Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology is the term given to those areas of science and engineering where the phenomena take place at nano-scale dimensions. Nanotechnology deals with particles sized between 1 to 100 nanometers in at least one dimension and it involves developing or modifying materials or devices within that size. Nanoparticles have different physical, chemical, electrical and optical properties than those that occur in bulk samples of the same material. All aspects of life will benefit from the revolution in nanotechnology. Engineered nanoparticles are increasingly produced for use in a wide range of industrial and consumer products. Hundreds of tons of nanoparticles already enter in the environment annually, but still very little is known of their interactions with biological systems. The challenge for toxicologists is to identify key factors that can be used to predict the toxicity, permit targeted screening, safe and sustained development and use of nanoparticles. In order to gain a sustained development, new technology always needs a good balance between benefit and risk. The aim of this paper is to summarize the target organ toxicity of nanoparticles in different biological systems.

From the last few decades, there has been a considerable research interest in the area of drug delivery using particulate delivery systems as the carriers for smaller and larger molecules. The particulate systems like nanoparticles have been used as a physical approach to alter and improve the properties of various types of drug molecules like pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic. The nanoparticles are defined as particulate dispersions or solid particles with the size in the range between 10-1000nm. The drugs are dissolved, entrapped, encapsulated or attached to the nanoparticle matrix. Nanoparticles, nanospheres or nanocapsules can be obtained which depends upon the method of preparation, This review article covers the different methods of preparation of Nanoparticles, different types of Nanoparticles, their evaluation and applications of Nanoparticles

The present research work focuses on improving the bioavailability of the anti osteoporotic drug Risedronate Sodium. This drug belongs to BCS class III which implies that it is permeability rate limited. Hence an attempt was made to reduce the particle size to nano dimensions using ionotropic gelation technique. In this technique, chitosan was used as the polymer and sodium Tri poly Phosphate was used as the cross linking agent. The resulting nanoparticles were optimized using 32 full factorial design and characterized for their entrapment efficiency, percent yield, in vitro diffusion studies. The particle size and zeta potential was found out and surface morphology was studied using Scanning electron microscopy. The in vivo studies clearly showed a marked improvement in the bioavailability of the nanoparticles as compared to the plain drug suspension.

The purpose of this study was to develop chitosan based anastrozole nanoparticles for treatment of breast cancer. An ionic gelation method was used to prepare anastrozole controlled-release nanoparticles. A 32 full factorial design was employed. Experimental variables such as concentration of CS and cross-linking agent sodium TPP were varied to study their effect on drug entrapment efficiency and release rates of drug from nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were employed to determine any interactions between drug and polymer. The FTIR studies revealed no chemical interaction between the drug and the polymer. Entrapment efficiency of nanoparticles ranged between 51.51 ± 0.81 % to 84.35 ± 1.06 %.In-vitro release studies were performed in phosphate buffer saline of pH 7.4. A slow release of anastrozole up to 72 h was observed. Mean particle size of nanoparticles ranged between 1635 nm to 72.30 nm with mean particle size of 273.6 nm, while zeta potential 0.52 mV. DSC results indicated that the anastrozole entrapped in the nanoparticles existed in an amorphous or disordered-crystalline status in the polymer matrix. Scanning electron microscopy was done to study the surface morphology. Results revealed that more spherical shaped particles with possible aggregation. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained for the Higuchi model, suggesting a diffusion mechanism for the drug release. The results demonstrated that anastrozole nanoparticles with chitosan could be an alternative delivery method for the long-term treatment of breast cancer.

Green synthesis of nanoparticles is eye catching area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It involve development of clean, biocompatible, non-toxic and eco-friendly methods for nanoparticles synthesis as compared to conventional method like physical and chemical which are often toxic. In the  present scenario variety of nanoparticles with well-defined chemical compositions, sizes and morphology have been synthesized using different microorganisms and their applications in various cutting-edge technological areas have been explored. This review highlights the recent developments of the biosynthesis mechanisms of different types of nanoparticles using bacteria. Nanoparticles have been used in diagnosis, treatment, drug delivery, medical device coating, wound dressings, medical textiles, contraceptive devices, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory etc. Future prospects for synthesis of nanoparticles using bacteria have also been discussed.

