Searching smart liposomes for drug administration in tuberculosis

Abstract

 Tuberculosis is an infectious disease, transmitted by air. Tnhis disease has chronic evolution and is caused,      among men, by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanun and M. microti. Tuberculosis has reemerged,      presently, in a more intense rate, due to the special advent of HIV virus, posing a serious public health problem.      The long time during which the patient must receive medication, associated to a high rate of adverse events, is      one of the major reasons for the failure in tuberculosis treatment. This situation requests medicines with modified      liberation, in order to improve treatment adherence, associated to a better welfare to these patients. Liposomes      are modern vehicles in medicine. In vaccines, they act as an alternative to subunit forms and classic boosters,      leading to effective products, of long lasting effects, with no hypersensitive reactions and which may be      lyophilisated. These pharmaceutical forms are quite specific, and are able to reach specific regions, such as      cellular receptors, as well as generating less secondary effects. Liposomes have lesser toxicity, since they need      only small doses in order to reach therapeutic effects. The objective of this study is to develop liposomes packed      with an important anti-tuberculosis medicine, rifampicin.