Development of nanodrug-based eye drops with good penetration properties and ROS responsiveness for controllable release to treat fungal keratitis

Abstract Fungal keratitis is challenging to diagnose and treat remains a significant cause of blindness worldwide. The easiest most common method drug delivery for patients with fungal eye drop administration. However, the therapeutic effect traditional drops unsatisfactory, largely due intrinsic nature ocular barriers, which limit absorption; rapid decrease in concentration caused by tears; side effects induced uncontrolled release drugs. Oxidative stress inflammation are main causes corneal tissue necrosis keratitis, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) inflammatory response important goals developing drugs keratitis. In current study, we developed ROS-responsive controllable nanocarrier (GC-EB) that efficiently delivered clinically used antifungal drug, voriconazole (VOR), vitro vivo results demonstrated GC-EB-VOR exhibited high penetration through good retention cornea under low concentrations ROS. As result, ROS were effectively depleted was inhibited; thus, shows promising efficacy. This work may provide new strategy nanodrugs improve instillation on reduce risk blindness.