Nanoparticles are microscopic particles which are been widely used in various domain of science and technology.
With its small size, good solubility, customised surface properties and multifaceted uses nanoparticles have made a promising place in the current era of rapidly growing technology. Apart from its innumerable applications in industry, many nanoparticles have been considered vital in therapeutics and biomedical science. With the expanding health issues to mankind and potential peril of various life threatening diseases it has become a necessity to make diagnosis and treatment expeditious. Hence it is need of the hour to shed some light on the therapeutic uses of these nanoparticles such as in drug delivery.
Important Characteristics for nanoparticle drug delivery:
Particle size, determines the biological fate, its toxicity, and targeting ability. Moreover, they can influence drug loading, release, and stability of nanoparticles in biological membranes.
Surface properties:
Nanoparticles are recognised as foreign body by the immune system and are quickly opsonised by the immune cells. Thus it is important to minimise the opsonisation and hydrophobicity so that drug delivery is more efficient.To achieve this, nanoparticles are coated with hydrophilic copolymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyethylene oxide, polyoxamer, poloxamine,
Drug loading capacity:
The drug loading capacity should be high and drug release depends on the solubility of the drug, desorption of the surface-bound or adsorbed drug.
This story is from the July-August 2018 edition of Scientific India.
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This story is from the July-August 2018 edition of Scientific India.
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