Lipid nanocarriers have recently arisen with a wide range of uses and
research areas, with the advantages they offer in virtue of their unique properties. They
are easily synthesized, scaled up, biodegradable, proper to transport many bioactive
components, have a high loading capacity, and are convenient for various routes of
administration (parenteral, oral, dermal, ocular, etc.). These carriers overcome the
problems of bioactive substances such as low solubility, plasma half-life and
bioavailability, and side effects, as well as providing controlled release, local delivery,
and targeting. Lipid-based nanoparticular systems can be categorized into two basic
classes, vesicular and non-vesicular. While liposomes are the most widely used
vesicular structures, solid lipid nanoparticles and nano-structured lipid carriers are non-vesicular nanocarriers. These nanocarriers have many medical uses, such as cancer
therapy, gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, treatment of infectious diseases and
neurodegenerative diseases, vaccines, imaging, etc. It is essential that the synthesis
method of lipid-based nanocarriers and the components from which they are composed
are selected in accordance with the medical application area and characterization
studies are carried out. In this article, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and nano-structured lipid carriers will be discussed as lipid-based nanocarriers, synthesis and
characterization methods will be emphasized and examples from medical applications
will be given.
Keywords: Cancer Therapy, Characterization, Controlled Release, Drug Delivery, Emulsions, Entrapment Efficiency, High-Pressure Homogenization, Liposomes, Loading Capacity, Medical Applications, Nano-Structured Lipid Carriers, Particle Size, Polydispersity Index, Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Solvent Evaporation, Solvent Injection, Targeted Therapy, Thin Film Hydration, Vaccines, Zeta Potential.
