Skin penetration/permeation success determinants of nanocarriers: Pursuit of a perfect formulation
The advent of nanocarriers in the field of pharmaceutical drug delivery, while exhibiting considerable advantages, has created challenges for researchers. Among the applications of nanocarriers, drug delivery to the skin has attracted increasing attention in recent decades due to its advantages over oral and parenteral administration.
Highlights
Skin penetration/permeation is facing biological and drug related barriers.
Different nanocarriers which are used as potential topical formulation were presented.
Strength points of nanocarriers were illustrated and each point was correlated to specific nanocarriers(s).
Formulation point of view was not ignored and promising constituents were highlighted.
Accordingly, this work attempts to discuss the major obstacles surrounding topically applied formulations and different nanocarriers’ potential to overcome these barriers to investigate whether their passive penetration through the skin is likely. Therefore, skin anatomical views and transcutaneous pathways are briefly reviewed. Factors commonly thought to influence skin penetration are discussed from the perspective of particularly penetrating nanocarriers. The formulation of these nanocarriers is outlined, and promising constituents are highlighted to help investigators optimize nanocarrier formulations.
Article information: Mohammed Elmowafy. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, Volume 203, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111748.