RESEALED ERYTHROCYTE: A NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Erythrocyte, which is also known as red blood cells, has been extensively studied by scientists for their capability as a potential carrier for the delivery of drugs and drug-loaded microspheres. Resealed erythrocytes, as a drug delivery system has excellent capacity to enhance the therapeutic index and patient compliance. It has got tremendous potential to achieve site specific drug delivery with least wastage of drugs and it also prolong the release of drug. For the preparation of such drug-loaded carrier erythrocytes, the blood samples are simply collected from the organism of interest, and then the erythrocytes are separated from plasma. The drug is entrapped in the erythrocytes, and resealing the resultant cellular carriers. And because of this resealing process these carriers are called resealed erythrocytes. Erythrocytes are biocompatible, biodegradable and the most important advantages are that it possesses long circulation half lives. It can be easily prepared by simple technique and can be loaded along with a variety of biologically active compounds. The present review focuses on the potential applications of erythrocytes in drug delivery.