Nano Lipid Carriers (NLCs): Potential and Promises in Drug Delivery

Transdermal drug delivery offers several benefits compared with oral delivery, including the bypassing of first-pass metabolism, the ability to target active ingredients for localized effects, and improved patient compliance. Nevertheless, achieving transdermal delivery requires addressing the challenges of permeation through the skin barrier at various levels, including the skin surface, epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were invented in the early 1990s as a second generation of lipidic nano carriers. The NLCs are favored over SLNs because they offer greater stability, allowing for higher drug loading, maintaining a consistent drug release profile over time, and preventing gelation during storage. This article aims to offer brief summary of nano system, including the various types of NLCs, their composition, production methods, physiochemical evaluation techniques, mechanistic pathways, recent advancements in transdermal applications, and the use of these carriers for both local and systemic effects. Additionally, it will cover updates on patents and the scalability of NLCs in industrial settings. We also examine important factors for standardization, significant scale-up challenges, and the future prospective of NLCs. Over the past 10 years, the extensive work on NLCs is evident in numerous research reports, consisting patents related to their development, providing a deeper understanding of this growing area of innovation. NLCs serve as an excellent "safe" nano-carrier because of their biodegradable nature and hold significant potential to address the challenges associated with transdermal delivery.