Lipid and Polymeric Carriers for Pulmonary Drug Delivery
A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 13
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hybrid nanocarrier; liposome; lipid-based nanoparticles; lung cancer; asthma; drug delivery system; polymeric particles; control release
Interests: hybrid nanocarrier; liposome; lipid-based nanoparticles; lung cancer; asthma; drug delivery system; polymeric particles; control release
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, there has been increased interest in the usage of the pulmonary system for localized as well as systemic delivery. This is particularly so for water-soluble drugs, which exhibit low bioavailability when administered through alternative routes. The pulmonary system offers a highly vascularized large surface area of circa 100 m2 with a thin alveolar epithelium, facilitating rapid absorption. This is in addition to low enzymatic activity (both intra- and extracellular) in the system, which negates potential drug degradation. Following pulmonary administration, a relatively high extent of absorption can be achieved for drugs with associated low absorption rates. For localized treatment of pulmonary disease states, direct formulation deposition onto the lung epithelium facilitates rapid onset of action and requires lower doses. Furthermore, the non-invasive nature of this route enhances patient compliance.
In recent decades, nanocarriers are increasingly being used to deliver therapeutically active compounds into the pulmonary system in order to fulfill several requirements, including shielding drug degradation, drug loading ability, sustained release, biodegradation, and biocompatibility, as well as formulation stability during nebulization using various nebulizers. Various lipid-based formulations meet these requirements and have successfully delivered APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) into the pulmonary system. These include liposomes and proliposomes, transferosomes and protransferosomes, ethosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers. Lipid nanoparticles are a promising research avenue for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs. Novel inhalation therapies have been introduced to treat pulmonary disorders, particularly asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancers.
Dr. Iftikhar Khan
Dr. Sakib Saleem Yousaf
Dr. Ruba Bnyan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- pulmonary drug delivery
- nanocarriers
- lipid-based formulations
- inhalation therapy
- systemic delivery
- bioavailability
- lipid nanoparticles
- pulmonary diseases
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
