Modern state of problem of delivery of medicines with use of erythrocytes as cell-carriers

Abstract

Erythrocytes are prospective carriers of wide range of medicines and other biologically active agents. Main peculiarity and advantage of erythrocytes as carriers of medicines is their absolute bio-compatibility and ability for long circulation in an organism. While growing old these cells undergo natural process of biodegradation. Relatively inactive endocellular environment protects carried medicine from being inactivated by different endogenous factors. At the present time different methods of loading medicines in erythrocytes are used: electroporation, induced endocytosis, osmotic pulse hematolysis, hypotonic hematolysis. Most of these methods are based on the ability of these cells for reversible deformation of the surface without changing area of surface. Introduction of medicines in erythrocytes can be conducted in natural way as a result of their sorption on cell membrane. Different medicines can be used as the objects for targeted transport: antibiotics, antineoplastic drugs, corticosteroids, peptides, enzymes etc. extracorporeal pharmacotherapy with use of erythrocytes as carriers can be applied in the treatment of different diseases. Range of used medicines and provided possibilities is quite wide at a present time, but further development of this direction is very prospective. The aim of the authors was to outline a common concept of the potential of erythrocytes as universal transportation means of medicines for therapy of different pathological conditions.