9 - LIPID NANOPARTICULATE DRUG DELIVERY AND NANOMEDICINE

Abstract

Nanomedicine, as a convergence of nanoscience with molecular pharmaceutics and medicinal science, is currently one of the fastest growing aspects of nanotechnology and will be for the foreseeable future. It is essential for physiological understanding of living targets based on biological science and for developing multifunctional nanomaterials as drug delivery carriers with novel nanotechnology. Nanomedicines can be designed for solubilization of lipophilic drugs that are poorly water-soluble, thereby improving drug absorption in the body, and for drug-targeting at the cellular and molecular level, which offers enhanced therapeutic effects and decreased side effects. The approaches that have progressed rapidly in nanomedicine and drug delivery are the lipid-based nanoparticulate drug delivery systems, such as Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs), Nanostructure Lipid Carriers (NLCs), and liposomal drug delivery carriers. SLN, NLC, and liposomal carrier systems are attractive carriers for nanomedicines and drug delivery. SLNs themselves represent a solid technology whereas NLCs are comprised of liquid lipid in a solid matrix. Liposomal drug delivery carriers are bio-membrane colloidal dispersion systems in an aqueous bulk phase. Proliposomes are solid-state formulation of dry, free-flowing particles, which have the ability to form liposomal colloidal dispersions following hydration. Despite the fact that the use of lipid nanoparticulate drug delivery for nanomedicine is very promising and a highly attractive application platform, further basic research needs to be done in this exciting area.