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Review
. 2020 Jun 30;10(7):980.
doi: 10.3390/biom10070980.

Natural Ergot Alkaloids in Ocular Pharmacotherapy: Known Molecules for Novel Nanoparticle-Based Delivery Systems

Iara Baldim  1   2 , Wanderley P Oliveira  1 , Varsha Kadian  3 , Rekha Rao  3 , Nitesh Yadav  3 , Sheefali Mahant  4 , Massimo Lucarini  5 , Alessandra Durazzo  5 , Raquel Da Ana  6 , Raffaele Capasso  7 , Selma B Souto  8 , Antonello Santini  9 , Eliana B Souto  2   6
Affiliations
Review

Natural Ergot Alkaloids in Ocular Pharmacotherapy: Known Molecules for Novel Nanoparticle-Based Delivery Systems

Iara Baldim et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Several pharmacological properties are attributed to ergot alkaloids as a result of their antibacterial, antiproliferative, and antioxidant effects. Although known for their biomedical applications (e.g., for the treatment of glaucoma), most ergot alkaloids exhibit high toxicological risk and may even be lethal to humans and animals. Their pharmacological profile results from the structural similarity between lysergic acid-derived compounds and noradrenalin, dopamine, and serotonin neurotransmitters. To reduce their toxicological risk, while increasing their bioavailability, improved delivery systems were proposed. This review discusses the safety aspects of using ergot alkaloids in ocular pharmacology and proposes the development of lipid and polymeric nanoparticles for the topical administration of these drugs to enhance their therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of glaucoma.

Keywords: ergot alkaloids; glaucoma; lipid nanoparticles; ocular pharmacology; polymeric nanoparticles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structure of the different classes of ergot alkaloids. Modified after Gerhards et al. [36].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the different administration routes for drug delivery to the eye.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Anatomy of the cornea.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic representation of the different morphology of lipid nanoparticles (upper: nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic representation of the distinct morphology of a nanosphere and a nanocapsule.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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