Medical Nanocapsules
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 13479
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As quite universal carrier systems, nanocapsules have played a central role in many prominent developments of human medicine. With sizes between 10 and 1000 nm, they go a little bit beyond what are usually counted as nanostructures. However, their key structural element, the solid spherical shell around a fluid core, is a true nanoscopic device, with particular properties that determine the functionality of the whole carrier system. With this in mind, nanocapsules are true achievements of nanotechnology in medical sciences. The main target of their development varies by a wide range: they can serve as simple containers with specific release properties for the encapsulated active components, but they can also be equipped to cross physiological barriers or bind towards specific tissues and serve as drug targeting devices. However, there is much more to it: capsule membranes may be functionalized so that they open on external influences or signals, they may play an active part in a molecular exchange in a physiological environment, they can replace actual body cells, they may be an integrated part of MRI diagnostics, and they may even be developed towards functional elements which allow for the capsules to potentially act as nano-robots.
An important issue for the development of nanocapsules is the choice of materials, especially for the capsule membrane. Naturally, they need to be biodegradable, or at least completely inert in a physiological environment. The membrane could be biomimetical in a sense that it reproduces a biological membrane, leading to the idea to use modified membrane vesicles as nanocapsules. Another material class predestinated for this application is biopolymers, where all varieties are possible candidates: peptides, proteins and polysaccharides or cross-linked lipids are among the most promising. On the other hand, synthetic polymers or even inorganic materials may be usable as well. The active ingredient may either be integrated during the capsule preparation or could be introduced into the finished capsule structures. The same holds for membrane functionalization, which may be an integral part of the capsule preparation or could as well be added to the finished capsules.
This planned Special Issue deals with a wide variety of aspects regarding the medical use of nanocapsules. It starts with the material choice for the capsule membranes, followed by suitable preparation procedures. It continues with loading processes, specific functionalization and targeting issues. Furthermore, of course, it includes release processes which may be connected to simple first-order decay over time, but may also be triggered externally. Finally, it deals with specific medical applications which demonstrate the general power of this approach.
Prof. Dr. Christian Mayer
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- nanocapsules
- carrier system
- controlled release
- drug targeting
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