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Background: Hyperuricemia belongs to metabolic syndromes where increased uric acid levels are identified in the blood serum. Such a syndrome could be responsible for kidney stone formation, gout, hypertension, and chronic kidney diseases. It has been reported that cardiovascular risks have been linked with hyperuricemia. Gout is of the most frequent manifestations due to hyperuricemia; its management involves various pharmacological available options and dietary changes. Throughout the literature, various dosage forms are studied as alternative options to the present drug delivery systems., Objective: To update and summarize the current information for gout and hyperuricemia management., Methods: Authors have performed a thorough literature research from 2010-2023 using keywords such as hyperuricemia, gout, diagnosis, guidelines, drug delivery and clinical trials. The databases used were PubMed, ScienceDirect. According to our inclusion criteria, all studies which include the previous terms, as well as drugs or other molecules that can be applied for gout and/or hyperuricemia management, were added., Results: In this article, authors have summarized the pathogenesis, diagnosis and updated guidelines for gout and hyperuricemia management. Moreover, the authors have reviewed and discussed current drug delivery systems found in the literature, including drugs targeting the above disorders. Finally, the available clinical trials assessing the efficacy of newer drugs or combinations of the past ones, are being discussed., Conclusion: The available drugs and dosage forms are limited, and therefore, scientific society should focus on the development of more efficient drug delivery systems for hyperuricemia and gout management., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The delivery of active molecules via the skin seems to be an efficient technology, given the various disadvantages of oral drug administration. Skin, which is the largest human organ of the body, has the important role of acting as a barrier for pathogens and other molecules including drugs; in fact, it serves as a primary defense system blocking any particle from entering the body. Therefore, to overcome the skin barriers and poor skin permeability, researchers implement novel carriers which can effectively carry out transdermal delivery of the molecules. Another significant issue which medical society tries to solve is the effective dermal delivery of molecules especially for topical wound delivery. The application of nanogels is only one of the available approaches offering promising results for both dermal and transdermal administration routes. Nanogels are polymer-based networks in nanoscale dimensions which have been explored as potent carriers of poorly soluble drugs, genes and vaccines. The nanogels present unique physicochemical properties, i.e., high surface area, biocompatibility, etc., and, importantly, can improve solubility. In this review, authors aimed to summarize the available applications of nanogels as possible vehicles for dermal and transdermal delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients and discuss their future in the pharmaceutical manufacturing field.

It has been estimated that every year, millions of people are affected by neurodegenerative disorders, which complicate their lives and their caregivers' lives. To date, there has not been an approved pharmacological approach to provide the complete treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. The only available drugs may only relieve the symptoms or slow down the progression of the disease. The absence of any treatment is quite rational given that neurodegeneration occurs by the progressive loss of the function or structure of the nerve cells of the brain or the peripheral nervous system, which eventually leads to their death either by apoptosis or necrotic cell death. According to a recent study, even though adult brain cells are injured, they can revert to an embryonic state, which may help to restore their function. These interesting findings might open a new path for the development of more efficient therapeutic strategies to combat devastating neurodegenerative disorders. Gene and protein therapies have emerged as a rapidly growing field for various disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases. Despite these promising therapies, the complete treatment of neurodegenerative disorders has not yet been achieved. Therefore, the aim of this review is to address the most up-to-date data for neurodegenerative diseases, but most importantly, to summarize the available delivery systems incorporating proteins, peptides, and genes that can potentially target such diseases and pass into the blood-brain barrier. The authors highlight the advancements, at present, on delivery based on the carrier, i.e., lipid, polymeric, and inorganic, as well as the recent studies on radiopharmaceutical theranostics.

