Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.9
5.4
Journals
Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases
share announcement

Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Biopharmaceutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2021) | Viewed by 39912

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Francisco Javier De La Mata

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Chemical Research Institute “Andrés M. Del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, 28805 Madrid, Spain
2. Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
3. Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
Interests: dendrimers; organometallic; macromolecules; drug delivery; antimicrobial agents
Dr. Paula Ortega

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Research Institute in Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28805 Madrid, Spain
2. Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid, Spain
3. Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
Interests: dendrimers; metallodendrimers; cancer; gene transfer; antimicrobial; antiviral
Dr. Sandra García-Gallego

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, and Research Institute in Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain. Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Spain. Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS).
Interests: dendrimer; metallodendrimer; macromolecule; cancer; antimicrobial; hydrogel

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In a context where antibiotic resistance and the spread of new viruses are seriously threatening human health, the use of dendrimers and dendritic materials emerges as a promising strategy. Their versatility, multivalency, and on-demand design enable an efficient response to combat multiple infectious diseases, including those produced by bacteria, viruses, amoebae, and parasites. The Special Issue "Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases" in Pharmaceutics (IF 4.421) aims to assemble cutting-edge strategies which address these serious wide-spread diseases.

Prof. Dr. Francisco Javier De La Mata
Dr. Paula Ortega
Dr. Sandra García-Gallego
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dendrimers and dendrons
  • infectious diseases
  • dendritic nanoparticles
  • dendritic polymers
  • dendronized materials
  • dendritic nanogels
  • antiviral
  • antibacterial
  • antiamoebic
  • antiparasitic

Published Papers (14 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review, Other

3 pages, 203 KiB  
Editorial
Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases
by Francisco Javier de La Mata, Paula Ortega and Sandra García-Gallego
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(1), 154; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics14010154 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1378
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic showed more deeply the need of our society to provide new therapeutic strategies to fight infectious diseases, not only against currently known illnesses, where common antibiotics and drugs appear to be not fully effective, but also against new infectious threats [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic showed more deeply the need of our society to provide new therapeutic strategies to fight infectious diseases, not only against currently known illnesses, where common antibiotics and drugs appear to be not fully effective, but also against new infectious threats that may arise [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review, Other

17 pages, 3781 KiB  
Article
Self-Assembled Polyester Dendrimer/Cellulose Nanofibril Hydrogels with Extraordinary Antibacterial Activity
by Yanmiao Fan, Faridah Namata, Johan Erlandsson, Yuning Zhang, Lars Wågberg and Michael Malkoch
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(12), 1139; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12121139 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3083
Abstract
Cationic dendrimers are intriguing materials that can be used as antibacterial materials; however, they display significant cytotoxicity towards diverse cell lines at high generations or high doses, which limits their applications in biomedical fields. In order to decrease the cytotoxicity, a series of [...] Read more.
Cationic dendrimers are intriguing materials that can be used as antibacterial materials; however, they display significant cytotoxicity towards diverse cell lines at high generations or high doses, which limits their applications in biomedical fields. In order to decrease the cytotoxicity, a series of biocompatible hybrid hydrogels based on cationic dendrimers and carboxylated cellulose nanofibrils were easily synthesized by non-covalent self-assembly under physiological conditions without external stimuli. The cationic dendrimers from generation 2 (G2) to generation 4 (G4) based on trimethylolpronane (TMP) and 2,2-bis (methylol)propionic acid (bis-MPA) were synthesized through fluoride promoted esterification chemistry (FPE chemistry). FTIR was used to show the presence of the cationic dendrimers within the hybrid hydrogels, and the distribution of the cationic dendrimers was even verified using elemental analysis of nitrogen content. The hybrid hydrogels formed from G3 and G4 showed 100% killing efficiency towards Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) with bacterial concentrations ranging from 105 CFU/mL to 107 CFU/mL. Remarkably, the hybrid hydrogels also showed good biocompatibility most probably due to the incorporation of the biocompatible CNFs that slowed down the release of the cationic dendrimers from the hybrid hydrogels, hence showing great promise as an antibacterial material for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

