Chronotherapeutic Drug Delivery

摘要

Living organisms follow a circadian rhythm in which physiological processes such as hormonal secretion, metabolism, heart rate, and renal output are affected by the time of day. Chronotherapy; coordinates drug delivery with the circadian rhythm to enhance effectiveness and mitigate adverse effects and is achieved by delivering a drug when the system is most susceptible. Cancer is a chronotherapeutic disorder. Cancer treatment requires high doses of intravenous medication to kill cancerous cells; however, normal cells are also killed, creating intolerable side effects. This review shows that chronotherapy can play a vital role in the quality of life and survival rate for oncology patients.