Polysaccharide Nanocapsules for Drug Delivery Applications, Current Status and Future Perspectives

Abstract

In recent years pharmaceutical formulations using polymeric nanocapsules have been widely studied for developing novel drug delivery strategies. Nanocapsules provide a unique core-shell nanostructure, consisting of a liquid/solid core surrounded by a polymeric shell. Natural or modified polysaccharides are prime candidates for use as building blocks of the nanocapsule shells, due to their demonstrated safety, versatility and low cost and to the fact that they are widely used as excipients in classical drug formulations. The aim of this paper is to present the recent advances in drug delivery strategies using polysaccharidic nanocapsules and to discuss future opportunities and challenges in developing modern pharmaceutical formulations using such systems.