Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER, Raebareli), Lucknow (U.P.), India
  • 2 School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Ulster University, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
  • 5 School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University), New Delhi-110062, India
Curr Drug Deliv, 2020;17(4):279-291.
PMID: 32039683 DOI: 10.2174/1567201817666200210122340

Abstract

The collection of different bulk materials forms the nanoparticles, where the properties of the nanoparticle are solely different from the individual components before being ensembled. Selfassembled nanoparticles are basically a group of complex functional units that are formed by gathering the individual bulk components of the system. It includes micelles, polymeric nanoparticle, carbon nanotubes, liposomes and niosomes, etc. This self-assembly has progressively heightened interest to control the final complex structure of the nanoparticle and its associated properties. The main challenge of formulating self-assembled nanoparticle is to improve the delivery system, bioavailability, enhance circulation time, confer molecular targeting, controlled release, protection of the incorporated drug from external environment and also serve as nanocarriers for macromolecules. Ultimately, these self-assembled nanoparticles facilitate to overcome the physiological barriers in vivo. Self-assembly is an equilibrium process where both individual and assembled components are subsisting in equilibrium. It is a bottom up approach in which molecules are assembled spontaneously, non-covalently into a stable and welldefined structure. There are different approaches that have been adopted in fabrication of self-assembled nanoparticles by the researchers. The current review is enriched with strategies for nanoparticle selfassembly, associated properties, and its application in therapy.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.