Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology - Online First

The review aims to assess the potential of niosomes—nonionic surfactant-based vesicular systems—as carriers for topical and transdermal drug delivery. Niosomes enable targeted and controlled drug release while minimizing systemic toxicity. The investigation centers on their structure, stability, and capacity to entrap both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, as well as their use in managing various dermatological and systemic disorders. Recent studies have examined the formulation of niosomes, particularly highlighting the roles of nonionic surfactants and cholesterol in enhancing the stability and entrapment efficiency of these vesicles. Research on permeability enhancers has been reviewed for their ability to work together to improve drug transport and bioavailability. It also provides a detailed discussion on the use of niosomes in treating various dermatological conditions, as well as their applications in systemic diseases, with a particular focus on co-delivery systems in cancer therapies. Niosomes exhibit efficacy in drug delivery by providing an increase in penetration through the stratum corneum, targeting hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs for dermatological and systemic applications. The Development of niosomal therapy has expanded into immunization, anti-inflammatory treatments, and the control of pigmentation. Permeability enhancers further increase their efficacy, bioavailability, and tissue localization. Anticancer treatment using niosomes for co-delivery of agents demonstrates synergistic effects with reduced side effects. Niosomes have tremendous potential in advancing topical and transdermal drug delivery, offering controlled, targeted release and improved patient outcomes. With optimized fabrication and comprehensive toxicity evaluation, niosomes can potentially revolutionize topical therapies, making them safer, more effective, and patient-friendly for a range of next-generation treatment options across dermatology and beyond.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation in the joints, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, and eventual joint damage. This condition occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium, the lining of the membranes surrounding the joints. Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation, alleviating pain, and preventing joint damage through a combination of medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications. Recently, biological therapies have been introduced, including Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers (such as etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab), IL-6 inhibitors (tocilizumab), and interleukin-1 inhibitors (anakinra). These treatments can lead to various side effects. The use of herbal-based treatments, such as secondary metabolites, has gained popularity due to their better tolerability, safety, and effectiveness compared to conventional therapies. However, there are also some limitations, like poor bioavailability and permeability and lower stability; to overcome these issues, Novel Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) have been introduced as better treatment options in recent years. Polymer science advancements and nanotechnology applications have opened new avenues for RA treatment, emphasizing the development of smart drug delivery systems. These systems aim to improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing adverse effects. Additionally, newly synthesized biocompatible drug delivery systems, combined with anti-inflammatory drugs composed of secondary metabolites, offer potential solutions for RA.

Breast cancer poses a formidable challenge due to its inherent difficulty in treatment. Recognizing the imperative need for new therapeutic approaches, this study focuses on a groundbreaking technique that has the potential to reshape breast cancer treatment: siRNA formulations based on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). This novel method holds promise for transforming the landscape of breast cancer therapy. The primary objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the art in the field, specifically exploring the potential applications of siRNA treatments encapsulated in LNPs for breast cancer. The research methodology involves a detailed literature review covering breast cancer, siRNA therapy, and lipid nanoparticles. The study investigates the fundamental principles of siRNA therapy, highlighting its capacity to selectively silence genes critical to breast cancer development. Additionally, the application of LNPs in delivering therapeutic siRNA payloads is explored, with an emphasis on the benefits of LNPs, including their biocompatibility and effective siRNA incorporation. Safety and effectiveness characteristics of LNP-based siRNA formulations are also assessed to pave the way for potential therapeutic applications. Findings from the study illuminate the promising characteristics of LNP-siRNA formulations in the treatment of breast cancer. The investigation provides insights into targeting strategies, such as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and the utilization of ligand-conjugated nanoparticles. The study outlines potential avenues for therapeutic use, drawing attention to the safety and effectiveness of LNP-based siRNA formulations. In summary, this study aims to reveal intricate interactions between lipid nanoparticle-based siRNA formulations and breast cancer treatment, fostering a transformation in the field by highlighting current developments, future trends, and innovative strategies for next-gen LNP-based siRNA formulations.

Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SNEDDSs) are an isotropic mixture of oils, co-surfactants, and surfactants and can form fine O/W nanoemulsions in aqueous media. These components are advantageous in terms of improved solubility and bioavailability, as limited permeability, solubility, and bioavailability remain a significant challenge in the development of herbal drugs. This review explores the potential of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDSs) as a promising strategy to overcome this problem. The SNEDDSs are considered to be a novel technique for the delivery of low water-soluble drugs. They can bypass the first-pass metabolism, which ultimately results in steady and sustained drug levels in the systemic circulation. The present article provides a comprehensive overview of the SNEDDSs formulation of herbal drugs. It includes their composition, characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies conducted on various disease conditions, and their pharmacokinetic studies.

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) have emerged as a popular non-invasive approach for treating skin-related disorders, offering quick and reliable drug delivery into the skin, thereby accelerating therapeutic efficacy. In India, there is a growing interest in TDDS due to its perceived safety and effectiveness. Researchers are actively developing new formulations and technologies to enhance drug delivery efficiency and reduce side effects. Recent trends indicate a focus on overcoming challenges such as low permeability and stability issues through innovative nanoparticle-based delivery systems. Nanotechnology has revolutionized transdermal drug delivery by offering precise control over nanoparticle properties, enabling enhanced skin permeation and targeted delivery. Various nanoparticle formulations, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, nanotubes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions, have shown promise in improving drug solubility, bioavailability, and sustained release. Additionally, microneedles have emerged as a successful transdermal delivery method, offering advantages over traditional creams and patches. Metallic nanocarriers and nanoemulsions are also being explored for their potential in targeted drug delivery and enhanced skin penetration. Despite these advancements, challenges such as toxicity and biocompatibility need to be addressed for widespread clinical translation. Overall, the growing interest in transdermal drug delivery systems in India reflects the potential for improved therapeutic outcomes and patient convenience through innovative nanoparticle-based formulations and technologies.

The exploration of hydrogel materials has gained significant attention due to the ongoing period of collaborative interdisciplinary advancements. Silk fibroin (SF) possesses remarkable attributes, such as less immunogenicity, sterilization efficacy, processability without chemical crosslinkers, excellent biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, non-toxicity, mechanical strength, thermal stability, non-carcinogenicity, and adjustable biodegradability make it a highly valuable biomaterial. Silk fibroin hydrogel (SFH), a versatile biomaterial, has garnered significant attention due to its unique properties. Its biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, water retention capacity, and bioactive nature offer a unique combination of features that can effectively promote tissue regeneration and enhance wound healing. The utilization of SF for hydrogel production presents a valuable opportunity to leverage natural resources and promote eco-friendly production practices. With their exceptional properties and versatile applications in biomedicine, silk protein-based hydrogels hold promise for various research fields. This review aims to discuss the potential properties and recent advancements in the application of SF-based hydrogels for preclinical skin wound healing.

Nanoparticles are a significant topic due to their applications in various fields, including biology, optics, catalysis, pharmaceutics, health, agriculture, and industry, with biosynthesis processes being quick, easy, and environmentally friendly. Due to their applications across multiple industries, silver nanoparticles, or AgNPs, have become the most desired nanoparticles with the recent development of nanotechnology. The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of AgNPs are being studied. These characteristics are crucial for limiting the hazards associated with silver nanoparticles while optimizing their potential applications in many fields. A higher degree of toxicity in both the environment and living things could arise from the increasing use of silver nanoparticles in the product. Silver nanoparticles find application in wound care, anti-infective therapy, food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. As antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and microbiological agents, silver nanoparticles are widely used. Not only must the particles be nanoscale in order for silver nanoparticles to be present, but their production must also be simple and inexpensive to achieve. This paper aims to review the different methods of synthesis of silver nanoparticles, properties, characterization, and their applications. In specific, several chemical and green synthesis approaches for synthesising silver nanoparticles have been discussed. The morphology, size, thermal properties, toxicity properties, electrical properties, catalytic properties, and applications of silver nanoparticles are focused. The main focus is on the effective and efficient synthesis of pure silver nanoparticles and their potential applications.

