Table 1 Advantages and limitations of lipid based nanoparticles
Nanoparticles | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
Liposomes | Biocompatible Biodegradable Non-immunogenic Low toxicity [301] | High Production Cost Drug leakage Short half-life Possible oxidation and hydrolysis of the used phospholipid [302] |
Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) | Biocompatible Does not involve the use of organic solvents (green synthesis) Reproducible and scalable manufacturing process [303] | Low encapsulation efficiency as a result of perfect crystalline structure High drug expulsion [304] |
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) | High encapsulation efficiency Low drug expulsion [99] | Possible cytotoxic effect depending on the matrix structure Irritating action of some surfactants [305] |
Micro/ Nano emulsion | Self-assembly High penetration through the biological membranes [306] High absorption rate [307] | High concentrations of surfactants Possible phase separation [306] |
Phytosomes | Enhanced absorption Low toxicity [308] | Phytochemical leaching Low drug concentration [309] |
Lipid Coated Nanoparticles | Biocompatibility Structural stability Flexibility in conjugating targeting moieties [310] | Multi-step fabrication process Challenging scale-up [311] |
Nanoassemblies | Rapid synthesis Easy dispersibility Low production cost [312] | Difficult to control particle size Challenging scale-up Low shelf-life stability [312] |