2020/08/15 by Aleksandra Zielińska, Filipa Carreiró, Ana M. Oliveira +9 · 7 citations
Materials Science · #Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery #Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications #Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesis and Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.3390/molecules25163731
openalex publication_date 2020/08/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are particles within the size range from 1 to 1000 nm and can be loaded with active compounds entrapped within or surface-adsorbed onto the polymeric core. The term "nanoparticle" stands for both nanocapsules and nanospheres, which are distinguished by the morphological structure. Polymeric NPs have shown great potential for targeted delivery of drugs for the treatment of several diseases. In this review, we discuss the most commonly used methods for the production and characterization of polymeric NPs, the association efficiency of the active compound to the polymeric core, and the in vitro release mechanisms. As the safety of nanoparticles is a high priority, we also discuss the toxicology and ecotoxicology of nanoparticles to humans and to the environment.