A nanocarrier is a novel colloidal system whose particle size ranges between 1-100 nm. It is extensively utilized in drug delivery and various other sectors, such as the pharmaceutical, food, and dairy industries. The nanocarrier systems, including solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, liposomes, and other encapsulated compounds, have improved stability, solubility, bioavailability, and quality. Nanocarriers offer therapeutic effectiveness with low toxicity because of their biocompatibility and ability to cross body barriers. Various analytical techniques, such as chromatography and spectroscopy, are crucial in qualitative and quantitative analysis of nanocarrier-based formulations. Molecular identification and drug content determination require chromatographic techniques, particularly HPLC. Spectroscopic techniques such as LC-MS, NMR, GC-MS, CE-MS, Raman, and IR are used to analyze the interaction and molecular structure of the sample. Nanocarriers have several benefits but face various challenges like stability, drug loading, regulatory standards, and biocompatibility. Future surface engineering and nanocarrier design advancements could improve targeted drug delivery and sustained diagnostic applications, significantly impacting healthcare.

The emergence of lipid-based nanoparticulate systems has significantly reshaped the landscape of drug delivery. This review aims to encapsulate the advancements, challenges, and potential of lipid-based nanoparticulate drug delivery in modern therapeutics. Lipid-based nanoparticles, including liposomes, lipid nanoparticles, and solid lipid nanoparticles, harness the biocompatibility and biodegradability of lipids to encapsulate and deliver a diverse range of therapeutic agents. This platform offers solutions to various drug delivery challenges, such as enhancing drug solubility and bio- availability, achieving controlled and sustained release, targeted delivery, and co-delivery of multi-agents. These nanoparticles have demonstrated potential in overcoming biological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier, mucosal barriers, and cellular barriers, enabling the delivery of drugs to previously inaccessible sites. Biocompatibility and reduced toxicity are intrinsic attributes of lipid-based nanoparticles, minimizing immune responses and systemic toxicity while promoting personalized medicine possibilities. However, challenges in formulation, stability, and regulatory approval underscore the need for ongoing research and innovation in this field.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are one of the extensively utilized nanocarriers in the pharmaceutical field due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. These features of the carrier system have fuelled its use as the drug delivery system since the last three decades. This review presents different SLN preparation techniques, such as high shear homogenization, hot homogenization, cold homogenization, microemulsion-based technique, etc. The physicochemical nature of SLNs, comprising drug loading, drug release, particle size, zeta potential, stability, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake, has been concisely discussed. The article also explains why SLNs are preferred to develop drug delivery systems in several pharmaceutical preparations. The key ingredients like lipid, surfactant/stabilizer accompanied by co-surfactant, cryoprotectant, or charge modifiers used to fabricate SLNs are also briefly conferred. Here is an elaborate discussion of drugs that are used through various routes by the SLN carrier system and their outcome for utilization of this system. Regulatory aspects, patent aspects, and future prospects of SLN are also discussed here.

Liquid crystalline lipid nanoparticles (LCNPs) represent a type of membrane-based nano-carriers formed through the self-assembly of lyotropic lipids. These lipids, such as unsaturated monoglycerides, phospholipids, and co-lipids, create liquid crystals or vesicles with an aqueous core enclosed by a natural or synthetic phospholipid bilayer upon exposure to an aqueous medium. Liquid crystalline lipid nanoparticles (LCNPs), akin to liposomes, have garnered significant attention as nanocarriers suitable for a diverse range of hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. Their notable structural advantage lies in a mono-channel network organization and the presence of multiple compartments, resulting in heightened encapsulation efficiency for various substances. Cubosomes, spongosomes, hexosomes, and multicompartment nanoparticles are examples of lipid nanocarriers with interior liquid crystalline structures that have recently gained a lot of interest as effective drug delivery systems. Additionally, LCNPs facilitate the sustained release of encapsulated compounds, including therapeutic macromolecules. This review delves into the structure of liquid crystalline lipid nanoparticles, explores preparation techniques, and outlines their applications in the context of skin cancer.