A mini review on human serum albumin - natural alkaloids interaction and its role as drug carrier

Human serum albumin (HSA) is one of the main protein components of the circulatory system. It's well characterized physiological role is to carry numerous ligands to their target site. Overall pharmacokinetic profile of a drug is deliberately influenced by its affinity towards plasma proteins, especially with albumins. Alkaloids as small molecules are natural nitrogenous organic compounds that have significant medicinal properties that bind to HSA. There are three sites viz., I, II and III, on HSA molecule where the drug/small molecule binds based on their molecular size, structure and hydrophobicity. The major driving forces for the interaction of alkaloids-HSA are non-covalent interactions. Drug-HSA interaction is an admired area of research since it has been lately employed for both therapeutic and investigative reasons and is one of the main elements determining the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the therapeutic molecules. Displacement and drug-drug interactions, clinical alteration of drug-albumin affinity in diseases affecting the therapeutic role of the drugs, use of HSA nanoparticles for the delivery of drug in cancer are the major significant issues that have been discussed in this review. This article provides an overview of the multifunctional properties of HSA as a drug carrier, as well as how knowledge of these properties is currently being used to improve the bioavailability of drugs with the ability to bind to albumin for future pharmaceutical, clinical, and commercial applications of the albumin protein. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma