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Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier
Published on: February 8, 2017
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Nanostructured liquid-crystalline particles for drug delivery
Alexandre Lancelot1, Teresa Sierra, José Luis Serrano
1Universidad de Zaragoza, Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón , Zaragoza , Spain.
Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery
|February 5, 2014
Summary
Nanostructured lyotropic liquid crystal particles (LLC NPs) are versatile drug delivery systems. These nanoparticles can encapsulate various drug types for topical, oral, and intravenous applications, showing promise for cancer therapy and vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
Background:
- Nanostructured lyotropic liquid crystal particles (LLC NPs) are formed by amphiphilic molecules.
- They feature internal water channels for polar drugs and lipophilic regions for apolar drugs.
- Amphiphilic drugs can be loaded at the polar/apolar interfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state of LLC NPs in drug delivery.
- To summarize key findings on their composition, preparation, and characterization.
- To highlight their therapeutic applications and potential.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of relevant studies on LLC NPs.
- Analysis of nanoparticle composition, preparation, and characterization techniques.
- Compilation of data on illness targets, administration routes, and special features.
Main Results:
- LLC NPs demonstrate versatility in drug loading for polar, apolar, and amphiphilic compounds.
- A table summarizes recent applications, including specific nanoparticle types and treated illnesses.
- Successful administration routes include topical, oral, and intravenous delivery.
Conclusions:
- LLC NPs are highly versatile drug delivery systems.
- They show particular relevance for delivering anticancer drugs, biomolecules, and vaccines.
- Further research is needed to address critical points for practical application.
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