Present trends in the encapsulation of anticancer drugs

Abstract

Abstract Different nanomedicine devices that were developed during the recent years can be suitable candidates for their application in the treatment of various deadly diseases such as cancer. From all the explored devices, the nanoencapsulation of several anticancer medicines is a very promising approach to overcome some drawbacks of traditional medicines: administered dose of the drugs, drug toxicity, low solubility of drugs, uncontrolled drug delivery, resistance offered by the physiological barriers in the body to drugs, among others. In this chapter, the most important and recent progress in the encapsulation of anticancer medicines is examined: methods of preparation of distinct nanoparticles (inorganic nanoparticles, dendrimers, biopolymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, polymersomes, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and hybrid nanoparticles), drug loading and drug release mechanisms. Furthermore, the possible applications in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and cancer therapy of some of these nanoparticles have been highlighted.