Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Veterinary Medicine
Summary
Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (DDS) have emerged as transformative tools in veterinary medicine, offering enhanced therapeutic index, targeted delivery and controlled release across a spectrum of animal health applications. By encapsulating active compounds within sub-micrometre carriers composed of polymers, lipids or inorganic materials, these platforms improve solubility, protect labile agents from premature degradation and reduce systemic toxicity. In livestock, nanoparticle DDS have been designed to overcome the challenges of rapid drug clearance and frequent dosing, notably in the control of mastitis and other bacterial infections. Similarly, in companion animals, liposomal and polymeric constructs facilitate oncology treatments by concentrating cytotoxic drugs at tumour sites, thereby lowering off-target effects and cardiotoxicity. Advances in surface engineering enable functionalisation with targeting ligands or stimuli-responsive moieties, permitting site-specific release in response to pH, enzymes or temperature. Beyond antimicrobials and anticancer agents, nanoparticle formulations are under investigation for vaccine delivery and immunomodulation, harnessing mucosal routes to stimulate local innate defences without disrupting resident microbiota. Collectively, these innovations promise to redefine dosing regimens, improve animal welfare and mitigate the development of antimicrobial resistance on a global scale.
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Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Veterinary Medicine publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems in veterinary medicine across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Nanoparticle: A sub-micrometre particle (1–1000 nm) employed as a carrier for drugs to enhance stability, solubility and targeted delivery.
Liposome: A spherical vesicle with one or more phospholipid bilayers used to encapsulate hydrophilic or hydrophobic agents for controlled release.
Polymeric nanoparticle: A nanoscale particle composed of natural or synthetic polymers designed to encapsulate active compounds and modulate release profiles.
Bioavailability: The proportion of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation and is available at the site of action.
Controlled release: A drug-delivery approach in which active agents are released from a carrier at a predetermined rate to maintain therapeutic concentrations over time.
References
- An Overview of Polymeric Nanoplatforms to Deliver Veterinary Antimicrobials. Nanomaterials (2024).
- Bioengineered Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Bovine Mastitis. Biomedicines (2022).
- The Use of Liposomes and Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Systems to Improve Cancer Treatment in Dogs and Cats. Molecules (2017).
- Local immune and microbiological responses to mucosal administration of a Liposome-TLR agonist immunotherapeutic in dogs. BMC Veterinary Research (2019).
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