24 pages, 4456 KiB  
Article
Janus Dendrimers to Assess the Anti-HCV Activity of Molecules in Cell-Assays
by María San Anselmo, Alexandre Lancelot, Julia E. Egido, Rafael Clavería-Gimeno, Álvaro Casanova, José Luis Serrano, Silvia Hernández-Ainsa, Olga Abian and Teresa Sierra
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(11), 1062; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12111062 - 07 Nov 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2496
Abstract
The use of nanocarriers has been revealed as a valid strategy to facilitate drug bioavailability, and this allows for expanding the drug libraries for the treatment of certain diseases such as viral diseases. In the case of Hepatitis C, the compounds iopanoic acid [...] Read more.
The use of nanocarriers has been revealed as a valid strategy to facilitate drug bioavailability, and this allows for expanding the drug libraries for the treatment of certain diseases such as viral diseases. In the case of Hepatitis C, the compounds iopanoic acid and 3,3′,5-triiodothyroacetic acid (or tiratricol) were identified in a primary screening as bioactive allosteric inhibitors of viral NS3 protease, but they did not exhibit accurate activity inhibiting viral replication in cell-based assays. In this work, dendritic nanocarriers are proposed due to their unique properties as drug delivery systems to rescue the bioactivity of these two drugs. Specifically, four different amphiphilic Janus dendrimers synthesized by combining 2,2′-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (bis-MPA) and 2,2′-bis(glyciloxy)propionic acid (bis-GMPA) functionalized with either hydrophilic or lipophilic moieties at their periphery were used to entrap iopanoic acid and tiratricol. Interestingly, differences were found in the loading efficiencies depending on the dendrimer design, which also led to morphological changes of the resulting dendrimer aggregates. The most remarkable results consist of the increased water solubility of the bioactive compounds within the dendrimers and the improved antiviral activity of some of the dendrimer/drug aggregates, considerably improving antiviral activity in comparison to the free drugs. Moreover, imaging studies have been developed in order to elucidate the mechanism of cellular internalization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

