression of Pglycoproteins in tumor cells to overcome the multi-drug
resistance, enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapy. An O2-generating system for the enhancement of the therapeutic efficacy
of doxorubicin toward hypoxic tumor cells is also reported. Furthermore, a sustained H2S-releasesystem is established as a
powerful therapeutic system for chronic wound healing in diabetic rats. Given the exciting advances that are mentioned above,
we believe that these bubble-generating carriers may lead to significant technological breakthroughs in the treatment of various
human pathologies.
Index Terms - CO2; NO; O2; H2S; bubble-generating system