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Pharmaceutics
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Advances in Natural Product-Based Drug Delivery Systems
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Advances in Natural Product-Based Drug Delivery Systems

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 1022

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cátia Domingues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Galenic and Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
2. LAQV-REQUIMTE, Galenic and Pharmaceutical Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
3. Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) Area of Environment Genetics and Oncobiology (CIMAGO), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: nanomedicine; nanotoxicology; nutraceuticals; oncobiology; toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ana Figueiras

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Drug Development and Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: polymeric micelles; micelleplexes; controlled release; gene therapy; cancer; nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ivana Jarak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Drug Development and Technology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: nanomedicine; polymer micelles; cancer therapy; gene delivery; NMR spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products continue to inspire innovative therapeutic strategies, yet their clinical translation is often limited by poor solubility, stability and bioavailability. Recent advances in drug delivery technologies have opened up new pathways to overcome these challenges, enabling the effective use of naturally derived molecules in modern medicine. This Special Issue, Advances in Natural Product-Based Drug Delivery Systems, highlights cutting-edge research and emerging trends at the interface of natural product chemistry, nanotechnology, and pharmaceutical engineering. Topics include nanocarriers, polymeric and lipid-based systems, biomimetic delivery vehicles, stimuli-responsive platforms and novel formulation strategies designed to enhance the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of bioactive compounds. Contributions also explore sustainable sourcing, green synthesis and the integration of computational modeling to optimize delivery performance. By bringing together interdisciplinary studies and perspectives, this collection aims to showcase how natural product-based delivery systems can accelerate drug discovery and improve therapeutic outcomes across diverse disease areas. The Special Issue serves as a forum for researchers, clinicians and industry professionals to share breakthroughs that bridge traditional natural medicine with next-generation delivery science.

Dr. Cátia Domingues
Dr. Ana Figueiras
Dr. Ivana Jarak
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • natural products
  • drug delivery systems
  • nanotechnology
  • bioavailability enhancement
  • therapeutic innovation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

39 pages, 8602 KB  
Article
Tailoring Syringic Acid–Trimesic Acid Mixed-Linker MIL-100(Fe): Evaluation of Drug-Loading Capacity, Bioavailability, and Toxicity
by Joshua H. Santos, Hannah Jean Victoriano, Mary Sepulveda, Hung-En Liu, Shierrie Mae N. Valencia, Rikkamae Zinca Marie L. Walde, Emelda A. Ongo and Chia-Her Lin
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(3), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18030309 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 585
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The use of the drug delivery system is notable for the systemic improvement of low orally bioavailable compounds, such as the bioactive phenolic acid, syringic acid. Innovative techniques are employed to enhance the performance of certain drug delivery systems. In connection with [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The use of the drug delivery system is notable for the systemic improvement of low orally bioavailable compounds, such as the bioactive phenolic acid, syringic acid. Innovative techniques are employed to enhance the performance of certain drug delivery systems. In connection with our previously reported journal with the use of MIL-100(Fe) as a drug carrier for syringic acid, this study utilized a mixed-linker synthesis of syringic acid and trimesic acid and characterized the properties in comparison with the unmodified MIL-100(Fe) through a solid solution approach. Methods: Modified MIL-100(Fe) was synthesized by substituting different molar concentrations of syringic acid for trimesic acid through de novo synthesis. Simple impregnation of syringic acid was carried out at 12, 24, 36, and 48 h and at 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios of MIL-100(Fe) to syringic acid. Characterization was performed via PXRD, FTIR, BET, SEM, and DLS. In vivo studies included acute oral toxicity testing (OECD 425) and bioavailability assessment in Sprague Dawley rats. Results: The optimized amount of syringic acid to be substituted for trimesic acid is 0.10 mmol, as confirmed by the value of the PXRD. Optimized drug loading of 66.85 ± 0.004% was achieved using a 1:2 ratio of syringic acid to MIL-100(Fe)-10% over 36 h. Structural modifications were confirmed via FTIR, specifically through shifts at 1239.2 cm−1, while TGA demonstrated thermal stability up to approximately 350 °C. Morphological analysis by SEM showed octahedral particles (210.70 ± 1.23 nm), and a decrease in BET surface area post-loading verified successful encapsulation. While in vitro release was media-dependent, toxicity studies at 2000 mg/kg showed no adverse effects; notably, SGOT and SGPT levels decreased, though BUN and creatinine levels rose. Compared to pure oral syringic acid, the SYA@MIL-100(Fe)-10% formulation demonstrated a 5.09-fold increase in relative bioavailability. Furthermore, it outperformed intraperitoneal administration of the drug by 1.65-fold. Conclusions: Modification of MIL-100(Fe) by incorporating syringic acid into the framework as a substituted organic linker indicates that SYA@MIL-100(Fe)-10% is a safe and effective delivery system for syringic acid, enhancing oral bioavailability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the mixed-linker synthesis of MIL-100(Fe) by utilizing syringic acid as a structural co-ligand, rather than solely as an encapsulated guest. While MIL-100(Fe) has been extensively employed as a carrier for various therapeutics, this research uniquely integrates the active agent into the framework lattice itself to modulate porosity and loading capacity, subsequently evaluating its systemic performance in an in vivo model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Natural Product-Based Drug Delivery Systems)
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