Concepts on Smart Nano-Based Drug Delivery System

Abstract

Nanomedicine is a branch of healthcare, which has many clinical applications. Nanoscale science has to presume an attractive slot for the research in drug delivery as nanocarriers either through active or passive targeting approaches to cell-specific drug delivery. Liposomes, solid-lipid nanoparticles, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, nanotubes, quantum dots, and nanofibers are nanocarriers that are proven too smart a nano-based drug delivery system. The nanoparticulate system shows high stability, high specificity, high efficacy, and liability to form different dosages, used through different routes, as well as the ability to deliver hydrophobic as well as hydrophilic drugs. These nanoparticulate systems are showing wider applications to cure the disease through nanomedicines and biomedical applications viz. chemical and biological sensors, information storage systems, magneto-optic, optical devices, and fiber-optic systems. In this review article, the author describes various smart nano-based drug delivery systems along with their endocytic pathways used for the uptake of nanoparticles.

Keywords: Liposomes; dendrimers; mesoporous silica nanoparticles; polymeric nanoparticles; solid lipid nanoparticles.