Nanosponges: a potential nanocarrier for novel drug delivery-a review

The ideal delivery system will solubilize the drug, lead the therapy to the target site, and release the therapy to fulfill the individual need of the patient and disease stage. Nanosponges are one of such effective drug carriers which conquer the problems of drug toxicity and poor bioavailability as they can load both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Nanosponges are tiny in size with a 3-dimensional network and a nanometric cavity size. Nanosponges are highly porous having unique ability to entrap active moieties and offer a unique advantage of programmable release. They are biologically safe and simple to produce. Nanosponges can be prepared by cross linking different types of cyclodextrins with a carbonyl or a dicarboxylate compound as a cross linker. Nanosponge technology has been explored for various applications like enhancing the bioavailability of drug molecules and delivery of drugs into the oral, topical as well as parenteral routes. Nanosponges can also be used as a carrier for biocatalysts in the delivery and release of enzymes, proteins, vaccines and antibodies.