Main description:

This book summarizes the recent advances in applications of starch in state-of-the-art drug carriers (hydrogel, micro- and nano-particulate carriers) with stimulus-responsive and target-specific properties. It also highlights the role of starch and its derivatives in transmucosal administration to improve the bioavailability of drugs. Further, it outlines the principles of effective, advanced, starch-based drug delivery systems and illustrates how these principles are key to the development of future drug delivery strategies. This interesting reference resource is useful for students, researchers and engineers in the fields of carbohydrate chemistry, polymer sciences and drug delivery.

Contents:

Introduction.- Physiological and pathological bases for designing high-performance drug delivery carriers.- Material nature and physicochemical properties for high-performance of carriers.- Starch.- Starch-based DDSs with stimulus-responsiveness.- Starch-based DDSs with physiological interactions.- Toxicology of starch-based DDSs.- Conclusion and future perspectives.