Lipidic prodrug approach for improved oral drug delivery and therapy. 2019

Milica Markovic, and Shimon Ben-Shabat, and Shahar Keinan, and Aaron Aponick, and Ellen M Zimmermann, and Arik Dahan
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

In the past, a prodrug design was used as a last option to improve bioavailability through controlling transport, distribution, metabolism, or other mechanisms. Prodrugs are currently used even in early stages of drug development, and a significant percentage of all drugs in the market are prodrugs. The focus of this article is lipidic prodrugs, a strategy whereby a lipid carrier is covalently bound to the drug moiety. The increased lipophilicity of the lipid-drug conjugate can improve the pharmacokinetic profile and provide meaningful advantages: increased absorption across biological barriers, prolonged circulation half-life, selective distribution profile (eg brain penetration), reduced hepatic first-pass metabolism, and overall enhanced bioavailability of the parent drug. Moreover, lipidic prodrugs may join the endogenous lipid trafficking pathways, thereby facilitate drug targeting, either by selective absorption pathway (eg lymphatic transport) or drug release at specific target site(s). The different lipid-drug conjugates (triglyceride-, fatty acids, phospholipid-, and steroid-based prodrugs), the physiological barriers that challenge the absorption of these conjugates, followed by their current utilization and potential clinical benefits are described and analyzed, and future opportunities this approach could provide are discussed. Altogether, lipidic prodrugs represent an exciting approach for improving different aspects of oral drug delivery/therapy and may provide solutions for various unmet needs; the use of this strategy is expected to grow.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008055 Lipids A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) Lipid
D008208 Lymphatic System A system of organs and tissues that process and transport immune cells and LYMPH. Lymphatic Systems
D010743 Phospholipids Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups, particularly those derived from either glycerol (phosphoglycerides see GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS) or sphingosine (SPHINGOLIPIDS). They are polar lipids that are of great importance for the structure and function of cell membranes and are the most abundant of membrane lipids, although not stored in large amounts in the system. Phosphatides,Phospholipid
D011355 Prodrugs A compound that, on administration, must undergo chemical conversion by metabolic processes before becoming the pharmacologically active drug for which it is a prodrug. Drug Precursor,Drug Precursors,Pro-Drug,Prodrug,Pro-Drugs,Precursor, Drug,Precursors, Drug,Pro Drug,Pro Drugs
D002626 Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry dealing with the composition and preparation of agents having PHARMACOLOGIC ACTIONS or diagnostic use. Medicinal Chemistry,Chemistry, Pharmaceutic,Pharmaceutic Chemistry,Pharmaceutical Chemistry,Chemistry, Medicinal
D002784 Cholesterol The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils. Epicholesterol
D003093 Colitis, Ulcerative Inflammation of the COLON that is predominantly confined to the MUCOSA. Its major symptoms include DIARRHEA, rectal BLEEDING, the passage of MUCUS, and ABDOMINAL PAIN. Colitis Gravis,Idiopathic Proctocolitis,Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis Type,Ulcerative Colitis
D003424 Crohn Disease A chronic transmural inflammation that may involve any part of the DIGESTIVE TRACT from MOUTH to ANUS, mostly found in the ILEUM, the CECUM, and the COLON. In Crohn disease, the inflammation, extending through the intestinal wall from the MUCOSA to the serosa, is characteristically asymmetric and segmental. Epithelioid GRANULOMAS may be seen in some patients. Colitis, Granulomatous,Enteritis, Granulomatous,Enteritis, Regional,Ileitis, Regional,Ileitis, Terminal,Ileocolitis,Crohn's Disease,Crohn's Enteritis,Inflammatory Bowel Disease 1,Regional Enteritis,Crohns Disease,Granulomatous Colitis,Granulomatous Enteritis,Regional Ileitides,Regional Ileitis,Terminal Ileitis
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000284 Administration, Oral The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth. Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations

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