Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Applications as Drug Nanocarriers

Abstract

The use of nanoparticles in biomedical fields is a very promising scientific area and has aroused the interest of researchers in the search for new biodegradable, biocompatible and non-toxic materials. This chapter is based on the features of the biopolymer silk fibroin and its applications in nanomedicine. Silk fibroin, obtained from the Bombyx mori silkworm, is a natural polymeric biomaterial whose main features are its amphiphilic chemistry, biocompatibility, biodegradability, excellent mechanical properties in various material formats, and processing flexibility. All of these properties make silk fibroin a useful candidate to act as nanocarrier. In this chapter, the structure of silk fibroin, its biocompatibility and degradability are reviewed. In addition, an intensive review on the silk fibroin nanoparticle synthesis methods is also presented. Finally, the application of the silk fibroin nanoparticles for drug delivery acting as nanocarriers is detailed.