An Overview of Microbe-Based Drug Delivery Systems

Drug delivery systems are cargos delivering drugs to desired cells, tissues, organs and sub-cellular organelles for better drug release and absorption. These were introduced to improve the pharmacological activities of therapeutic drugs, and overcome problems like low bioavailability, lack of selectivity, drug aggregation, poor biodistribution, limited solubility, and reduced side effects associated with therapeutic drugs. Novel drug delivery systems have contributed immensely towards improving the lifestyle of patients suffering from varied pathological conditions, but drug resistance developed during the treatment becomes a major concern, fueling the need to find an alternative effective transport system. Numerous advancements have led to the development of active carriers for more targeted action along with improved pharmacokinetic behavior. Microbe-based drug delivery systems are one such system providing non-toxic, safe, site-specific targeted actions with minimal side effects. For the development of highly effective delivery carriers, microorganisms’ properties like self-propulsion, in-situ production of therapeutics, increased immunity, tumour cells’ penetration, etc, play an important role. The microbe-based drug–delivery systems can be classified into- bacterial, fungi, viral and algae-based drug-delivery systems. Intratumor injection, nasal administration and oral administration are preferred routes of administration for such delivery systems depending upon the drug’s nature, administration ease, and intended location. Bacteria, anticancer oncolytic viruses, viral immunotherapy and viral vectors are engaging areas of biotechnological research. The microbe-based drug delivery system with reduced toxicity and side effects will surely serve as a futuristic advanced carrier to improve patient’s health. The chapter provides a general overview of the novel approach of microbe-based drug delivery and its applications.