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Nanoemulgel is an emanating drug delivery system particularly being explored in research and development of various topical formulations for both pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications. Nanoemulgel consists of emulsion, which can be water in oil or oil in water type, incorporated into gel base. The gel base is prepared using gelling agent which modifies emulsion into non-greasy, more stable, and viscous formulation. Incorporation of hydrophobic drugs in a topical gel formulation along with favorable patient compliance is not feasible, but nanoemulgel form of the same drug does that efficiently. Rationalized formulation development of nanoemulgel for various drugs could solve various problems related to drug solubility, stability and drug release associated with other topical formulations.

Most of the active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the management of disease have poor water solubility and offer grueling problems in drug formulation development since low solubility is generally associated with poor dissolution characteristics which leads to poor oral bioavailability. The great challenge for the development of a pharmaceutical product is to create its new formulation and drug delivery system to limit solubility problems of existing drug candidate. Limited drug-loading capacity requires a large amount of carrier material to get appropriate encapsulation of the drug, which is another major challenge in the development of pharmaceutical product which could be resolved by developing nanocrystals (NCs). A significant research in the past few years has been done to develop NCs which helps in the delivery of poorly water soluble drugs via different routes. The technology could continue to thrive as a useful tool in pharmaceutical sciences for the improvement of drug solubility, absorption and bioavailability. Many crystalline compounds have pulled in incredible consideration much of the time, due to their ability to show good physical and chemical properties when contrasted with their amorphous counterparts. Nanocrystals have been proven to show atypical properties compared to the bulk. This review article explores the principles of the important nanocrystallization techniques including NCs characterization and its application.

Background: Personalized medicines are becoming more popular as they enable the use of patient’s genomics and hence help in better drug design with fewer side effects. In fact, several doses can be combined into one dosage form which suits the patient’s demography. 3 Dimensional (3D) printing technology for personalized medicine is a modern day treatment method based on genomics of patient. Methods: 3D printing technology uses digitally controlled devices for formulating API and excipients in a layer by layer pattern for developing a suitable personalized drug delivery system as per the need of patient. It includes various techniques like inkjet printing, fused deposition modelling which can further be classified into continuous inkjet system and drop on demand. In order to formulate such dosage forms, scientists have used various polymers to enhance their acceptance as well as therapeutic efficacy. Polymers like polyvinyl alcohol, poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly (caprolactone) (PCL) etc can be used during manufacturing. Results: Varying number of dosage forms can be produced using 3D printing technology including immediate release tablets, pulsatile release tablets, and transdermal dosage forms etc. The 3D printing technology can be explored successfully to develop personalized medicines which could play a vital role in the treatment of lifethreatening diseases. Particularly, for patients taking multiple medicines, 3D printing method could be explored to design a single dosage in which various drugs can be incorporated. Further 3D printing based personalized drug delivery system could also be investigated in chemotherapy of cancer patients with the added advantage of the reduction in adverse effects. Conclusion: In this article, we have reviewed 3D printing technology and its uses in personalized medicine. Further, we also discussed the different techniques and materials used in drug delivery based on 3D printing along with various applications of the technology.

Introduction: Nanomaterials are emerging as a fascinating delivery systems being explored for the delivery of different bioactives including drug, diagnostic agents and genetic materials etc. Among these nanomaterials dendrimers and Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) are being investigated for various biomedical applications. Although both of these nanomaterials have shown great potential in drug delivery yet their promising clinical applications are still suspected due to problems like toxicity, dispersibility etc. Scientists have been investigating the potential of nanohybrids comprising of dendrimers and nanotubes for biomedical applications. Few reports are also available on the toxicological profile of CNTs and dendrimers nanohybrids. Conclusion: The results of these investigations suggest two possibilities, first, hybrids of CNTs and dendrimers could suppress each other’s demerits while synergizing the potentials; second, prospective toxicity of nanohybrids on which different reports have discrimination in results. Future biomedical applications of CNTs-dendrimers nanohybrids require a thorough investigation on their toxicity and biological interactions.

