Nanomaterials are materials with at least one dimension between 1-100 nm that exhibit unique properties compared to larger materials. They have many applications including in drug delivery due to their high surface area and ability to reach difficult areas of the body smaller than cells. Nanoscale drug delivery systems include nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, polymers, nanoshells, fullerenes, nanotubes, and quantum dots. Liposomes in particular are spherical vesicles consisting of an aqueous core surrounded by a lipid bilayer that can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs and provide benefits like controlled release and altered pharmacokinetics. The development of nano-carriers is improving drug therapy by enhancing efficiency and selectivity while reducing side effects

1. Nanomaterials in Drug
Delivery
Antonio Di Martino
dimartino@ft.utb.cz

2. What are nanomaterials?
Materials of which at least one dimension is sized between 1-100 nm
 Properties of nanomaterials differ significantly from other materials due to
 surface area
 quantum effect
 Applications
 Cosmetics
 Pharmaceutics
 Medicine
 Electronics
 Construction
 Agriculture
 Energy

3. Why nanomaterials in drug delivery ?
High surface area
 bind
 adsorb
 carry
Size smaller than
cells  reach difficult access compartments
High permeability and
retention effect (EPR)
 administration of genes, proteins
 target the RE cells
 passive targeting
wide range of molecules

4. Nanoscale drug delivery systems
Nanoparticles
Nanoliposomes Dendrimers Polymerics Nanoshells
Fullerenes Nanotubes Nanopores Quantum Dots

5. Application of nanoscale delivery systems

6. Liposomes
 Consist of an aqueous core surrounded by a lipid bilayer
 New generation liposomes can also be formed from polymers ( polymersomes)
 Ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules
 Benefits and limitations depend on physical and colloidal characteristics
phosphatdyl-ethanolamine
phosphatdyl-serine
phosphatdyl-choline
core
cholesterol
sphingomyelin

7. How to prepare liposomes?
 Different preparation methods
 Mechanical agitation
 Solvent evaporation
 Solvent injection
 Solubilization method
 Parameters to consider during the preparation method selection
 Characteristics of the material to be entrapped
 Dispersion medium
 Concentration of the encapsulated material
 Optimum size
 Polydispersivity
 Shelf-life

8. Drug loading
 Hydrophobic molecules
 Remain in the liposome bilayer
 High encapsulation efficiency
 Hydrophilic molecules
 Entrapped in the core
 Low encapsulation efficiency
 difficult to diffuse in and out
 Influence of pH
DoxorubicinPaclitaxel Prednisolone

9. Clinical applications
 Drug / protein delivery vehicles
 Controlled and sustained release in situ
 Enhanced drug solubilization
 Enzyme replacement therapy
 Altered pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution
 Antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal therapy
 Cancer therapy
 Carrier of small cytotoxic molecules
 Vehicle for macromolecules as cytokines and genes
Stability in physiological fluids represents the main problem!!!!!

10. NEW liposomes generation

11. Conclusions
Development of nano-carriers is bringing lots of hope and
enthusiasm in the drug delivery research
Improve therapeutic efficiency
Enhance selectivity
Reduction of side effects
Ameliorate the patients quality of life