Solid Lipid Nanoparticles:A Novel Carrier in Drug Delivery System

The era of nanotechnology has revolutionized the drug delivery system and persuades new research strategies to flourish. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) has attracted various research groups and companies since the early 1990s, however research in the SLNs is still in its infancy. Recently, increasing attention has been focused on these SLN as colloidal drug carriers for incorporating hydrophilic or lipophilic drugs. These lipid nanoparticles modify drug release, body distribution and kinetics of associated drugs. Other applications of SLNs are tissue/cell targeting of drugs and reduction of unwanted side effects by controlled release. The prospect of improved cancer chemotherapy using solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) as a drug delivery system is also promising. Several obstacles frequently encountered with anticancer compounds, such as normal tissue toxicity, poor specificity and stability and a high incidence of drug resistant tumor cells, are at least partially overcome by delivering them using SLN. The present review focuses on the utility of SLN in terms of their advantages, production methodology, characterization and applications. If properly investigated; SLNs may open new vistas in therapy of complex diseases.