Nanogels as novel drug nanocarriers for CNS drug delivery.

Nanogels are highly recognized as adaptable drug delivery systems that significantly contribute to improving various therapies and diagnostic examinations for different human diseases. These three-dimensional, hydrophilic cross-linked polymers have the ability to absorb large amounts of water or biological fluids. Due to the growing demand for enhancing current therapies, nanogels have emerged as the next-generation drug delivery system. They effectively address the limitations of conventional drug therapy, such as poor stability, large particle size, and low drug loading efficiency. Nanogels find extensive use in the controlled delivery of therapeutic agents, reducing adverse drug effects and enabling lower therapeutic doses while maintaining enhanced efficacy and patient compliance. They are considered an innovative drug delivery system that highlights the shortcomings of traditional methods. This article covers several topics, including the involvement of nanogels in the nanomedicine sector, their advantages and limitations, ideal properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, drug loading capacity, particle size, permeability, non-immunological response, and colloidal stability. Additionally, it provides information on nanogel classification, synthesis, drug release mechanisms, and various biological applications. The article also discusses barriers associated with brain targeting and the progress of nanogels as nanocarriers for delivering therapeutic agents to the central nervous system.

COVID-19-associated mucormycosis and treatments

In the current pandemic, COVID-19 patients with predisposing factors are at an increased risk of mucormycosis, an uncommon angioinvasive infection that is caused by fungi with Mucor genus which is mainly found in plants and soil. Mucormycosis development in COVID-19 patient is related to various factors, such as diabetes, immunocompromise and neutropenia. Excessive use of glucocorticoids for the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients also leads to opportunistic infections, such as pulmonary aspergillosis. COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis have a very high mortality rate. This review describes the pathogenesis and various treatment approaches for mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients, including medicinal plants, conventional therapies, adjunct and combination therapies.