Lakshmi Sailaja Duvvuri

Better health is basic requirement of human being, but the rapid growth of harmful pathogens and their serious health effects pose a significant challenge to modern science. Infections by pathogenic microorganisms are of great concern in many fields such as medical devices, drugs, hospital surfaces/furniture, dental restoration, surgery equipment, health care products, and hygienic applications (e.g., water purification systems, textiles, food packaging and storage, major or domestic appliances etc.) Antimicrobial polymers are the materials having the capability to kill/inhibit the growth of microbes on their surface or surrounding environment. Recently, they gained considerable interest for both academic research and industry and were found to be better than their small molecular counterparts in terms of enhanced efficacy, reduced toxicity, minimized environmental problems, resistance, and prolonged lifetime. Hence, efforts have focused on the development of antimicrobial polymers with all desired characters for optimum activity. In this Review, an overview of different antimicrobial polymers, their mechanism of action, factors affecting antimicrobial activity, and application in various fields are given. Recent advances and the current clinical status of these polymers are also discussed.

INTRODUCTION: Ample research has been done to study the role of oxidative stress due to the generation of excess reactive species in initiation and progression of diabetic complications. A positive result has been indicated hypothesizing that abating this oxidative stress can prove to be an alternate strategy in therapy apart from oral antidiabetic drugs. But these dietary antioxidants are less efficient because of poor solubility, permeability, instability on storage, gastrointestinal degradation and first-pass metabolism. AREAS COVERED: This review gives a brief insight into the molecular mechanism of oxidative stress in development of diabetic complications. Major hurdles limiting the translation of antioxidants to clinical area are also discussed. Various delivery approaches including both conventional and novel drug delivery systems explored so far for combating these challenges in antioxidant delivery are also explored. Mitochondrial targeting of such molecules is also briefly discussed. EXPERT OPINION: A thorough study of clinical efficacy and safety of antioxidants on long-term use judging its clinical applicability is required. The clinical success of antioxidants as a therapeutic strategy involves a combination of effective design of drug delivery carrier that are in turn related to their degradation profile, possibility of cellular uptake at defined site of action and so on and clinical and preclinical trials that will provide a base for the design of dose and administration regimen.