S.B. Somwanshi et al: Nanoscale Drug Delivery Technologies JPSI 2 (4), Jul–Aug 2013, 18-23 Journal of Pharmaceutical and Scientific Innovation www.jpsionline.com Review Article NANOSCALE DRUG DELIVERY TECHNOLOGIES: INTRODUCTION AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS S.B. Somwanshi 1 *, R.T. Dolas 2 , S.S Siddheshwar 2 , A.N. Merekar 2 1 Department of Pharmaceutics, P.R.E.S.’s, College of Pharmacy (For Women), Chincholi, Sinnar, Nashik, Maharashtra, India 2 Department of Pharmaceutics, P.R.E.S.’s, Pravara Rural College of Pharmacy, Loni Bk, Maharashtra, India *Corresponding Author Email: sachinsomwanshi27@gmail.com DOI: 10.7897/2277-4572.02446 Published by Moksha Publishing House. Website www.mokshaph.com All rights reserved. Received on: 20/06/13 Revised on: 21/07/13 Accepted on: 29/07/13 ABSTRACT Nanoscale drug delivery systems are now proposed as an alternative to classical formulations for drug administration, delivery and targeting. For the past few decades, there has been a considerable research interest in the area of drug delivery using particulate delivery systems as carriers for small and large molecules. Nanoscale technologies are beginning to change the foundations of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. They have been used in vivo to protect the drug entity in the systemic circulation, restrict access of the drug to the chosen sites and to deliver the drug at a controlled and sustained rate to the site of action. Various polymers have been used in the formulation of nanoparticles for drug delivery research to increase therapeutic benefit, while minimizing side effects. Here, we review various approaches of nanoscale drug delivery system in delivery of drug molecules and therapeutic genes. The article also reveals the concept of DNA nanotechnology as well as nanospore sequencing from nanomedicine. Keywords: Nanoscale drug delivery, nanodrug, nanoparticles, nanoscience. INTRODUCTION The development of a wide spectrum of nanoscale technologies is beginning to change the foundations of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention 1 . These technologies involve utilization of man-made products no larger than 1–1000 nm (i.e., a few atoms to smaller than a single cell). A dictionary definition (Nano nano-pref. 1: Extremely small nanoid. 2: One-billionth (10 -9 m) nanometer) elucidates the scale of this field and allows us to define that nanoscale particles are in the 10 -9 m dimension range, consistent with the magnitude of most synthetic nanoparticles to date. For a real perspective, the width of a DNA molecule is 2.5 nm; cell membranes are 6–10 nm thick; and most proteins are between 5 and 20 nm in diameter. Therefore, most conventional molecular research is already proceeding in nanoscale dimensions 2 . Nanoscale Drug Delivery System A nanodrug delivery system consists of a core, a particle or emulsion, prepared by chemical methods to function as a carrier. Functional groups are added to the core. Such groups may include therapeutic molecules and ligands for targeting specific locations 3 . Nanodrug delivery system develops particles or molecules of nanoscale size to improve drug bioavailability. Many approaches to nanomedicine have been developed that enable the association of a variety of drugs to these nanocarriers, ranging from classical small drug to large DNA fragments and their successful development is almost inevitable and their subsequent incorporation into valuable medical diagnostics or clinical therapeutics is highly likely and may occur very soon 4 . The materials and structures currently being investigated at the nanoscale for drug delivery are shown in Table 1 5 . This review summarizes the currently available approaches of nanoscale drug delivery system are as follows; Table 1: Nanoscale Drug Delivery Technologies Drug Delivery Technology Materials Nanostructure Forms Biologic Lipids, Peptides, Nucleic acids Polysaccharides, Viruses Vesicles, Nanotubes, Rings, Nanoparticles Polymeric Poly(lactic acid), Poly(glycolic acid), Poly(alkylcyanoacrylate) Poly(3-hydroxybutanoic acid) Poly(organophosphazene) Poly(ethylene glycol) Poly(caprolactone) Poly(ethylene oxide) Poly(amidoamine) Poly(L-glutamic acid) Poly(ethylene imine) Poly(propylene imine) Vesicles, Spheres, Micelles, Nanoparticles, Dendrimers Silicon based Silicon, Silicon dioxide Porous, Nanoparticles, Nanoneedles Carbon based Carbon Nanotubes, Fullerenes Metallic Gold, Silver Palladium, Platinum Nanoparticles, Nanoshells