Recent trends in drug delivery systems: Lymphatic drug targeting and transportation

Abstract

Targeting of drugs to lymphatic system is useful in many ways. Targeting to lymphatic system may be done not only to treat certain pathological conditions like tumors, infections and inflammations but also to detect tumor metastases. Controlled delivery of vaccines through oral route can also be achieved with lymphatic targeting. Targeting to lymphatic system is also useful for per oral delivery of the newer generation peptides and a protein that are currently being examined for their therapeutic utility, and also for those drugs which undergo extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism. Considering the wide range utility of lymphatic targeting, this article attempts to give an insight into various routes through which this can be achieved, transportation of drugs through lymphatic system, carriers used in lymphatic drug targeting and its various applications.