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Applied Sciences
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Lipid-Based Nanocarriers: Present Situation and Prospects for the Future
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Lipid-Based Nanocarriers: Present Situation and Prospects for the Future

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018) | Viewed by 9278

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carmelo Puglia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Drug Sciences and Health, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
Interests: drug delivery systems; nanoparticulate lipid matrix systems; nanocarriers for the transport of active molecules
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lipid-based nanocarriers (solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, vesicular nanocarriers including liposomes, niosomes, transfersomes, and ethosomes) have recently gained enormous interest for their potential pharmaceutical applications. They may in fact provide controlled drug release and allow the targeting of drugs to specific areas. Furthermore, their lipid properties (e.g., high solubilizing potential, biocompatibility, biotolerability, biodegradability, and distinct route of absorption) may significantly improve the bioavailability of very poorly water-soluble drugs for a set of administration routes. Generally speaking, the incorporation of active compounds in lipid-based nanocarriers has helped to boost the therapeutic efficacy of drugs and to improve their pharmacokinetic parameters, as a result of their prolonged release from these systems. These features of the lipid-based nanocarriers (sustained drug release and modulation of the drug efficacy) have shed a light of hope for the treatment of chronic diseases. Therefore, the interest in lipid-based nanocarriers has been growing, as demonstrated by the number of related patents and scientific papers in the literature.

The Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences entitled “Lipid-based nanocarriers: present situation and prospects for the future” wishes to cover the recent advances in the development of lipid-based nanocarriers aimed at the delivery of drugs by different routes of administration, underscoring the extraordinary value of this drug-carrying system in improving the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of the encapsulated drugs.

Prof. Dr. Carmelo Puglia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Colloidal drug delivery systems (CDDS);
  • Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC);
  • Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN);
  • Liposomes;
  • Niosomes;
  • Transfersomes;
  • Ethosomes;
  • Drug delivery;
  • Prolonged release;
  • Controlled release;
  • Drug targeting;
  • Improved drug bioavailability;
  • Main administration routes

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3009 KiB  
Article
Sildenafil Citrate Liposomes for Pulmonary Delivery by Ultrasonic Nebulization
by María José De Jesús Valle, Pablo Gil González, Maximiano Prata Ribeiro, André R. T. S. Araujo and Amparo Sánchez Navarro
Appl. Sci. 2018, 8(8), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/app8081291 - 02 Aug 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3782
Abstract
Technological advances in lipid vesicles facilitate optimization of their properties to achieve therapeutic goals and promote alternative drug administration routes. Sildenafil citrate (SC) is orally administered for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, but local release would be advantageous in terms of efficacy and [...] Read more.
Technological advances in lipid vesicles facilitate optimization of their properties to achieve therapeutic goals and promote alternative drug administration routes. Sildenafil citrate (SC) is orally administered for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, but local release would be advantageous in terms of efficacy and safety. In the present study, liposomes from egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol loaded with SC, with and without d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (Vit E TPGS), were prepared by sonication of the components. A transmembrane pH gradient was applied for active loading of liposomes, and the size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency (EE%) were determined. The liposomes were lyophilized and then nebulized. The nebulized samples were collected and the EE% was determined. The transmembrane pH gradient produced a significant increase in the EE% (from 17.68 ± 4.25% to 89.77 ± 7.64%) and, after lyophilization, the EE% remained the same as that of the originals, but the size and zeta potential were modified. EE% of liposomes decreased upon nebulization, particularly for those with Vit E TPGS. Thus, the additives used for lyoprotection reduced the impact of nebulization. Additional studies are essential, but according to these results, SC-loaded liposomes can be considered as suitable and safe carriers for the local release of sildenafil in the pulmonary system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid-Based Nanocarriers: Present Situation and Prospects for the Future)
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15 pages, 2092 KiB  
Article
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as Promising Delivery Systems for Plant Extracts: The Case of Silymarin
by Vieri Piazzini, Beatrice Lemmi, Mario D’Ambrosio, Lorenzo Cinci, Cristina Luceri, Anna Rita Bilia and Maria Camilla Bergonzi
Appl. Sci. 2018, 8(7), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/app8071163 - 18 Jul 2018
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 5186
Abstract
Background: Silymarin is the extract from seeds of Silybum marianum L. Gaertn. and it has been used for decades as hepatoprotectant. Recently, it has been proposed to be beneficial in type 2 diabetes patients. However, silymarin is a poorly water soluble drug with [...] Read more.
Background: Silymarin is the extract from seeds of Silybum marianum L. Gaertn. and it has been used for decades as hepatoprotectant. Recently, it has been proposed to be beneficial in type 2 diabetes patients. However, silymarin is a poorly water soluble drug with limited oral bioavailability. In this study, nanostructured lipid carriers were proposed to enhance its solubility and intestinal absorption. Methods: Nanostructured lipid carriers were made of Stearic acid:Capryol 90 as lipid mixtures and Brij S20 as surfactant. Formulations were physically and chemically characterized. Stability and in vitro release studies were also assessed. In vitro permeability and Caco-2 cellular uptake mechanism were investigated. Results: Obtained results were based on size, homogeneity, ζ-potential and EE%. Nanostructured lipid carriers could be orally administered. No degradation phenomena were observed in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Storage stability of suspensions and lyophilized products was also tested. Glucose was selected as best cryoprotectant agent. About 60% of silymarin was released in 24 h in phosphate buffered saline. In vitro parallel artificial membrane permeability assay experiments revealed that the nanocarrier enhanced the permeation of Silymarin. Caco-2 study performed with fluorescent nanoparticles revealed the ability of carrier to enhance the permeation of a lipophilic probe. Cellular uptake studies indicated that active process is involved in the internalization of the formulation. Conclusions: The optimized nanostructured lipid carriers showed excellent chemical and physical stability and enhanced the absorption of silymarin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lipid-Based Nanocarriers: Present Situation and Prospects for the Future)
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