Encapsulation-based enhancements in modern drug delivery systems

Encapsulation has become a critical and vital enabling technology for poorly soluble, low-functional, sensitive, highly cytotoxic, and ineffective chemicals, especially for drugs. In fact, developing drug formulations with high encapsulation efficiency remains a challenging area of research, particularly in the context of targeted therapies that are often hindered by issues related to drug delivery. There is an emerging need for effective drugs with no adverse side effects that restrict their delivery. Several methods of drug encapsulation are available, including microencapsulation, liposomal encapsulation, polymer encapsulation, hydrogel encapsulation, and molecular encapsulation. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry has commercialized many encapsulated drugs, such as anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen, dexamethasone), high blood pressure drugs (valsartan, azilsartan), proton pump inhibitors (lansoprazole), anti-cancer (carboplatin, carmustine, cisplatin, trastuzumab, cytarabine, paclitaxel, doxorubicin (DOX), vincristine) antiparasitic (amphotericin), antifungal (clotrimazole), and hormonal (melatonin (MLT))). Indeed, the encapsulation approach offers distinct limitations and opportunities. It can render drugs more convenient and user-friendly for various therapeutic purposes and help to enhance their performance, functionality, and effectiveness. This comprehensive review examines the encapsulation technologies employed in the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting notable examples of encapsulated drugs that demonstrate their mechanism of action and potential therapeutic effects in vitro, in vivo, and through clinical trials, with relevance to various diseases.