A review of the preparation, characterization and application of nanostructured lipid carriers

Abstract

Lipid Nanoparticles have gained increased attention during the last few decades. These carrier systems offer many advantages over conventional drug delivery system, including protection of the entrapped active ingredient from environmental (pH) or physiological (immune system, enzymes) degradations, improved bioavailability, prolonged circulation time, sustained release of drug and site specific drug delivery, reduced dose and side effects. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN), has been reported as an alternative carrier system to liposomes. However, SLN show some disadvantages such as drug expulsion during storage, low drug loading and aggregation of the particles. Nanostructured lipid carriers are evolved as second generation lipid nanoparticles to overcome the limitations of SLN, by modifying SLN by incorporating liquid lipid to the solid matrix for better drug accommodation to increase drug loading and prevent drug leakage while preserving the physical stability of the formulation. This article describes the features, various preparation techniques, characterization techniques and the therapeutic applications of NLCs in topical drug delivery, brain, oral and pulmonary delivery.

Curcumin Co-Loaded With a Lipid Mediator in the Same Nanostructured Lipid Delivery System

“…These lipid nanocarriers in which crystallized lipid particles (with average mean diameters ≤ 500 nm) are dispersed in an aqueous phase containing emulsifier(s), are efficient delivery systems for improving oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs (the main applications), but in the last years their appropriate use for delivering of hydrophilic drugs has been also investigated [17,18]. NLCs are composed by a lipid matrix containing a blend of solid and liquid lipids (responsible for a lower crystallinity and higher incidence of defects inside the lipid core), surrounded by a surfactant mixture shell [19,20]. Owing to the many imperfections of lipid core, NLCs manifest multiple advantages, the most significant being the improved drug loading capacity (LC%) and release properties along with stable drug incorporation during storage [21,22].…”