We are providing an update to our previously published review paper on inhaled nanoparticles, thus updating with the most recent reports in the literature. The field of nanotechnology may hold the promise of significant improvements in the health and well-being of patients, as well as in manufacturing technologies. The knowledge of the impact of nanomaterials on public health is limited so far. This paper reviews the unique size-controlled properties of nanomaterials, their disposition in the body after inhalation, and the factors influencing the fate of inhaled nanomaterials. The physiology of the lungs makes it an ideal target organ for non-invasive local and systemic drug delivery, especially for protein and poorly water-soluble drugs that have low oral bioavailability via oral administration. More recently, inhaled nanoparticles have been reported to improve therapeutic efficacies and decrease undesirable side effects via pulmonary delivery. The potential application of pulmonary drug delivery of nanoparticles to the lungs, specifically in context of published results reported on nanomaterials in environmental epidemiology and toxicology is reviewed in this paper. This article presents updated delivery systems, process technologies, and potential of inhaled nanoparticles for local and systemic therapies administered to the lungs. The authors acknowledge the contributions of Wei Yang in our 2008 paper published in this journal.
Keywords: Drug delivery; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nanotoxicology; Poorly water-soluble drug; Protein/peptide drug; Pulmonary delivery.
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