Nanoparticle: Significance as smart material in therapeutic strategies in drug delivery in biological systems

Abstract

Nanoparticles have gained tremendous potential as smart materials in various therapeutic strategies in biological and non-biological systems. Due to the small size (less than 100 nm), nanoparticles penetrate into even smaller capillaries, which are taken up within cells, allowing an efficient drug accumulation at the targeted sites in the body. The use of biodegradable materials for nanoparticle preparation allows sustained drug release at the targeted site over a period of days or even weeks after injection. Peptides, proteins, nanogels, and antisense drugs have been synthesized in an effort to combat central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Molecules such as dalargin and loperamide are loaded onto nanoparticlees with the aim to drug delivery. Nanoparticles such as pegylatedpoly(hexadecylcyanoacrylate) (PEG-PHDCA) have been investigated for the treatment of several CNS diseases. Liposomes are synthetic and spherical molecules, consisting of single amphiphilic lipid bilayers, which can entrap therapeutic molecules, including drugs, vaccines, nucleic acids, and proteins. Solid lipid nanoparticles are spherical, stable nanocarriers that possess a solid hydrophobic lipid core matrix stabilized by aqueous surfactant. Micelle is utilized for the delivery of curcumin for targeting glioma and treating Alzheimer's disease as a nanocarrier. Gold, silica, and carbon nanotubes/nanoparticles have been used to deliver specific drug across the blood-brain barrier. Gold nanoparticles functionalized with peptides are utilized for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and functionalized with L-DOPA have been reported for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Chemically functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and polymer-coated carbon nanotubes have been applied for the delivery of drugs for brain cancer therapy. Various shapes such as nanosphere, nanostar, nanorods, and nanocage are utilized in brain tumor diagnosis. In the noninvasive approach, polymeric nanoparticles, especially PBCA nanoparticles coated with polysorbate 80, have recently received much attention from neuroscientists as an attractive and innovative carrier for brain targeting.