Abstract

Drug delivery research areas is continuously broaden and modified as a results of the realization of many factors (such as poor drug solubility and/or absorption, rapid metabolism, high fluctuation in the drug plasma level and variability) which play major role in adversely affecting in vivo results, in conventional drug delivery system. Lipids are one of the basic building blocks of biological membranes. Nanoscale-based delivery strategies are beginning to make a significant impact on global pharmaceutical planning and marketing. Among the approaches for exploiting nanotechnology developments in medicine, various nanoparticulates offer some unique advantages as pharmaceutical carriers in delivery systems and image enhancement agents. The review illustrates the various classes of particulate lipid-based carriers among them; lipoproteins, lipid nanoparticles either; solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, or lipid drug conjugates, lipid nanocapsules, and liposomes. Lipid-based particulate carriers’ applications in various areas were also addressed.

Key words: Lipoproteins, Solid lipid nanoparticles, Nanostructured lipid carriers, Lipid drug conjugates, Lipid nanocapsules, Liposomes