Ayurveda pharmacopeia is based upon herbal, mineral and herbo-mineral natural products but herbs takes first rank in pharmaceutics.  Herbal medicines have been widely used all over the world since ancient times and have been recognized by physicians and patients for their better therapeutic value as they have fewer adverse effects as compared with modern medicines. Unlike the existing allopathic system, the herbal remedies have hundreds and thousands of constituents that all work together against the diseases. Mostly, the conventional pharmaceuticals or pharmacognostical products in the market are rooted from natural products and their derivatives with herbal products playing pivotal role. All over the world, the research on these herbal remedies has been carried out in the different fields’ for instance pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology and clinical therapeutics.  ‘Nanotechnology’ is the new emerging technology in the drug discovery and it has the property of self targeting in the sense that without the attachment of a specific legend, these can be used for targeting, due to their distinctively small size, at the infected pathological areas. Some of such formulations are already present in the market and many more are expected to come by 2020 after their success in ongoing clinical trials. Drug delivery research is clearly moving from the micro- to the nanosize scale. Nanotechnology is therefore emerging as a field in medicine that is expected to elicit significant therapeutic benefit. Nanoparticles are able to adsorb and/or encapsulate a drug, thus protecting it against chemical and enzymatic degradation. A nanocarrier is nanomaterial being used as a transport module for another substance, such as a drug. Nanocarriers are currently used in drug delivery and their unique characteristics demonstrate potential use in chemotherapy. Herbal remedies may be selected as feasible drug candidate for delivery through a nano delivery system. It is being assumed that the “herbal remedy” with the nanocarriers will increase its potential for the treatment of various chronic diseases and health benefits. In this review, author has made an effort to explore this new approach is escalating the interest of number of scientists to improve and to accelerate the joint drug discovery and development of novel nano delivery systems for ayurveda herbal remedies.

This review presents the numerous researches which explore the potential use of polymeric nanoparticles as carriers for a wide range of drugs for therapeutic applications. Because of their versatility and wide range of properties such as better encapsulation, control release and less toxic properties, biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles are being used as novel drug delivery systems. In particular, this class of carrier holds tremendous promise in the areas of targeted drug delivery system.

The present investigation involves the Preparation and Characterization of etoposide loaded PCL Composite micropartices on account to control initial burst release. The prepared composite particles were characterized physicochemically for Encapsulation efficiency, Mean particle size, Release kinetic and compared with nanoparticles and simple microparticles prepared by the same double emulsion method. The major objective of the present study is to incorporate a hydrophilic drug etoposide within hydrophobic polymer poly (ε-caprolactone) for the preparation of composite micro particles to minimize initial burst release of the drug which is generally associated with micro and nanoparticles. Micro particles and nanoparticles were prepared by W/O/W emulsion solvent extraction and W/O/W solvent evaporation method respectively using different ratios of drug to polymer (0.1:1, 0.2:1 and 0.4:1). These prepared nanoparticles were further fabricated in micro particles using double emulsion method in ratio of (0.05:1, 0.1:1, 0.2:1).When PCL nanoparticles were encapsulated into the microparticles, there was a large decrease in the burst release again; this decrease is much more marked when p < 0.05. When nanoparticles formulated in to composite micropartices the burst released is suppressed only 50% of the drug was released in 8 hrs. Therefore, the advantage of encapsulating nanoparticles in microparticles (composite microparticles) has been definitely demonstrated for a hydrophilic drug.

This present review is progress in selected nanotechnology topics and some possible applications. This attempt mainly focused on Different Classes of Nanoparticles (Ceramic nanoparticles, Metallic particles, Carbon nanomaterials, Quantum dots) and Applications of Nanotechnology in Pharmaceuticals (Diagnosis, Pharmacology and Therapy, Molecular Diagnosis) and Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems and Toxicity of Nanoparticles. Nanoparticles mainly use aims to minimize drug degradation upon administration, prevent undesirable side effects, and increase drug bioavailability and the fraction of the drug accumulated in the pathological area.

Nanotechnology received a lot of attention with the never-seen-before enthusiasm because of its future potential that can literally revolutionize each field in which it is being exploited. In drug delivery, nanotechnology is just beginning to make an impact. The multidisciplinary approach of nanotechnology has opened new vistas for the development of nanoscale drug delivery systems to meet the requirements for new drug moieties. These drug moieties can either be integrated into the matrix or attached to the surface of drug delivery particles. The importance of nanotechnology in drug delivery is in the concept and ability to manipulate molecules and supramolecular structures for producing devices with programmed functions. Nanostructures like micelles, liposomes, dendrimers etc. and nanoparticles like solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric/pegylated nanostructures, metallic nanoparticles etc. have been used to deliver drug at specific sites and reduce side effects on non target organs.