Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: A Multidimensional Drug Delivery System
The development of drug delivery carriers is often very challenging, due to the physicochemical properties of the drug such as poor solubility, low permeability, and short half-life. Development of colloidal delivery systems has introduced new avenues for safe and effective drug delivery. However, the absence of large-scale production methods, toxic solvent residuals, limited stability, and cytotoxicity of some polymeric particles are the major issues associated with colloidal carriers. On this note, the concept of lipid-based nanoparticles like solid lipid nanoparticles matured. Solid lipid nanoparticles not only combine the advantages of the conventional drug delivery systems but also bypass their major disadvantages.
Solid lipid nanoparticles represent an alternative carrier system to conventional colloidal carriers due to their specific features such as use of natural fabrication components, size and related narrow distribution, enhanced stability, and increased permeation through biological barriers. Additionally, increased solubility, biocompatibility, ease of manufacture, and different possible administration routes enable solid lipid nanoparticles a frontline drug delivery system. Here, I reviewed up-to-date developments about solid lipid nanoparticles as a potential nanocolloidal system for drug delivery.
The major points are as follows: (1) overview of the different production methods, which are suitable for large-scale production, and analytical techniques used for characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles are described; (2) in vitro evaluation, pharmacokinetics, and tissue distribution of solid lipid nanoparticles; and (3) stability, toxicity, and status of excipients used in the fabrication of solid lipid nanoparticles have been discussed in this chapter. This chapter selectively highlights major therapeutic applications of solid lipid nanoparticles in drug delivery along with mechanism of action of the incorporated drug molecule. More on solid lipid nanoparticles