Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome

Zhang, Yufei; Song, Zengyi; Zhang, Hongxi; Lin, Haijiao; Xu, Pu; Li, Zijia; He, Qingyun; Wei, Binbin

doi:10.3390/biomedicines13051081

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Open AccessReview

Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome

by

Yufei Zhang

^1,†,

Zengyi Song

^2,†,

Hongxi Zhang

²,

Haijiao Lin

²,

Pu Xu

²,

Zijia Li

²,

Qingyun He

² and

Binbin Wei

^2,*

¹

Department of Pharmacy, Jinqiu Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110122, China

²

School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Biomedicines 2025, 13(5), 1081; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051081

Submission received: 12 March 2025 / Revised: 14 April 2025 / Accepted: 28 April 2025 / Published: 29 April 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Neurobiology and Clinical Neuroscience)

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Abstract

Depressive disorder (a subclass of mental disorders) is characterized by persistent affective symptoms. Without timely therapeutic intervention, it leads to clinical deterioration manifested as reduced quality of life and may increase suicide risk in severe cases. Given its complex etiology, intertwined with intrinsic factors such as genetics and environment, and impacted by various issues such as first-pass effect and blood-brain barrier, the therapeutic efficacy of many antidepressant medications is limited for patients. Therefore, by delving into the exploration of novel antidepressant drugs and biomaterials, this review aims to offer fresh perspectives that may facilitate the discovery of innovative antidepressant medications and enhance their therapeutic outcomes. Notably, the review highlights polymers’ crucial role in enhancing antidepressants’ pharmacological efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties by optimizing their parameters, and they will undoubtedly become powerful tools in improving antidepressive outcomes in future research.

Keywords: depression; cause; mechanism; antidepressant therapy; polymer

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, Y.; Song, Z.; Zhang, H.; Lin, H.; Xu, P.; Li, Z.; He, Q.; Wei, B. Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome. Biomedicines 2025, 13, 1081. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051081

AMA Style

Zhang Y, Song Z, Zhang H, Lin H, Xu P, Li Z, He Q, Wei B. Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome. Biomedicines. 2025; 13(5):1081. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051081

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Yufei, Zengyi Song, Hongxi Zhang, Haijiao Lin, Pu Xu, Zijia Li, Qingyun He, and Binbin Wei. 2025. "Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome" Biomedicines 13, no. 5: 1081. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051081

APA Style

Zhang, Y., Song, Z., Zhang, H., Lin, H., Xu, P., Li, Z., He, Q., & Wei, B. (2025). Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome. Biomedicines, 13(5), 1081. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051081

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Advancing Antidepressive Agents: Drug Discovery and Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Improved Treatment Outcome

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