Nanosponges: A Multifunctional Drug Delivery ...

Nanosponges: A Multifunctional Drug Delivery System

Author Name : Monica Rp Rao, Ashwini Sonawane, Sharwari Sapate, Gajanan Paul, Saurabh Rohom

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology is a dynamic and multi-disciplinary field, embracing vast, generically diverse spheres such as nanoelectronics, information technology, biotechnology, and cellular and molecular biology. It also has had a profound impact on life sciences, including drug delivery, diagnostics, nutraceuticals, and the production of biomaterials. Nanosponges (NS) are one such carrier systems that are being explored for their role in drug delivery. NS are in nanosize with a sponge-like morphology and also can solubilize poorly water-soluble drugs and provide prolonged release as well as improving drug bioavailability. NS have been investigated for various applications such as solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs like itraconazole, telmisartan, taste masking of gabapentin, camptothecin, ciprofloxacin and, stability against photo-oxidation of polypropylene and resveratrol.

NS can load both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs because of their inner hydrophobic cavities and external hydrophilic branching, offering unparalleled flexibility. The NS have the ability to improve the aqueous solubility of poorly water-soluble molecules, protect degradable substances, obtain sustained delivery systems, or design innovative drug carriers for nanomedicine. Cyclodextrin-based NS, which are proposed as a new nanosized delivery system, are innovative cross-linked cyclodextrin polymers nanostructured within a three-dimensional network. NS have found application as a carrier for biocatalyst and enzymes, proteins, vaccines, and antibodies. NS can be considered as multi-functional nanocarriers for drug delivery. The present review gives details about the recent developments, methods of preparation, and applications of NS.

Keywords: Nanosponges, cyclodextrin, polystyrene, titanium dioxide (TiO₂), silicon.