Nanostructured Lipid Carriers: Potential Avenues for Research

Abstract

Nowadays, nanotechnology has experienced significant growth in research and its application in the field of medicine. Nanomedicine, application of nanotechnology to medicine allows the development of nanoparticle-therapeutic carriers. Nanoparticles have shown to be vital for the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. Nanocarriers composed of liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles and solid lipid nanoparticles have presented tremendous opportunities in the area of drug delivery. The ‘new kid on the block’, nanostructured lipid carrier system, is now gaining currency among researchers. This is purely due to its superior properties over the other nanocarriers. In pursuit of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), researchers have employed myriad of liquid and solid lipids. However, in treating diseases, the use of NLCs in ushering therapeutic agents to certain body parts has not been fully exploited.