Instead of enormous development in biomedical field, the treatment of severe ailments like tuberculosis, visceral leishmaniasis, systemic fungal infections, HIV and cancer still faces noteworthy confronts like severe toxicities, resistance and patient non-compliance, etc. To overcome these problems interpenetrating polymeric nanomaterials like liposomes, nanoparticles, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes and quantum dots are continuously being explored to improve therapeutic index of available medicine as well as new drug entity. This review exhaustively summarizes the dendrimer-mediated advancements in the drug delivery as well as possible avenues where dendrimers could be exploited to improve the therapeutic effectiveness of currently available treatment strategies. Dendrimers are a new class of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) with unique properties like well-defined size and structure, versatility, water solubility, multivalency and internal hydrophobic cavities, which rendered these nanostructures an emerging carrier in biomedical and drug delivery applications. Classically, these well-defined nano-architectures have been explored as nanoscaffolds and nano-containers to conjugate and deliver drugs, genes, oligonucleopeptides, imaging agents, siRNA, aptamers, etc. In spite of tremendous research efforts over nearly three decades, the stakeholders are confronted with certain fundamental issues related to dendrimer applications. In this review, we propose to dwell upon the unexplored facets of dendrimer research with possible applications in drug delivery.

Mucoadhesion, the state in which two materials, amongst which one is biological in nature, adhere to each other for extended periods of time with the help of interfacial forces, provides an attractive strategy to overcome the hurdles of conventional drug delivery systems including first pass metabolism, and localized delivery of biomolecules including proteins, peptides and oligonucleotides. Mucoadhesion provides great opportunities for the delivery of a variety of compounds via different routes of administration viz. ocular, nasal, vaginal and buccal. In addition mucoadhesion also makes it possible to obtain prolonged, local or systemic drug action. In this review we discussed about potential applications of mucoadhesion and mucoadhesive polymers in drug delivery along with the mechanism of mucoadhesion and the methods for evaluation of mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.

The main aim of the present investigation was to explore the effect of functionalization on drug delivery potential of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and to compare the in vitro and in vivo cancer targeting potential of doxorubicin HCL (DOX)-loaded ox-/multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs), DOX-loaded PEG-MWCNTs and DOX-loaded FA-PEG-MWCNTs. The DOX/PEG-FA-MWCNTs showed enhanced cytotoxicity and were most preferentially taken up by the cancerous cells. The obtained results also support the extended resistance time and sustained release profile of drug-loaded surface-engineered MWCNTs. Overall, we concluded that the developed MWCNTs nanoformulations have higher cancer targeting potential.

We herein first report a method for the synthesis of chitosan (CHI)-folate conjugated colloidal ZnO-Mn(+2) quantum dots (QDs) bearing doxorubicin through chemical method (DOX/FA-CHI-QDs) for cancer therapy as well imaging purpose. The entrapment efficiency was determined to be 99.98 ± 0.012% (DOX/FA-CHI-QDs) and 92.0 ± 2.62% (DOX-QDs). The developed DOX/FA-CHI-QDs formulations depict the sustained release pattern at the lysosomal pH (pH 5.0). The DOX/FA-CHI-QDs showed enhanced cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and were most preferentially taken up by the cancerous cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) mechanism. Hence, the QD-based formulation is capable of targeting drug delivery and imaging the delivery process.

Highly controllable dendritic structural design means dendrimers are a leading carrier in drug delivery applications. Dendrimer- and other nanocarrier-based hybrid systems are an emerging platform in the field of drug delivery. This review is a compilation of increasing reports of dendrimer interactions, such as dendrimer–liposome, dendrimer–carbon-nanotube, among others, known as hybrid carriers. This should prompt entirely new research with promising results for these hybrid carriers. It is assumed that such emerging hybrid nanosystems – from combining two already-established drug delivery platforms – could lead the way for the development of newer delivery systems with multiple applicability for latent theranostic applications in the future.

