Application of Nanomedicine in Metabolic and Chronic Diseases

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 2531

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
Interests: nutrition; metabolic diseases; nanomedicine; drug delivery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolic and chronic diseases pose a significant global health burden, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. In recent years, the application of nanotechnology in the field of medicine has emerged as a promising approach for addressing the challenges associated with metabolic and chronic diseases. Nanomedicine offers a unique opportunity to target specific molecular pathways, improve drug delivery, and enhance therapeutic outcomes. This Special Issue aims to explore the latest advancements in nanomedicine for treating and managing metabolic and chronic diseases. It will cover topics such as nanoscale drug delivery systems and nanotheranostics, focusing on their application in treating metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, and chronic conditions like cardiovascular diseases. It will span from the design and development of nanomedicine formulations to preclinical and clinical evaluations.

This Special Issue invites researchers and clinicians to contribute their latest findings, including original research articles and reviews, fostering a comprehensive understanding of nanomedicine's role in revolutionizing chronic disease management.

Dr. Mehrnaz Abbasi
Guest Editor

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

  • nanomedicine
  • metabolic diseases
  • chronic diseases
  • drug delivery
  • nanoscale materials
  • targeted therapy
  • controlled release

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.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

30 pages, 4009 KiB  
Review
Ethosome-Based Transdermal Drug Delivery: Its Structural Components, Preparation Techniques, and Therapeutic Applications Across Metabolic, Chronic, and Oncological Conditions
by Rashed M. Almuqbil and Bandar Aldhubiab
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050583 (registering DOI) - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDSs) provide a non-invasive alternative to oral and parenteral routes, delivering drugs into the bloodstream while avoiding gastrointestinal degradation and first-pass metabolism. Despite benefits like enhanced bioavailability and patient compliance, the stratum corneum limits drug permeation. Ethosomes overcome the [...] Read more.
Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDSs) provide a non-invasive alternative to oral and parenteral routes, delivering drugs into the bloodstream while avoiding gastrointestinal degradation and first-pass metabolism. Despite benefits like enhanced bioavailability and patient compliance, the stratum corneum limits drug permeation. Ethosomes overcome the stratum corneum barrier with superior flexibility and permeability compared to liposomes. Ethanol disrupts the skin’s lipid bilayer, enabling deep penetration and efficient drug delivery. Ethosomes offer high entrapment efficiency and stability, delivering both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. However, challenges like stability optimization and clinical translation persist. This review examines the structural components, preparation methods, and therapeutic applications of ethosomes in metabolic and chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, arthritis, and cancers. Moreover, it highlights the potential of ethosomes to revolutionize TDDSs for managing chronic and metabolic diseases, providing a foundation for further research and clinical development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Nanomedicine in Metabolic and Chronic Diseases)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 334 KiB  
Review
Nanomaterial-Enhanced Microneedles: Emerging Therapies for Diabetes and Obesity
by Mehrnaz Abbasi, Divine Afunu Boka and Hannah DeLoit
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(10), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16101344 - 21 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2079
Abstract
Drug delivery systems (DDS) have improved therapeutic agent administration by enhancing efficacy and patient compliance while minimizing side effects. They enable targeted delivery, controlled release, and improved bioavailability. Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) offer non-invasive medication administration and have evolved to include methods [...] Read more.
Drug delivery systems (DDS) have improved therapeutic agent administration by enhancing efficacy and patient compliance while minimizing side effects. They enable targeted delivery, controlled release, and improved bioavailability. Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) offer non-invasive medication administration and have evolved to include methods such as chemical enhancers, iontophoresis, microneedles (MN), and nanocarriers. MN technology provides innovative solutions for chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity using various MN types. For diabetes management, MNs enable continuous glucose monitoring, diabetic wound healing, and painless insulin delivery. For obesity treatment, MNs provide sustained transdermal delivery of anti-obesity drugs or nanoparticles (NPs). Hybrid systems integrating wearable sensors and smart materials enhance treatment effectiveness and patient management. Nanotechnology has advanced drug delivery by integrating nano-scaled materials like liposomes and polymeric NPs with MNs. In diabetes management, glucose-responsive NPs facilitate smart insulin delivery. At the same time, lipid nanocarriers in dissolving MNs enable extended release for obesity treatment, enhancing drug stability and absorption for improved metabolic disorder therapies. DDS for obesity and diabetes are advancing toward personalized treatments using smart MN enhanced with nanomaterials. These innovative approaches can enhance patient outcomes through precise drug administration and real-time monitoring. However, widespread implementation faces challenges in ensuring biocompatibility, improving technologies, scaling production, and obtaining regulatory approval. This review will present recent advances in developing and applying nanomaterial-enhanced MNs for diabetes and obesity management while also discussing the challenges, limitations, and future perspectives of these innovative DDS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Nanomedicine in Metabolic and Chronic Diseases)
Back to TopTop