ABSTRACT
Nowadays, polyurethanes (PUs) stand out as a promising option for drug delivery owing to their versatile properties. PUs have garnered significant attention in the biomedical sector and are extensively employed in diverse forms, including bulk devices, coatings, particles, and micelles. PUs are crucial in delivering various therapeutic agents such as antibiotics, anti-cancer medications, dermal treatments, and intravaginal rings. Effective drug release management is essential to ensure the intended therapeutic impact of PUs. Commercially available PU-based drug delivery products exemplify the adaptability of PUs in drug delivery, enabling researchers to tailor the polymer properties for specific drug release patterns. This review primarily focuses on the preparation of PU nanoparticles and their physiochemical properties for drug delivery applications, emphasizing how the formation of PUs affects the efficiency of drug delivery systems. Additionally, cutting-edge applications in drug delivery using PU nanoparticle systems, micelles, targeted, activatable, and fluorescence imaging-guided drug delivery applications are explored. Finally, the role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in drug design and delivery is discussed. The review concludes by addressing the challenges and providing perspectives on the future of PUs in drug delivery, aiming to inspire the design of more innovative solutions in this field.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Tubal obstructive infertility (TOI) is a challenging condition affecting many women worldwide. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have emerged as potential therapeutic options for enhancing fertility outcomes in these patients. However, the evidence regarding their efficacy remains inconclusive, necessitating a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. METHOD: Computer searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Information, Wanfang Database, and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases to retrieve relevant literature on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and related therapies for the treatment of tubal obstructive infertility. The search period extended from the inception of the databases to December 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature based on strict inclusion criteria, extracted relevant data, and utilized Cochrane Collaboration tools and the Jadad scale to comprehensively assess the quality of the included studies. Subsequently, pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed using statistical software such as StataSE and Rstudio, and graphical representations were generated to present the results. RESULT: The network meta-analysis included 1580 articles, with 23 meeting the criteria. These studies involved 2355 patients and explored 13 intervention measures. Acupuncture-related therapies outperformed control interventions in improving pregnancy rates, tubal patency rates, and overall effectiveness while demonstrating a lower incidence of adverse events. EA+CHM was identified as the most effective for pregnancy rates, MOX for tubal patency rates, and MOX+AP for overall effectiveness. The safety profile of acupuncture-related interventions was acceptable. These findings support acupuncture-related therapies as effective and safe options for tubal obstructive infertility management. Further high-quality research is needed to validate and expand upon these results. CONCLUSION: These findings offer novel treatment strategies for acupuncture-related interventions, providing practitioners with evidence-based guidance. Addressing limitations through future research is crucial, including diverse literature, emphasizing higher-quality RCTs, and exploring a broader range of interventions with long-term follow-up data. Systematic assessment of adverse events, standardized techniques, and robust ranking methods should be considered.
