Solid lipid nanoparticle

Statistics

Metallurgy

Materials science

Drug

Drug delivery

Drug carrier

Nanotechnology

Mathematics

Pharmacology

Biocompatibility

Medicine

Chemistry

Flexibility (engineering)

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), comprises of a blend of solid and liquid lipids which results in a partially crystallized lipid system and imparts many advantages over solid lipid nanoparticles such as enhanced drug loading capacity, drug release modulation flexibility and improved stability. NLC have found numerous applications in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry due to ease of preparation, the feasibility of scale-up, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, enhanced targeting efficiency and the possibility of site-specific delivery via various routes of administration. This review highlights the NLC with focus on the structure, the various fabrication techniques used and the characterization techniques which are critical in the development of a suitable and stable formulation. The review also provides an insight into the potential of NLC as site-specific delivery systems and the therapeutic applications explored via various routes of administration.

Nanostructured lipid carriers for site-specific drug delivery