Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in respiratory infections represents a major global health challenge, compounded by biological barriers that limit the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics, including mucus hypersecretion, biofilm formation, and intracellular pathogen persistence. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising platform for addressing these limitations through advanced drug-delivery strategies. This narrative review provides an integrated overview of nanocarrier systems—including lipid-based (e.g., liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles), polymeric (e.g., PLGA, chitosan), and inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., silver, gold, zinc oxide)—with emphasis on their pharmaceutical design parameters for pulmonary delivery. Key mechanisms by which nanotechnology enhances antimicrobial efficacy include targeted and controlled drug delivery, improved penetration of mucus and biofilms via surface engineering, synergistic combination therapies, and intrinsic antimicrobial activity through mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species generation. Preclinical studies targeting major respiratory pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrate enhanced biofilm disruption, intracellular drug delivery, and reductions in bacterial burden. However, important translational challenges remain, including long-term safety, manufacturing scalability, regulatory complexity, and the potential for microbial adaptation. Future directions focus on stimuli-responsive systems, inhalable formulations, and biomimetic platforms to improve targeting and therapeutic precision. Collectively, nanotechnology represents a delivery-oriented strategy with the potential to enhance existing antimicrobial therapies and support the development of more effective interventions against resistant respiratory infections.
Ghazala Muteeb, R. Siraj· Biomedicines· 0 citations
Brain metastasis originating from breast cancer is an uncommon but clinically significant complication that poses substantial therapeutic challenges and is associated with poor patient prognosis. Traditional treatment modalities-including surgical resection, whole-brain radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and systemic chemotherapy-often fail to achieve satisfactory long-term control due to the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), tumor heterogeneity, and the aggressive biology of metastatic lesions. This comprehensive review delves into recent advances in modern therapeutic approaches that aim to enhance the efficacy of conventional treatments for rare brain metastases from breast cancer (BC). We systematically evaluate emerging strategies such as advanced drug delivery technologies, including nanoparticles (NPs), polymeric NPs, and liposomal formulations, which are designed to overcome pharmacokinetic limitations and improve the penetration and retention of chemotherapeutic agents within the central nervous system (CNS). The review also explores the integration of immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies-with traditional modalities to potentiate antitumor immune responses in the brain microenvironment. Moreover, we discuss the development and application of novel radiosensitizers and combination regimens aimed at overcoming the inherent and acquired radioresistance of metastatic tumors. The synthesis of current preclinical models and clinical trial data provides critical insights into the potential of these combined approaches to enhance patient survival and quality of life. Finally, we identify key challenges, including the need for personalized treatment protocols and the management of therapy-related toxicities, and propose future directions for research.
Ghazala Muteeb, Aya Y El-Sayed, Mohamed S. AboHoussien et al.· SLAS discovery : advancing l...· 0 citations
These results demonstrate that symmetrical dual-site targeting, combined with dynamic thermodynamic locking, provides a resilient framework to overcome mutational resistance in AChE inhibitors.
Ghazala Muteeb, S. Nilewar, Mohammad Aatif et al.· Pharmaceuticals· 0 citations