As readers will have observed, Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy has begun to include Special Issues that focus all articles around a common, highly relevant theme. We also have begun to publish “Special Focus” issues. In these issues, from approximately half to a third of the articles are collected around a common topic. In addition to these manuscripts, the regular original research articles received are included in the second half of the issue.
In this special focus issue, we have selected outstanding manuscripts that represent recent advances in the field of nanoparticles and nanosuspensions, with particular reference to characterization of their physical and biological properties. For example, thiolation of relatively small molecular weight polymers is explored for mucoadhesive properties in Mahmood et alCitation1. Original research using curcumin loaded nanoparticles for in vivo assessment of treatment of colon cancer is reportedCitation2. Other diverse applications of nanoparticles are presented here including improving treatment of diabetic wound therapyCitation3, and antibacterial activityCitation4. In terms of biological characterization, solid lipid nanoparticles are evaluated for cellular and mitochondrial uptakeCitation5. Cellular co-delivery of complex cargo (siRNA and hypericin) was observed using hyaluronic acid modified PLGA-PEI nanoparticlesCitation6. Finally, thiomeric particles are providedCitation7, optimization of cationic nanoparticles are presentedCitation8 and an oral nanosuspension is comprehensively describedCitation9. This small collection of high quality nanoparticle/nanosuspension articles provides an excellent resource for those working at both ends of the development spectrum. We thank the authors for their high quality work.
References
- Mahmood A, Bonengel S, Laffleur F, et al. Can thiolation render a low molecular weight polymer of just 20kDa mucoadhesive? Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:686–93
- Chaurasia S, Chaubey P, Patel R, et al. Curcumin-polymeric nanoparticles against colon-26 tumor-bearing mice: cytotoxicity, pharmacokinetic and anticancer efficacy studies. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:694–700
- Hajimiri M, Shahverdi S, Esfandiari MA, et al. Preparation of hydrogel embedded polymer-growth factor conjugated nanoparticles as a diabetic wound dressing. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:707–19
- El-Sherbiny IM, Salih E, Reicha FM. New trimethyl chitosan-based composite nanoparticles as promising antibacterial agents. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:720–9
- Xu Q, Zhu T, Yi C, Shen Q. Characterization and evaluation of metformin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for cellular and mitochondrial uptake. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:701–6
- Li Y, Zhang J, Buhai W, et al. Co-delivery of siRNA and hypericin into cancer cells by hyaluronic acid modified PLGA-PEI nanoparticles. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:737–46
- Deutel B, Laffleur F, Thaurer M, et al. Assembly and in vitro characterization of thiomeric nanoparticles. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:730–6
- Gajra B, Patel RR, Dalwadi C. Formulation, optimization and characterization of cationic polymeric nanoparticles of mast cell stabilizing agent using Box Behnken experimental design. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:747–57
- Sawant KK, Patel M, Patel K. Cefdinir nanosuspension for improved oral bioavailability by media milling technique: formulation, characterization and in vitro-in vivo evaluations. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2015;42:758–68