NANOPARTICLES IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY:APPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Nanotechnology is one of the novel methods being explored in pharmaceutical research and drug development due to 
its unique physicochemical and biological properties, which are different from the bulk materials. Nanoparticles 
containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), such as poorly water-soluble drugs can enhance the dissolution, 
solubility, bioavailability, stability and delivery of the active ingredients. Pharmaceutical nanoparticles are polymeric 
nanoparticles, lipid-based systems, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, nanocrystals, 
metallic nanoparticles and other inorganic/hybrid systems depending on their composition and application. The particle 
size, size distribution, surface properties, morphology, drug loading and stability are all important factors affecting their 
pharmaceutical performance. The applications of nanoparticles in the fields of controlled and targeted drug delivery, 
cancer therapy, gene and nucleic-acid delivery, diagnostic applications, antimicrobial therapy, and delivery across 
biological barriers have been explored. But it is still difficult to shift technology from a laboratory to commercial 
products because of the problems of formulation stability, reproducibility, scale-up, manufacturing cost, toxicity and 
regulatory requirements. This review briefly discusses the important pharmaceutical applications, important features, 
preparation methods, industrial challenges and future prospects of some important pharmaceutical nanoparticle system.