Novel Applications in Controlled Drug Delivery Systems by Integrating Osmotic Pumps and Magnetic Nanoparticles

Abstract

The alarming rise in chronic diseases worldwide highlights the urgent need to overcome the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. In this context, osmotic pumps are able to release drugs by differential osmotic pressure, achieving a controlled rate independent of physiological factors and reducing the dosing frequency. As osmotic pumps are based on the phenomenon of osmosis, the choice of high osmolality draw solutions (DSs) is a critical factor in the successful delivery of the target drug. Therefore, one alternative that has received particular attention is the formulation of DSs with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) due to their easy recovery, negligible reverse solute flux (RSF), and their possible tailor-made functionalization to generate high osmotic gradients. In this work, the possible integration of DSs formulated with MNPs in controlled drug delivery systems is discussed for the first time. In particular, the main potential advantages that these novel medical devices could offer, including improved scalability, regeneration, reliability, and enhanced drug delivery performance, are provided and discussed. Thus, the results of this review may demonstrate the potential of MNPs as osmotic agents, which could be useful for advancing the design of osmotic pump-based drug delivery systems.

Keywords: draw solutions; drug delivery; forward osmosis; magnetic nanoparticles; medical devices; osmotic pressure; osmotic pumps.

Figure 1

Schematic diagram of an elementary osmotic pump (EOP).

Figure 2

Schematic diagram of a push–pull osmotic pump (PPOP).

Figure 3

Schematic diagram of a controlled porosity osmotic pump (CPOP).

Figure 4

Schematic diagram of a Higuchi–Theeuwes pump (HTP) [37].

Figure 5

Scheme of the FO process: (1) FO process at the initial stage and (2) FO process at equilibrium.

Figure 6

Scheme of the FO process: (1) FO process with a conventional DS and (2) FO process with MNPs as the DS.

Figure 7

Scheme of an external wearable device for drug delivery based on the integration of osmotic pumps and MNPs: (1) wearable device at the initial stage and (2) wearable device during drug delivery.

Figure 8

Scheme of an extracorporeal device for drug delivery: (1) extracorporeal device at the initial stage, (2) extracorporeal device after it has been used, and (3) regeneration step of the extracorporeal device.

Figure 9

CP in an FO process in an asymmetrical membrane with the FS facing the active layer.

Figure 10

ICP in the proposed drug delivery systems using (1) a dense membrane, (2) asymmetrical membrane with the FS facing the active layer, and (3) asymmetrical membrane with the FS facing the porous support layer.

Figure 11

Scheme of an FO process with MNPs as the DS for the concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the pharmaceutical industry.

Figure 12

Scheme of the synthesis of an active pharmaceutical compound using a dosing pump based on the integration of osmotic pump and MNPs.