This study introduces an innovative approach to treating Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF), a severe lung disease, by enhancing the delivery of the traditional Chinese medicine cryptotanshinone (CTS) using advanced drug delivery systems. The researchers developed two novel formulations: CTS-loaded modified liposomes-chitosan (CS) microspheres (SM(CT-lipo)) and liposome-exosome hybrid bionic vesicles-CS microspheres (SM(LE)). These systems are designed to improve targeting efficiency, selectivity, and sustained-release capability of the drug.

The key innovation lies in the specific targeting mechanisms employed by SM(CT-lipo) and SM(LE). SM(CT-lipo) targets lung myofibroblasts through CREKA peptide, which binds specifically to fibronectin, a protein involved in fibrosis. Meanwhile, SM(LE) utilizes the natural homing ability of exosomes to reach the parent cells, ensuring that the drug directly reaches the affected lung areas. Impressively, these formulations demonstrated similar efficacy to daily treatments with conventional microspheres and the positive control drug pirfenidone, but with only every other day administration, showcasing their superior sustained-release properties.

This study is significant as it offers a more accurate, efficient, and safer therapeutic option for PF, potentially revolutionizing its treatment paradigm and providing a foundation for future research in targeted drug delivery systems.