Drug nanocrystals: Surface engineering and its applications in targeted delivery
Phattalapol Lhaglham,
Luksika Jiramonai,
Yaru Jia,
Baoying Huang,
Yuanyu Huang,
Xueyun Gao,
Jinchao Zhang,
Xing-Jie Liang,
Mengliang Zhu
Affiliations
Phattalapol Lhaglham
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Department of Manufacturing Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Sri-ayudhya Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Luksika Jiramonai
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Yaru Jia
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Environmental Science, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Baoying Huang
MHC Key Laboratory of Biosafety, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing 102206, China
Yuanyu Huang
Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Xueyun Gao
Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation, Department of Chemistry, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Jinchao Zhang
Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry & Environmental Science, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Xing-Jie Liang
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author
Mengliang Zhu
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author
Summary: Drug nanocrystals have received significant attention in drug development due to their enhanced dissolution rate and improved water solubility, making them effective in overcoming issues related to drug hydrophobicity, thereby improving drug bioavailability and treatment effectiveness. Recent advances in preparation techniques have facilitated research on drug surface properties, leading to valuable surface engineering strategies. Surface modification can stabilize drug nanocrystals, making them suitable for versatile drug delivery platforms. Functionalized ligands further enhance the potential for targeted delivery, enabling precision medicine. This review focuses on the surface engineering of drug nanocrystals, discussing various preparation methods, surface ligand design strategies, and their applications in targeted drug delivery, especially for cancer treatments. Finally, challenges and future directions are also discussed to promote the development of drug nanocrystals. The surface engineering of drug nanocrystals promises new opportunities for treating complex and chronic diseases while broadening the application of drug delivery systems.