27 pages, 9573 KiB  
Article
Silver (I) N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Carbosilane Dendritic Systems and Their Imidazolium-Terminated Analogues as Antibacterial Agents: Study of Their Mode of Action
by Tamara Rodríguez-Prieto, Philipp F. Popp, José Luis Copa-Patiño, F. Javier de la Mata, Jesús Cano, Thorsten Mascher and Rafael Gómez
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(10), 968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12100968 - 14 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1983
Abstract
Spherical dendrimers and dendrons containing silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbenes (Ag(I)-NHC) and additionally bow-tie metal-free dendritic systems were synthesized in a simple and straightforward synthetic procedure and subsequently characterized. The antibacterial activity was evaluated, and in parallel, a comparative study with the cationic analogue [...] Read more.
Spherical dendrimers and dendrons containing silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbenes (Ag(I)-NHC) and additionally bow-tie metal-free dendritic systems were synthesized in a simple and straightforward synthetic procedure and subsequently characterized. The antibacterial activity was evaluated, and in parallel, a comparative study with the cationic analogue precursors was performed to explore the effect of silver ions in the dendritic structure. Other parameters, such as topology, generation, and hydrophobicity, of the imidazole substituents were also studied. All these dendritic systems presented antibacterial activity against three different bacterial strains, two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and one Gram-negative (Escherichia coli). Several assays were conducted to elucidate their mechanism of action against Bacillus subtilis, by using bacterial biosensors or specific probes and fluorescent proteins sensitive to changes in the cell membrane potential. These studies are specially focused on the role of the polyvalence of our systems containing silver atoms, which may provoke interesting effects in the mode of action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 2477 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Activity of Carbosilane Cationic Dendritic Molecules on Prevention and Treatment of Candida Albicans Biofilms
by Irene Heredero-Bermejo, Natalia Gómez-Casanova, Sara Quintana, Juan Soliveri, Francisco Javier de la Mata, Jorge Pérez-Serrano, Javier Sánchez-Nieves and José Luis Copa-Patiño
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(10), 918; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12100918 - 25 Sep 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2723
Abstract
Candida spp. are one of the most common fungal pathogens. Biofilms formed by Candidaalbicans offer resistance mechanisms against most antifungal agents. Therefore, development of new molecules effective against these microorganisms, alone or in combination with antifungal drugs, is extremely necessary. In the [...] Read more.
Candida spp. are one of the most common fungal pathogens. Biofilms formed by Candidaalbicans offer resistance mechanisms against most antifungal agents. Therefore, development of new molecules effective against these microorganisms, alone or in combination with antifungal drugs, is extremely necessary. In the present work, we carried out a screening process of different cationic carbosilane dendritic molecules against C. albicans. In vitro activity against biofilm formation and biofilms was tested in both Colección Española de Cultivos Tipo (CECT) 1002 and clinical C. albicans strains. Cytotoxicity was studied in human cell lines, and biofilm alterations were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Antifungal activity of the carbosilane dendritic molecules was assessed by monitoring cell viability using both established and novel cell viability assays. One out of 14 dendritic molecules tested, named BDSQ024, showed the highest activity with a minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) for biofilm formation and a minimum biofilm damaging concentration (MBDC) for existing biofilm of 16–32 and 16 mg/L, respectively. Synergy with amphotericin (AmB) and caspofungin (CSF) at non-cytotoxic concentrations was found. Therefore, dendritic compounds are exciting new antifungals effective at preventing Candida biofilm formation and represent a potential novel therapeutic agent for treatment of C. albicans infection in combination with existing clinical antifungals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 2972 KiB  
Article
Mannose-Decorated Dendritic Polyglycerol Nanocarriers Drive Antiparasitic Drugs To Leishmania infantum-Infected Macrophages
by Laura I. Vossen, Bárbara Domínguez-Asenjo, Camino Gutiérrez-Corbo, M. Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo, Rafael Balaña-Fouce, Rosa María Reguera and Marcelo Calderón
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(10), 915; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12100915 - 24 Sep 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2533
Abstract
Macrophages are hosts for intracellular pathogens involved in numerous diseases including leishmaniasis. They express surface receptors that may be exploited for specific drug-targeting. Recently, we developed a PEGylated dendritic polyglycerol-based conjugate (PG–PEG) that colocalizes with intracellular parasite. We hereby study the effect of [...] Read more.
Macrophages are hosts for intracellular pathogens involved in numerous diseases including leishmaniasis. They express surface receptors that may be exploited for specific drug-targeting. Recently, we developed a PEGylated dendritic polyglycerol-based conjugate (PG–PEG) that colocalizes with intracellular parasite. We hereby study the effect of surface decoration with mannose units on the conjugates’ targeting ability toward leishmania intracellular parasites. Murine and human macrophages were exposed to fluorescently labeled mannosylated PG–PEG and uptake was quantified by flow cytometry analysis. Nanocarriers bearing five mannose units showed the highest uptake, which varied between 30 and 88% in the population in human and murine macrophages, respectively. The uptake was found to be dependent on phagocytosis and pinocytosis (80%), as well as clathrin-mediated endocytosis (79%). Confocal microscopy showed that mannosylated PG–PEGs target acidic compartments in macrophages. In addition, when both murine and human macrophages were infected and treated, colocalization between parasites and mannosylated nanoconjugates was observed. Leishmania-infected bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) showed avidity by mannosylated PG–PEG whereas non-infected macrophages rarely accumulated conjugates. Moreover, the antileishmanial activity of Amphotericin B was kept upon conjugation to mannosylated PG–PEG through a pH-labile linker. This study demonstrates that leishmania infected macrophages are selectively targeted by mannosylated PEGylated dendritic conjugates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 2898 KiB  
Article
Radical Dendrimers Based on Biocompatible Oligoethylene Glycol Dendrimers as Contrast Agents for MRI
by Songbai Zhang, Vega Lloveras, Daniel Pulido, Flonja Liko, Luiz F. Pinto, Fernando Albericio, Miriam Royo and José Vidal-Gancedo
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(8), 772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12080772 - 14 Aug 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4034
Abstract
Finding alternatives to gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents (CA) with the same or even better paramagnetic properties is crucial to overcome their established toxicity. Herein we describe the synthesis and characterization of entirely organic metal-free paramagnetic macromolecules based on biocompatible oligoethylene glycol dendrimers fully [...] Read more.
Finding alternatives to gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents (CA) with the same or even better paramagnetic properties is crucial to overcome their established toxicity. Herein we describe the synthesis and characterization of entirely organic metal-free paramagnetic macromolecules based on biocompatible oligoethylene glycol dendrimers fully functionalized with 5 and 20 organic radicals (OEG Gn-PROXYL (n = 0, 1) radical dendrimers) with the aim to be used as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Conferring high water solubility on such systems is often a concern, especially in large generation dendrimers. Our approach to overcome such an issue in this study is by synthesizing dendrimers with highly water-soluble branches themselves. In this work, we show that the highly water-soluble OEG Gn-PROXYL (n = 0, 1) radical dendrimers obtained showed properties that convert them in good candidates to be studied as contrast agents for MRI applications like diagnosis and follow-up of infectious diseases, among others. Importantly, with the first generation radical dendrimer, a similar r1 relaxivity value (3.4 mM−1s−1) in comparison to gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) used in clinics (3.2 mM−1s−1, r.t. 7T) has been obtained, and it has been shown to not be cytotoxic, avoiding the toxicity risks associated with the unwanted accumulation of Gd in the body. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 3013 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Carbosilane Dendrimers Functionalized with Polyphenolic Moieties
by Natalia Sanz del Olmo, Cornelia E. Peña González, Jose Daniel Rojas, Rafael Gómez, Paula Ortega, Alberto Escarpa and Francisco Javier de la Mata
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(8), 698; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12080698 - 24 Jul 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2672
Abstract
A new family of polyphenolic carbosilane dendrimers functionalized with ferulic, caffeic, and gallic acids has been obtained through a straightforward amidation reaction. Their antioxidant activity has been studied by different techniques such as DPPH (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, FRAP assay (ferric reducing antioxidant [...] Read more.
A new family of polyphenolic carbosilane dendrimers functionalized with ferulic, caffeic, and gallic acids has been obtained through a straightforward amidation reaction. Their antioxidant activity has been studied by different techniques such as DPPH (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, FRAP assay (ferric reducing antioxidant power), and cyclic voltammetry. The antioxidant analysis showed that polyphenolic dendrimers exhibited higher activities than free polyphenols in all cases. The first-generation dendrimer decorated with gallic acid stood out as the best antioxidant compound, displaying a correlation between the number of hydroxyl groups in the polyphenol structure and the antioxidant activity of the compounds. Moreover, the antibacterial capacity of these new systems has been screened against Gram-positive (+) and Gram-negative (−) bacteria, and we observed that polyphenolic dendrimers functionalized with caffeic and gallic acids were capable of decreasing bacterial growth. In contrast, ferulic carbosilane dendrimers and free polyphenols showed no effect, establishing a correlation between antioxidant activity and antibacterial capacity. Finally, a viability assay in human skin fibroblasts cells (HFF-1) allowed for corroborating the nontoxicity of the polyphenolic dendrimers at their active antibacterial concentration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 4695 KiB  
Article
Ultrastructural Study of Acanthamoeba polyphaga Trophozoites and Cysts Treated In Vitro with Cationic Carbosilane Dendrimers
by Irene Heredero-Bermejo, Tania Martín-Pérez, José Luis Copa-Patiño, Rafael Gómez, Francisco Javier de la Mata, Juan Soliveri and Jorge Pérez-Serrano
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(6), 565; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12060565 - 18 Jun 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2837
Abstract
Cationic carbosilane dendrimers are branched molecules with antimicrobial properties. Their activity has been tested against Acanthamoeba polyphaga, a causative agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a severe ocular disease in humans. A. polyphaga trophozoites and cysts were exposed to different noncytotoxic cationic carbosilane dendrimers [...] Read more.
Cationic carbosilane dendrimers are branched molecules with antimicrobial properties. Their activity has been tested against Acanthamoeba polyphaga, a causative agent of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a severe ocular disease in humans. A. polyphaga trophozoites and cysts were exposed to different noncytotoxic cationic carbosilane dendrimers with proven antiamoebic activity. The effects of treatment on cell surface and cell ultrastructure were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Two of the dendrimers tested induced dramatic alterations of cellular ultrastructure in both trophozoites and cysts, including vacuolization, depletion of cytoplasmic contents, and reduced cell size. Additionally, we observed severe alterations of the plasma membrane with membrane blebbing in trophozoites and disruption in cysts. These alterations were also observed with chlorhexidine, a drug used for treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Our results support that these compounds may target membranes, and their action is critical for parasite integrity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research, Other