Poly-L-lysine (PLL) dendrimers are currently being investigated as antiangiogenic agent for therapy of cancer. In this study, we report folate conjugated poly-l-lysine dendrimers (FPLL) as an efficient carrier for model anticancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox); for pH sensitive drug release, selective targeting to cancer cells, anticancer activity and antiangiogenic activity. This nanoconjugate of Dox showed initial rapid in vitro release followed by gradual slow release, and the drug release was found to be pH sensitive with greater release at acidic pH. In the CAM assay and tubule formation assay with HUVEC, Dox-FPLL formulation showed the significant antiangiogenic activity confirming that activity of PLL was not compromised by the presence of Dox and folic acid. The ex vivo investigations with human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 showed enhanced cytotoxicity of Dox-FPLL with significantly enhanced intracellular uptake (p0.001). The in vivo therapeutic potential of nanoconjugate was determined in MCF-7 breast cancer xenograft model in tumor-bearing mice. Dox-FPLL increased the concentration of Dox in tumor by 121.5-fold after 24 h in comparison with free Dox formulation. The folate conjugated dendrimeric Dox showed superior anti-tumor activity in tumor xenograft model with significantly prolonged survival determined by Kaplan Meier survival analysis (p0.001).

Nanopharmacology is a relatively newer branch of pharmacology which investigates interaction of a nanomedicine with living systems at the nanoscale level. Modern medicine is increasingly concerned with various surface modified nanocarriers, such as dendrimers, nanoparticles, carbon based nanomaterials, polymer-drug nanoconjugates, etc., which have immense therapeutic potential by target specific drug delivery, using nanoscaffolding and nanocontainers, owing to the specific physical, chemical and biological properties of these moieties that is related to their nanoscale size range. Nanopharmacology could have potential medical and pharmaceutical benefits via applications of nanotechnology in the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Nanomaterials may be expected to find application in the cardiovascular, as well as, renal arena, in the near future.

Dendrimers are novel three dimensional, hyperbranched globular nanopolymeric architectures. Attractive features like nanoscopic size, narrow polydispersity index, excellent control over molecular structure, availability of multiple functional groups at the periphery and cavities in the interior distinguish them amongst the available polymers. Applications of dendrimers in a large variety of fields have been explored. Drug delivery scientists are especially enthusiastic about possible utility of dendrimers as drug delivery tool. Terminal functionalities provide a platform for conjugation of the drug and targeting moieties. In addition, these peripheral functional groups can be employed to tailor-make the properties of dendrimers, enhancing their versatility. The present review highlights the contribution of dendrimers in the field of nanotechnology with intent to aid the researchers in exploring dendrimers in the field of drug delivery.

Dendrimers are hyperbranched, monodispersed macromolecules with multivalent functional end groups. Dendrimers have been explored as carrier for many drugs like anticancer, antiviral, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, anti tubercular drugs. Although a number of different types of dendrimers containing different core molecules, branching monomers and surface functional groups have been designed till date for drug delivery applications, yet the poly(propyleneimine) (PPI) and poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers have been the most explored dendrimers in this regard. In this review, we have summarized a comparative data on PPI and PAMAM dendrimers particularly relevant to their properties, synthesis, toxicity, biomedical applications and drug delivery attributes.

Carbohydrates not only represent a vast potential as structure building blocks of living cells but also have proved as a promising candidate for drug delivery. Glycosylation of nanocarriers instructs some gratifying characteristic, which leads to the evolution of promising delivery systems. Some path-breaking advantages of glycosylated carriers include the engineered release profile of bioactives when introduced into biological system. Being natural product of living system these carriers also upshots as a multifaceted drug delivery vehicle and reduces the toxicity associated with unmodified drug carrier and therapeutic agent. An additional attribute of these carriers is to alter the pharmacokinetic profile of drugs positively with stabilization of drug carrier. The presence of lectin receptors on different cell surfaces makes the glycosylated carrier appreciable for targeted delivery of drugs to improve their therapeutic index. Active participation of some lectin receptors in immune responses to antigen overlaid the application of glycosylated carriers in delivery of antigen and immunotherapy for treatment of ailments like cancer. These advantages revealed the promising potential of glycosylated carriers in each perspective of drug delivery. Collectively this review presents an overview of different applications of glycosylated carriers, with a focus on their applicability in development of a nanoconstruct with GRAS status.

