Current Advances in Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems as Nanocarriers for the Management of Female Genital Tuberculosis

Abstract

Female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) arises from Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and can rarely be caused by Mycobacterium bovis or atypical mycobacteria. FGTB usually arises from tuberculosis (TB) that affects the lungs or other organs. The infection can enter the vaginal tract directly from abdominal TB or by hematogenous or lymphatic pathways. Menstrual dysfunction and infertility as a result of genital organ damage result from FGTB, which affects women's fallopian tubes, uterine endometrium, and ovaries. Consequently, FGTB remains a major worldwide health risk, posing challenges in its treatment due to the limited effectiveness of existing drugs and the resilient nature of the TB pathogen. Moreover, currently available antimicrobial drugs for FGTB suffer from inadequate bioavailability. Long treatment regimens are necessary because high doses often result in patient noncompliance and the emergence of drug-resistant strains of TB. Therefore, to improve TB therapy generally, especially FGTB, novel drug delivery techniques are essential. Because targeted drug delivery systems have the benefit of delivering higher drug concentrations directly to the infection site, fewer side effects have been reported. As a result, various lipid-based drug delivery systems as nanocarriers have been identified as successful antimicrobial drug delivery options, indicating their potential for treating FGTB.

Keywords: diagnosis; epidemiology; female genital tuberculosis; lipid-based drug delivery systems; pathogenesis.

Figure 1. Pathogenesis of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB).

Figure 2. Diagnostic approaches for female genital tuberculosis (FGTB).