Formulation Optimization Of Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Loaded With Plant Phenolic Naringenin For Improved Bioavailability

Abstract

Nanotechnology has become a powerful tool in recent years for tackling the limitations of traditional drug delivery methods [1]. Nanocarriers are a type of particulate system having a size ranging from 10 to 1000 nm [2]. The encapsulating moieties of nanocarriers can be altered to improve their pharmacokinetic and biodistribution characteristics, decrease toxicity, regulate release, improve solubility and stability, and deliver their payload to targeted sites [3]. The use of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) has been intended for controlled as well as targeted delivery of drugs but its use has been limited owing to drug expulsion on storage due to their rigid structure, unpredictable gelation tendency, particle growth, and unexpected polymeric transitions [4-6]. To overcome the drawbacks associated with the solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were developed. The solid lipids in the SLNs were replaced by the blend of liquid and solid lipids varying in a ratio of 70:30 up to a ratio of 99.9:0.1 [7]. Regardless of the presence of liquid lipids in a high proportion, the NLCs are solid at room temperature. The blend of solid and liquid lipids gives rise to an unstructured matrix with more imperfections that holds a greater number of drug molecules than SLN and thus has high entrapment efficiency.