Biocompatibility and Effectiveness of Amphotericin B-Loaded Metal-Organic Structures (AmB-ZIF-8) as Dermal Drug Transporters in Experimental Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

There were very low EE% and AmB IVR. AmB@ZIF-8 and AmB hydrogels were found to be safe but ineffective against CL-infected mice. Several factors may explain these negative results, including the large size of the commercial ZIF-8, the aggregation of AmB in solution, the excess AmB used for impregnation, and the conditions of the IVR assay. We suggest continuing to use ZIF-8 as a DDS due to its sensitivity to acidic pH levels; however, we recommend reducing the particle size and lowering the drug-to-ZIF-8 ratio. Other alternatives are discussed in the present paper. We also advocate investigating alternative antileishmanial drugs as cargo, such as miltefosine or pentamidine.