: Alginates are biopolymers usually obtained from brown seaweed, brown algae (Ochrophyta, Phaeophyceae), and bacteria (Azatobacter vineland and Pseudomonas species) belonging to the family of polycationic copolymers. They are biocompatible, biodegradable, non-antigenic, and non-toxic biopolymer with molecular mass ranges from 32,000-40,000 g/mol in commercial grades. These can be used as edible films or coatings in food industries and also some natural or chemical additives could be incorporated into them to modify their functional, mechanical, nutritional as well as organoleptic properties. Due to their high viscosity and extraordinary shear-thinning effect, they can be used as dietary fibers, thickening, gelling and stabilizing agents. Commercial alginates have vast applications in the fields of biomedical engineering, biotechnology, environmental contaminants treatments, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. Alginates can be used in wound dressings, bone regeneration, neovascularization, protein delivery, cell delivery, theranostic agents, oral drug delivery, controlled release systems, raft formulations, immobilization of biological agents and treatment of environmental contaminants. Various carrier systems can be formulated by the use of alginates like hydrogel, tablets, microcapsules, films, matrices, microspheres, liposomes, nanoparticles, beads, cochleate, floating and supersaturated drug delivery systems. This review presents a broad range of promising applications of alginates and it can be a great interest to scientists and industries engaged in exploring its hidden potential.

Nanoemulsions are colloidal dispersions having smaller globule size that ranges from 20-600 nm. They are clear transparent and kinetically stable formulations commonly available in the form of creams, shampoos, gels, sprays and aerosols. Nanoemulsions are nano carrier drug delivery system for the protection of drugs from severe environmental conditions like pH, oxidation and hydrolysis. Nanoemulsions are normally contains oil phase, aqueous phase, surfactants and co-surfactants. Different methods are employed for the preparations of nanoemulsions are high pressure homogenization, microfluidization, ultrasonication, spontaneous emulsifi- cation, membrane emulsification, phase inversion temperature and solvent displacement method. The stability of the nanoemulsions has the ability to protect the dosage unit microbial contamination physically and chemically. They can be administered via nasal route, orally, topically, transdermally and also used as prophylactically in bio-terrorism attack and as diagnostic agent. They can be used for the delivery of various types of drugs like vaccines, DNA encoded drugs, antibiotics and vitamins. Various patents on nanoemulsions are also discussed. Nanoemulsions are nano carrier system with safe and effective delivery of lipophilic and hydrophilic drug and also used in targeting.

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