Chemotherapy is the major and most widely used therapeutic strategy for the treatment of a wide variety of cancers. The non-specific/non-targeted drug delivery in chemotherapy leads to undesired side effects in normal and healthy tissues, and insufficient dosages to kill cancerous cells. Now-a-days, smart and intelligent multifunctional targeted nanomedicines based on various nanocarriers (dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanoparticles, quantum dots, self-emuslifying lipidic systems and carbon nanohorns etc) are being investigated promisingly in cancer treatment. In this article, we review the role of smart and intellegent multifucntional nanocarriers in delivery of chemotherapeutic agents with the aim to develop promising treatment strategy to combat with one of the killer of man kind i.e. cancer.

Quantum dots (QDs) have captured the fascination and attention of scientists due to their simultaneous targeting and imaging potential in drug delivery, in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. In the present study, we have exhaustively reviewed various aspects of QDs, highlighting their pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, pharmacology, interactions, and toxicological manifestations. The eventual use of QDs is to dramatically improve clinical diagnostic tests for early detection of cancer. In recent years, QDs were introduced to cell biology as an alternative fluorescent probe.

Chemotherapy is a foremost remedial approach for the treatment of localized and metastasized tumors. In order to explore new treatment modalities for cancer, it is important to identify qualitative or quanti- tative differences in metabolic processes between normal and malignant cells. One such difference may be that of increased receptor-mediated cellular uptake of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) by cancer cells. Lipoproteins in general and specifically LDL are ideal candidates for loading and delivering cancer therapeutic and diagnostic agents due to their biocompatibility. By mimicking the endogenous shape and structure of lipoproteins, the reconstituted lipoproteins can remain in circulation for an extended period of time, while largely evading the reticuloendothelial cells in the body's defenses. In this account, we review the field of low density inspired nanoparticles in relation to the delivery of cancer imaging and therapeutic agents. LDL has instinctive cancer targeting potential and has been used to incorporate various lipophillic molecules to transport them to tumors. Nature's method of rerouting LDL provides a strategy to extend the cancer targeting potential of lipoproteins far off its constricted purview. In this review, we have discussed the various aspects of LDL including its role in cancer imaging and chemotherapy in retrospect and prospect and current efforts aimed to further improve the delivery efficacy of LDL-drug complexes with reduced chances of drug resistance leading to optimal drug delivery. This review provides a strong support for the concept of using LDL as a drug carrier.

The present investigation was aimed at developing and comparing the cancer-targeting potential of ligand-anchored dendrimers. Folate-, dextran-, and galactose-anchored poly(propylene imine) dendrimers were synthesized and characterized. Dendritic formulations were evaluated for ex vivo cytotoxicity on HeLa and SiHa cell lines. Flow cytometry studies were performed on the HeLa cell line. An ex vivo MTT assay on HeLa cells indicated IC 50 values of 0.05, 0.2, 0.8, and 0.08 μM for folate, dextran, and galactose formulations, and for free paclitaxel (PTX), respectively. An analogous observation was carried out in SiHa cells, where IC 50 values of 0.6, 0.8, 10, and 6 μM were observed by folate, dextran, and galactose formulations, and free PTX, respectively. The outcome of the MTT assay and flow cytometry suggested the order of targeting potential of various ligands under investigation as folate > dextran > galactose. The outcome is deemed to be of scientific value and is believed to assist drug delivery scientists during selection of targeting ligands. From the Clinical Editor The cancer targeting potential of folate, dextran and galactose functionalized polypropyleneimine (PPI) dendrimers was studied by this group of investigators, reporting the order of targeting potential as folate > dextran > galactose.