14 pages, 1927 KiB  
Review
Functionalized Dendrimer Platforms as a New Forefront Arsenal Targeting SARS-CoV-2: An Opportunity
by Serge Mignani, Xiangyang Shi, Andrii Karpus, Giovanni Lentini and Jean-Pierre Majoral
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(9), 1513; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13091513 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3275
Abstract
The novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has caused a pandemic. There are currently several marketed vaccines and many in clinical trials targeting SARS-CoV-2. Another strategy is to repurpose approved drugs to decrease the burden of the COVID-19 (official [...] Read more.
The novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has caused a pandemic. There are currently several marketed vaccines and many in clinical trials targeting SARS-CoV-2. Another strategy is to repurpose approved drugs to decrease the burden of the COVID-19 (official name for the coronavirus disease) pandemic. as the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved antiviral drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs to arrest the cytokine storm, inducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Another view to solve these unprecedented challenges is to analyze the diverse nanotechnological approaches which are able to improve the COVID-19 pandemic. In this original minireview, as promising candidates we analyze the opportunity to develop biocompatible dendrimers as drugs themselves or as nanocarriers against COVID-19 disease. From the standpoint of COVID-19, we suggest developing dendrimers as shields against COVID-19 infection based on their capacity to be incorporated in several environments outside the patients and as important means to stop transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

