Nanocarriers for anticancer drugs--new trends in nanomedicine

Curr Drug Metab. 2013 Jun;14(5):547-64. doi: 10.2174/1389200211314050005.

Abstract

This review provides a brief overview of the variety of carriers employed for targeted drug delivery used in cancer therapy and summarizes advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Particularly, the attention was paid to polymeric nanocarriers, liposomes, micelles, polyethylene glycol, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), dendrimers, gold and magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots, silica nanoparticles, and carbon nanotubes. Further, this paper briefly focuses on several anticancer agents (paclitaxel, docetaxel, camptothecin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cisplatin, curcumin, and geldanamycin) and on the influence of their combination with nanoparticulate transporters to their properties such as cytotoxicity, short life time and/or solubility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Design
  • Humans
  • Nanomedicine
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Nanotechnology
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Solubility

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Drug Carriers