Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) for Drug Delivery and Targeting

Abstract

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are drug-delivery systems composed of both solid and liquid lipids as a core matrix. It was shown that NLCs reveal some advantages for drug therapy over conventional carriers, including increased solubility, the ability to enhance storage stability, improved permeability and bioavailability, reduced adverse effect, prolonged half-life, and tissue-targeted delivery. NLCs have attracted increasing attention in recent years. This review describes recent developments in drug delivery using NLCs strategies. The structures, preparation techniques, and physicochemical characterization of NLCs are systematically elucidated in this review. The potential of NLCs to be used for different administration routes is highlighted. Special attention is paid to parenteral injection and topical delivery since these are the most common routes for investigating NLCs. Relevant issues for the introduction of NLCs to market, including pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, are discussed. The related patents of NLCs for drug delivery are also reviewed. Finally, the future development and current obstacles needing to be resolved are elucidated.

Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Delivery of Chemotherapeutics: A Review

“…Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceutics molecules into the hydrophilic phase during the crystallization of the lipid phase [14,26]. As a result, cold HPH has emerged as an alternative method for the preparation of drugloaded NLCs that allowed the encapsulation of thermolabile drugs and increased their drug loading capacity [32]. This technique involves mixing the drug with the lipid phase mixture just above its melting point followed by immediate cooling of the mixture on dry ice or liquid nitrogen which results in rapid recrystallization of SL particles.…”

Gelatin-Based Hydrogels for the Controlled Release of 5,6-Dihydroxyindole-2-Carboxylic Acid, a Melanin-Related Metabolite with Potent Antioxidant Activity

“…Severe limitations in this perspective stem from the ease of this compound to undergo oxidation with subsequent loss of its properties. In addition, proper formulation allowing for vehiculation through the skin and a controlled release would greatly add to the beneficial effects prolonging the action and taking the bioavailable concentrations relatively low.In recent years, several natural compounds have been tested for the topical treatment of skin disorders by use of a variety of transcutaneous delivery systems including lipophilic nanoparticles like liposomes [12], solid lipid nanoparticles [13,14], nanostructured lipid carriers, monoolein aqueous dispersions [15,16], ethosomes [17,18], and lecithin organogels [19,20]. Speed up of wound healing process by a nanohydrogel embedding an antioxidant compound like baicalin has been described that exhibited optimal performance for a complete skin restoration and inhibition of specific inflammatory markers [21].A variety of hydrophilic delivery systems have also been explored such as gelatin, the product of collagen hydrolysis, as it offers several advantages including the historical safe use in a wide range of medical applications, low costs, inherent electrostatic binding properties, and proteolytic degradability.…”

“…In recent years, several natural compounds have been tested for the topical treatment of skin disorders by use of a variety of transcutaneous delivery systems including lipophilic nanoparticles like liposomes [12], solid lipid nanoparticles [13,14], nanostructured lipid carriers, monoolein aqueous dispersions [15,16], ethosomes [17,18], and lecithin organogels [19,20]. Speed up of wound healing process by a nanohydrogel embedding an antioxidant compound like baicalin has been described that exhibited optimal performance for a complete skin restoration and inhibition of specific inflammatory markers [21].…”

Nanostructured lipid carriers: versatile oral delivery vehicle

“…extensively worked on biocompatible and biodegradable solid lipids to develop solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in early 1990 and thus resolved the stability and toxicity issues associated with the conventional lipid-based delivery systems [4]. However, SLNs also suffered from various shortcomings, such as poor drug loading capacity and drug expulsion during storage [9,11]. The drug leakage problem in them appeared due to their transformation from high-energy modification into more ordered modification (β) on storage [12].…”