Background & Objective: Diabetes is a global health problem that has resulted in millions of deaths; one of the most common diabetes complications is that wounds of diabetic patients tend to heal more slowly or may not heal at all, resulting in undesirable outcomes. Diabetic wounds, if become chronic and infected, could provoke lower extremities amputation, sepsis, and even death. Hence, early detection, careful examination, debridement, cleaning, and prevention or controlling the infection of diabetic wounds are important factors for the successful outcome of the case. Over the years, various promising wound dressings incorporating antimicrobial molecules, growth factors, and wound healing agents have been developed, targeting diabetic wounds. Nonetheless, the choice of dressing is mainly based on the experience of each clinician., Summary: This review summarizes the main points of diabetes complications, diabetic wounds, and infections. Further, an overview of the current drug delivery systems for topical wound delivery of various active ingredients has been performed. This update could be helpful for scientists and especially clinicians who desire to plan and work with new strategies for the healing of diabetic wounds., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Alzheimer's disease accounts for a high percentage of dementia cases in elderly individuals. This type of brain disease is caused by damage to the brain cells affecting the ability of the patients to communicate, as well as their thinking, behavior, and feelings. Although numerous research laboratories focus on advancements in treating Alzheimer's disease, the currently approved pharmacological approaches seem to only alleviate the symptoms. Consequently, there is an urgent need for alternative pharmacological options that can prevent the progressive impairment of neurons. Natural substances were used in ancient times to treat various disorders given their biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. Besides, their cost-effectiveness and accessibility to anyone who needs them are their most significant characteristics. Therefore, the possible use of phytochemical compounds for the possible management or even prevention of Alzheimer's disease is currently under investigation. This review article summarizes the present status of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and underlying mechanisms, the potential phytochemicals and their carriers, along with future perspectives. In the future, natural substances can play a role as an adjunct therapy for neurodegenerative forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Neurodegeneration is defined as the progressive atrophy and loss of function of neurons; it is present in neurodegenerative disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. The detection of such disorders is performed by various imaging modalities while their therapeutic management is quite challenging. Besides, the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders is still under ongoing research due to complex and multi-factorial mechanisms. Currently, targeting the specific proteins responsible for neurodegeneration is of great interest to many researchers. Furthermore, nanotechnology-based approaches for targeting the affected neurons became an emerging field of interest. Nanostructures of various forms have been developed aiming to act as therapeutics for neurodegeneration, in which electrospun nanofibers seem to play an important role as biomedical products for both detection and management of the diseases. Electrospinning is an intriguing method able to produce nanofibers with a wide range of sizes and morphological characteristics. Such nanofibrous matrices can be delivered through different administration routes to target various diseases. In this review, the most recent advancements in electrospun nanofibrous systems that target or detect multiple neurodegenerative diseases have been enlightened and an introduction to the general aspects of neurodegenerative diseases and the electrospinning process has been made. Finally, future perspectives of neurodegeneration targeting were also discussed.

In the last decade, the use of nanotheranostics as emerging diagnostic and therapeutic tools for various diseases, especially cancer, is held great attention. Up to date, several approaches have been employed in order to develop smart nanotheranostics, which combine bioactive targeting on specific tissues as well as diagnostic properties. The nanotheranostics can deliver therapeutic agents by concomitantly monitor the therapy response in real-time. Consequently, the possibility of over- or under-dosing is decreased. Various non-invasive imaging techniques have been used to quantitatively monitor the drug delivery processes. Radiolabeling of nanomaterials is widely used as powerful diagnostic approach on nuclear medicine imaging. In fact, various radiolabeled nanomaterials have been designed and developed for imaging tumors and other lesions due to their efficient characteristics. Inorganic nanoparticles as gold, silver, silica based nanomaterials or organic nanoparticles as polymers, carbon based nanomaterials, liposomes have been reported as multifunctional nanotheranostics. In this review, the imaging modalities according to their use in various diseases are summarized, providing special details for radiolabeling. In further, the most current nanotheranostics categorized via the used nanomaterials are also summed up. To conclude, this review can be beneficial for medical and pharmaceutical society as well as material scientists who work in the field of nanotheranostics since they can use this research as guide for producing newer and more efficient nanotheranostics., (© 2020 Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the modern world and dyslipidemia is one of the major risk factors. The current therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases involve the management of risk factors, especially dyslipidemia and hypertension. Recently, the updated guidelines of dyslipidemia management were presented, and the newest data were included in terms of diagnosis, imaging, and treatment. In this targeted literature review, the researchers presented the most recent evidence on dyslipidemia management by including the current therapeutic goals for it. In addition, the novel diagnostic tools based on theranostics are shown. Finally, the future perspectives on treatment based on novel drug delivery systems and their potential to be used in clinical trials were also analyzed. It should be noted that dyslipidemia management can be achieved by the strict lifestyle change, i.e., by adopting a healthy life, and choosing the most suitable medication. This review can help medical professionals as well as specialists of other sciences to update their knowledge on dyslipidemia management, which can lead to better therapeutic outcomes and newer drug developments., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Wound healing is an unmet