ABSTRACT
Nanoplatforms are revolutionizing biomedicine by their application as drug carriers. In fact, numerous investigations describing the variety of therapeutic applications from the use of nano-sized systems as effi cient means
for delivering both small molecules and macromolecules, such as peptides, proteins, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/ribonucleic acid (RNA), to the site of interest. In fact, nanoplatforms as advanced drug delivery carriers offer distinctive features including high stability, capability to protect their payload, feasibility of incorporating of both polar and apolar active agents, improved pharmacokinetics and increased biodistribution of encapsulated drugs, low toxicity when biocompatible and biodegradable materials are used, and the advantage of use by different routes of administration. Furthermore, the versatility of nanosystems enables easy tuning of their physical chemistry for enhanced drug delivery ability. Such modifi cations can involve: (i) controlling particle size to enhance permeability and localization at the site of action; (ii) altering the surface charge to optimize solubility, in vivo fate (interaction with the reticuloendothelial system), or electrostatic conjugation with ionic drugs; and, (iii) surface functionalization to increase biological circulation time and achieve active/specifi c drug targeting.
