Nanomaterial-based therapeutics for enhanced antifungal therapy

Abstract

The application of nanotechnology in antifungal therapy is gaining increasing attention. Current antifungal drugs have significant limitations, such as severe side effects, low bioavailability, and the rapid development of resistance. Nanotechnology offers an innovative solution to address these issues. This review discusses three key strategies of nanotechnology to enhance antifungal efficacy. Firstly, nanomaterials can enhance their interaction with fungal cells via ingenious surface tailoring of nanomaterials. Effective adhesion of nanoparticles to fungal cells can be achieved by electrostatic interaction or specific targeting to the fungal cell wall and cell membrane. Secondly, stimuli-responsive nanomaterials are developed to realize smart release of drugs in the specific microenvironment of pathological tissues, such as the fungal biofilm microenvironment and inflammatory microenvironment. Thirdly, nanomaterials can be designed to cross different physiological barriers, effectively addressing challenges posed by skin, corneal, and blood–brain barriers. Additionally, some new nanomaterial-based strategies in treating fungal infections are discussed, including the development of fungal vaccines, modulation of macrophage activity, phage therapy, the application of high-throughput screening in drug discovery, and so on. Despite the challenges faced in applying nanotechnology to antifungal therapy, its significant potential and innovation open new possibilities for future clinical antifungal applications.