Nanosponge: A Novel Nano Drug Carrier

Nanotechnology, a multi-disciplinary science has received considerable attention in the recent times in the discovery of new chemical entities, diagnosis and treatment of several diseases. Nano-medicine has developed many drug delivering systems like nanoparticles, nano-emulsions, nano-suspensions, nanosponges etc., to overcome the problems of bioavailability out of which nanosponge is an advanced drug delivery system which offers diverse advantages than the other available systems. Targeted drug delivery to specific sites is the significant problem which is being faced by the researchers. The development of new colloidal carrier called nanosponges has the potential to solve these problems. Nanosponge is a novel and emerging technology which offers controlled drug delivery for topical use. Nanosponges are solid, porous, biocompatible, and tiny in size with three dimensional structure and nanomeric cavity size which have unique ability to entrap wide variety of drugs. Nanosponges can be used as a carrier for biocatalysts in the delivery and release of enzymes, proteins, vaccines and antibodies. Nanosponges are porous polymeric delivery systems that are small spherical particles with large porous surface. The nanosponges have the ability to include either lipophilic or hydrophilic drugs and release them in a controlled and predictable manner at the target site. By controlling the ratio of polymer to the cross-linker the particle size and release rate can be modulated.