Abstract

SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES - FUTURE TECHNOLOGY: A BRIEF REVIEW

K. Ramya*, CH. Chandra Sekhar and D.Srinivasa Sastry

Abstract

Solid lipid nanoparticles are at the forefront of the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology with several potential applications in drug delivery, clinical medicine and research as well as in other varied sciences. Due to their unique size-dependent properties, lipid nanoparticles offer the possibility to develop new therapeutics. The ability to incorporate drugs into nanocarriers offers a new prototype in drug delivery that could be used for secondary and tertiary levels of drug targeting. This broad review includes advantages, disadvantages, preparation methods, administration routes and applications of solid lipid nanoparticles. Analytical techniques for characterization of SLNs like Coexistence of several colloidal species , dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance are discussed. Hence, solid lipid nanoparticles hold great promise for reaching the goal of controlled and site specific drug delivery and hence have attracted wide attention of researchers.

Keywords: Solid lipid nanoparticles, Colloidal carriers, drug targeting.