Purpose Published literature describing the use of oral ivermectin for the treatment of head lice infestation is reviewed. Summary In the United States and globally, head lice infestation, or pediculosis capitis, remains a public health issue with both social and medical implications. Treatment with oral or topical medications is typically required for head lice eradication. Resistance to traditional topical therapies for head lice infestation is increasing, creating a need for consideration of additional treatment options. A growing body of data describing the potential role of oral ivermectin for the treatment or prevention of head lice infestation is available. A literature search identified 5 clinical trials that evaluated safety and/or effectiveness outcomes of oral ivermectin use as an alternative to malathion, other topical prescription medications, and traditional, nonprescription remedies; those studies were conducted in various parts of the world (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Egypt) and likely involved varying types and degrees of lice resistance. Clinical research findings to date, while not consistently robust, suggest that oral ivermectin is comparable or superior in effectiveness to other topical treatment options for head lice infestation while being well tolerated and favorably perceived by patients and caretakers. Conclusion Oral ivermectin is an option for the treatment of head lice infestation, especially in individuals who have experienced a treatment failure. Published evidence from clinical trials indicates that oral ivermectin is as effective as currently available topical treatments.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts with poorly coordinated ions, allowing them to exist in a liquid phase below 100 °C or at room temperature. Therefore, they are best described as room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). In ionic liquids, the presence of a delocalized charge in at least one ion, coupled with an organic component, inhibits the establishment of a stable solid crystal lattice. Due to their flexible properties and several distinctive characteristics, such as high ionic conductivity, high solvation power, thermal stability, low volatility, and recyclability, ILs have been extensively used in chemical industries. In addition to their various other applications, they also hold potential for drug formulation development. Ionic liquids can be used as solubility enhancers, permeability enhancers, stabilizers, targeted delivery inducers, stealth property providers, or bioavailability enhancers. Moreover, ILs hold significant potential in vaccine formulation. Many new vaccines are in the pipeline with different types of antigens; however, the existence of only a limited number of adjuvants hinder their potential use. Thus, developing new, highly effective, low-cost adjuvant preparations is a central interest among formulation scientists. With their unique properties and biological functions, ILs can be highly promising candidates for new types of vaccines.

Empowered by nanotechnology, messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics have shown a rapid evolution post COVID-19 from a conceptual platform to a clinically validated modality, and they diversified into oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and rare disorders. As a template for in situ protein production, it offers several advantages over traditional proteins and DNA drugs. The intrinsic stability of mRNA and its sensitivity to innate immune sensing hinder its capacity for immediate cellular entry, necessitating its need for a delivery system to obtain optimal therapeutic potential. This review explores the innovations in nanocarrier engineering, design principles for lipid nanoparticles-mRNA (LNPs) platforms, and their clinical translation across the prominent indications. It also addresses their safety, immunogenicity, and scalability while addressing the key limitations and manufacturing scalability through comparative platform analysis. Although LNPs usually dominate their delivery through encapsulation and manufacturability, their limitations, like repeat dose reactogenicity and liver tropism, require next-generation designs like SORT lipids, stimuli-responsive hybrids for extrahepatic targeting. In oncology, LNP-mRNA drives the neoantigen vaccines, and rare diseases leverage the transient enzyme replacement. While the safety profiles highlight the innate immune tuning through nucleoside mods and lipid biodegradability, chronic administration risks are still persistent. While there are novel scalability options like microfluidic mixing to support the production gaps in organ selectivity and durability, their adoption is hindered. We outline the future directions to perceive mRNA’s full potential as a broader therapeutic class.