therapeutic challenge among medical society since wound assessment and management is a complex procedure including several factors playing major role in healing process. Wounds can mainly be categorized as acute or chronic. It is well referred that the acute wound displays normal wound physiology while healing, in most cases, is seemed to progress through the normal phases of wound healing. On the other hand, a chronic wound is physiologically impaired. The main problem in wound management is that the majority of wounds are colonized with microbes, whereas this does not mean that all wounds will be infected. In this review, we address the problems that clinicians face to manage while treat acute and chronic wounds. Moreover, we demonstrate the pathophysiology, etiology, prognosis and microbiology of wounds. We further introduce the state of art in pharmaceutical technology field as part of wound management aiming to assist health professionals to overcome the current implications on wound assessment. In addition, authors review researches which included the use of gels and dermal films as wound healing agents. It can be said that natural and synthetic drugs or carriers provide promising solutions in order to meet the wound management standards. However, are the current strategies as desirable as medical society wish?, (© 2020 Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Schizophrenia belongs to mental illnesses affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Its therapy is still unmet; thus, researchers aimed to develop new pharmacological molecules which can improve its management., Methods: Moreover, the current typical and atypical antipsychotics should be formulated in more efficacious systems that can deliver the drug in the brain with as few side effects as possible. Further, the development of long-acting efficient drug delivery systems could be significant in minimizing frequent dosing which is nonpreferred to schizophrenics., Results: Herein, authors focused on current developments of antipsychotic medications used in schizophrenia management. Various studies, which include the use of first and second-generation antipsychotics, were analyzed according to their efficacy. In fact, in this review, oral, injectable, transdermal and intranasal formulations entrapped antipsychotics are presented to be valuable guidance for scientists to formulate more effective drug delivery systems for schizophrenic patients., Conclusion: This review aimed to assist researchers working on schizophrenia management by summarizing current medications and newly synthesized drug delivery systems recently found in the literature., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Alzheimer's disease is a neuropathological disease with symptoms such as language problems, confusion as to place or time, loss of interest in activities, which were previously enjoyed, behavioral changes, and memory loss. Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia affect almost 46.8 million people globally and are estimated to strike about 131.5 million people in 2050. It has been reported that Alzheimer's is the sixth main cause of mortality. The most used drugs, which are currently approved by the Food, and Drug Administration for Alzheimer's disease are donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine, and the combination of donepezil and memantine. However, most of the drugs present various adverse effects. Recently, the transdermal drug delivery route has gained increasing attention as an emerging tool for Alzheimer's disease management. Besides, transdermal drug delivery systems seem to provide hope for the management of various diseases, due to the advantages that they offer in comparison with oral dosage forms. Herein, the current advancements in transdermal studies with potent features to achieve better Alzheimer's disease management are presented. Many researchers have shown that the transdermal systems provide higher efficiency since the first-pass hepatic metabolism effect can be avoided and a prolonged drug release rate can be achieved. In summary, the transdermal administration of Alzheimer's drugs is an interesting and promising topic, which should be further elaborated and studied., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Hypertension can be referred to as modern scourge in 2017 and although, it seems that an improvement has been done during the passage of time, the full treatment still remains an unmet achievement for clinicians. Hypertension incidence in Mediterranean countries, especially Greece and Turkey, seems to be increasing irrespective of the expected protective effect of Mediterranean diet. The changed lifestyle and dietary habits of both populations led to advanced cardiovascular events and arteriosclerosis both of which are linked with high blood pressure. From statistic aspect, as in this work reviewed, it has been found out that gender, age, sociodemographic characteristics and geographical location could promote the hypertension prevalence. Given the above, as well as the fact that the current pharmaceutical formulations do not present the optimal results on hypertension management, summing up the ongoing research on hypertension field is in high demand. Consequently, the development of novel solutions for high blood pressure management either with new synthesized drugs or fascinated drug delivery systems is required. Moreover, adopting healthy lifestyle and diet also plays a crucial role against hypertension. This review is aimed at assisting researchers working on hypertension management by summarizing update guidelines, various case reports describing hypertension related with other diseases, current medications and newly synthesized drug delivery systems recently found in literature., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Absorbable and non-absorbable dressings have been fabricated into sponges via a modified thermally induced phase separation method, using a grafted derivative of chitosan with 2-hydroxyethylacrylate (CS-g-PHEA). The material was synthesized via free-radical polymerization and was characterized with FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopies. The swelling ability, biocompatibility and biodegradability of the dressings were evaluated through in vitro assays while antibacterial studies were performed using three different bacterial strains, Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Levofloxacin was used as model drug at different concentrations. Morphological characterization of the drug loaded dressings was performed by scanning electron microscopy, while drug-matrix interactions were evaluated by FT-IR spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction studies were carried out for the identification of the physical state for both neat and drug loaded materials. The prepared dressings showed a significant inhibition zone of the bacteria indicating the antibacterial property of the materials and loaded sponges., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)