ABSTRACT
The understating of fundamental properties of alginate and developing new types of cell and tissue-interactive alginate nanoparticles (NPs) with improved properties may enable many future advances in modern therapeutics. The multifunctional nature of alginate allows its easy modification through different chemical or physical techniques and therefore alginate-based NPs with diverse properties and miscellaneous structures have been designed. The polymeric NPs have been administered through every possible route: orally, parenterally, nasally, intravaginally, rectally, inhalationally, on the oral mucosa, topically, and in ophthalmic preparations. Alginate NPs were synthesized through a microfluidic mixing device by Polyelectrolyte complexation between aqueous Ca-alginate pre-gels and cationic poly-l-lysine solutions under mild aqueous environment. Ionically cross-linked NPs are generally pH sensitive, and therefore they are very useful in designing stimuli-sensitive controlled release systems. Emulsification is a regular method which is often used for the preparation of polymer NPs. Spray-drying is a well-known process, which has been used to convert the NP suspensions in dry powder.
