Recent Advances in Nanoformulated Chemotherapeutic Drug Delivery (2015‐2019)

Abstract

AbstractAn attempt was made to summarize the chemotherapeutic drug formulations at nanoscale. The number of biocompatible materials like carbohydrates, proteins, peptides, chitosan, and other water soluble materials would enhance the hydrophilicity of chemotherapeutic drugs. Some of the formulations were responsible for the improved anticancer activity, drug loading capability, higher encapsulation efficiency etc. Nanodrug formulations were engineered in such a way that hydrophobic anticancer agents were transformed to possess hydrophilic features which would allow them to self‐assemble into nanodrug carriers and hence longer blood circulation times of drug, sustained drug release were achieved. Tumor cell targetability was also achieved by selectively conjugating biomolecules with anticancer drugs. Drug loaded nanovectors exhibited improved cytotoxic activities compared to free drug molecules. Few classes of nanoformulations possessing major advantages were described in this review. These classes of drug delivery system possess a greater number of advantages over the other drug delivery systems. The amphiphilicity was enhanced by the complexation of the drugs and supramolecular micellation. Combination of the two or more drugs was successfully experimented via nanoprecipitation methods. Synergistic enhancement of the cytotoxic activity and good tumor growth inhibition evident by the introduction of chemotherapeutic nanopharmacology and nanodrug delivery methods were explained.