Background: The development of drug delivery carriers is the key area of research in the field of novel drug delivery systems. To date, a long list of carriers has been identified for this purpose but the deliveries of poorly water-soluble active substances are still facing challenges and hence, such substances are pharmacologically unsafe and economically incompetent. Objective: This article aims to review the applications of casein as a drug carrier and its potential for clinical use. Methods: The relevant literature on the casein protein was collected from authentic online scientific databases like PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using different keywords including “casein”, “drug delivery system”, “drug carrier” and “bioavailability”. The articles and books accessed online have been thoroughly reviewed and the most relevant reports on casein as a drug carrier have only been included in the present study. Results: Casein is a milk protein that has many structural and physicochemical properties which facilitate its functionality in delivery systems. Moreover, its amphiphilic nature makes it the most suitable carrier for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs without showing any toxic effects. The carriers obtained from natural sources are trustworthy over synthetic carriers and in the demand of the market due to their easy availability, low-cost factor, bio-friendly and nontoxic nature. Conclusion: Casein was found to be an effective natural drug carrier in various delivery systems due to its unique applications in improving the bioavailability and efficacy of a drug.

中文翻译：

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酪蛋白作为药物载体的最新发展和临床应用潜力

背景：药物递送载体的开发是新型药物递送系统领域的重点研究领域。迄今为止，已为此目的确定了一长串载体，但水溶性差的活性物质的递送仍面临挑战，因此，此类物质在药理学上不安全且经济上无竞争力。目的：本文旨在综述酪蛋白作为药物载体的应用及其临床应用潜力。方法：从PubMed、Scopus和Google Scholar等权威的在线科学数据库中，使用“酪蛋白”、“药物递送系统”、“药物载体”和“生物利用度”等不同关键词收集有关酪蛋白的相关文献。在线访问的文章和书籍已经过全面审查，关于酪蛋白作为药物载体的最相关报告仅包含在本研究中。结果：酪蛋白是一种乳蛋白，具有许多结构和物理化学特性，可促进其在输送系统中的功能。此外，它的两亲性使其成为最适合疏水性和亲水性药物的载体，而且没有任何毒性作用。从天然来源获得的载体比合成载体更值得信赖，并且由于其容易获得、低成本因素、生物友好和无毒性质而满足市场需求。结论：由于酪蛋白在提高药物生物利用度和疗效方面的独特应用，被发现在各种递送系统中是一种有效的天然药物载体。