22 pages, 821 KiB  
Review
Application of Dendrimers for Treating Parasitic Diseases
by Veronica Folliero, Carla Zannella, Annalisa Chianese, Debora Stelitano, Annalisa Ambrosino, Anna De Filippis, Marilena Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci and Massimiliano Galdiero
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(3), 343; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13030343 - 05 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2483
Abstract
Despite advances in medical knowledge, parasitic diseases remain a significant global health burden and their pharmacological treatment is often hampered by drug toxicity. Therefore, drug delivery systems may provide useful advantages when used in combination with conventional therapeutic compounds. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymeric [...] Read more.
Despite advances in medical knowledge, parasitic diseases remain a significant global health burden and their pharmacological treatment is often hampered by drug toxicity. Therefore, drug delivery systems may provide useful advantages when used in combination with conventional therapeutic compounds. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymeric structures, characterized by a central core, branches and terminal functional groups. These nanostructures are known for their defined structure, great water solubility, biocompatibility and high encapsulation ability against a wide range of molecules. Furthermore, the high ratio between terminal groups and molecular volume render them a hopeful vector for drug delivery. These nanostructures offer several advantages compared to conventional drugs for the treatment of parasitic infection. Dendrimers deliver drugs to target sites with reduced dosage, solving side effects that occur with accepted marketed drugs. In recent years, extensive progress has been made towards the use of dendrimers for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes for the management of parasitic infections. The present review highlights the potential of several dendrimers in the management of parasitic diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2695 KiB  
Review
Peptides and Dendrimers: How to Combat Viral and Bacterial Infections
by Annarita Falanga, Valentina Del Genio and Stefania Galdiero
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(1), 101; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13010101 - 14 Jan 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3363
Abstract
The alarming growth of antimicrobial resistance and recent viral pandemic events have enhanced the need for novel approaches through innovative agents that are mainly able to attach to the external layers of bacteria and viruses, causing permanent damage. Antimicrobial molecules are potent broad-spectrum [...] Read more.
The alarming growth of antimicrobial resistance and recent viral pandemic events have enhanced the need for novel approaches through innovative agents that are mainly able to attach to the external layers of bacteria and viruses, causing permanent damage. Antimicrobial molecules are potent broad-spectrum agents with a high potential as novel therapeutics. In this context, antimicrobial peptides, cell penetrating peptides, and antiviral peptides play a major role, and have been suggested as promising solutions. Furthermore, dendrimers are to be considered as suitable macromolecules for the development of advanced nanosystems that are able to complement the typical properties of dendrimers with those of peptides. This review focuses on the description of nanoplatforms constructed with peptides and dendrimers, and their applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

27 pages, 3256 KiB  
Review
Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials: From Laboratory to Medical Practice in Infectious Diseases
by Miguel Ángel Ortega, Alberto Guzmán Merino, Oscar Fraile-Martínez, Judith Recio-Ruiz, Leonel Pekarek, Luis G. Guijarro, Natalio García-Honduvilla, Melchor Álvarez-Mon, Julia Buján and Sandra García-Gallego
Pharmaceutics 2020, 12(9), 874; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics12090874 - 14 Sep 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 4636
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the main global public health risks, predominantly caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The control of infections is founded on three main pillars: prevention, treatment, and diagnosis. However, the appearance of microbial resistance has challenged traditional strategies [...] Read more.
Infectious diseases are one of the main global public health risks, predominantly caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The control of infections is founded on three main pillars: prevention, treatment, and diagnosis. However, the appearance of microbial resistance has challenged traditional strategies and demands new approaches. Dendrimers are a type of polymeric nanoparticles whose nanometric size, multivalency, biocompatibility, and structural perfection offer boundless possibilities in multiple biomedical applications. This review provides the reader a general overview about the uses of dendrimers and dendritic materials in the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of highly prevalent infectious diseases, and their advantages compared to traditional approaches. Examples of dendrimers as antimicrobial agents per se, as nanocarriers of antimicrobial drugs, as well as their uses in gene transfection, in vaccines or as contrast agents in imaging assays are presented. Despite the need to address some challenges in order to be used in the clinic, dendritic materials appear as an innovative tool with a brilliant future ahead in the clinical management of infectious diseases and many other health issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Other

5 pages, 230 KiB  
Erratum
Erratum: Sanz del Olmo, N.; et al. Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Carbosilane Dendrimers Functionalized with Polyphenolic Moieties. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 698
by Natalia Sanz del Olmo, Cornelia E. Peña González, Daniel Rojas, Rafael Gómez, Paula Ortega, Alberto Escarpa and Francisco Javier de la Mata
Pharmaceutics 2021, 13(1), 121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pharmaceutics13010121 - 19 Jan 2021
Viewed by 1479
Abstract
Due to an error during production, in [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials against Infectious Diseases)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-14
Back to TopTop