02166nas a2200169   4500000000100000008004100001653001400042653003900056653002800095653001700123100001400140700001800154700001400172245008600186520171000272022001401982       2016                            d10aTreatment10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aCutaneous leishmaniasis10aBuruli ulcer1 aSimões S1 aCarvalheiro M1 aGaspar MM00aLipid-based nanocarriers for cutaneous leishmaniasis and Buruli ulcer management.3 a<p>Infectious diseases in the skin represent a major group of pathologies that contribute annually for significant health economic expenses. According to WHO, Buruli Ulcer (BU) and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) are two neglected tropical diseases for which therapy remains inadequate. Topical delivery of therapeutics constitutes an advantageous alternative to treat infected skin lesions as it allows a direct treatment of affected areas avoiding unwanted systemic effects and reducing the drug dosage. However, effective topical delivery of antimicrobial agents is still a challenge. The emergence of difficult-to-treat skin mycobacteriosis such as BU or the increasing incidence of CL highlights the need for new antimicrobial agents and new delivery systems. In the present review problems related to mycobacterial and parasitic infected skin lesions will be particularly focused as well as new alternative strategies for their treatment. Currently, progresses and challenges in constructing nanocarrier platforms for delivering various antimicrobial drugs for infected skin lesions have been attempted. This article reviews the potential of these nanocarriers in the treatment of cutaneous infections, especially regarding mycobacteria and Leishmania induced skin lesions. Nanostructured biomaterials, such as lipid-based nanocarriers, have unique physicochemical properties enabling the topical application of antimicrobial drugs, thereby overcoming some of the limitations of conventional therapies. These nanosystems have been investigated for the topical delivery of well-known drugs or new therapeutic candidates. This approach is just the beginning of a stimulating nanotechnological area.</p>
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