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Abstract
Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is well known for its biocompatibility and minimal
toxicity. It is one of the most promising biodegradable polymeric drug delivery systems
able to get endorsement from regulatory bodies to enter market. For many decades,
PLGA has been functioning as an excipient, which by definition is pharmaceutically
inert at a given dose of formulation. Lactate (one of the hydrolysis products of PLGA)
has a key role in biochemical pathways and could improve physiological activities
in certain illnesses by exerting therapeutic effects such as angiogenesis and promotion
of healing. These activities, however, depend on the released amounts and metabolic
clearance of lactate and route of formulation delivery. In the current commentary,
along with several key notes on the lactate interactions, we would like to inform
the PLGA research community that lactate (resulting from local delivery of physiologically
significant amount of PLGA) may positively or negatively affect therapeutic efficacy
of certain drugs. Hence, the excipient role of PLGA may be investigated for its potential
pharmacological contributions in some biomedical applications.