Liposomes, sphere-shaped vesicles consisting of one or more phospholipid bilayers, were first described in the mid-60s. Today, they are a very useful reproduction, reagent, and tool in various scientific disciplines, including mathematics and theoretical physics, biophysics, chemistry, colloid science, biochemistry, and biology. Since then, liposomes have made their way to the market. Among several talented new drug delivery systems, liposomes characterize an advanced technology to deliver active molecules to the site of action, and at present, several formulations are in clinical use. Research on liposome technology has progressed from conventional vesicles to ‘second-generation liposomes’, in which long-circulating liposomes are obtained by modulating the lipid composition, size, and charge of the vesicle. Liposomes with modified surfaces have also been developed using several molecules, such as glycolipids or sialic acid. This paper summarizes exclusively scalable techniques and focuses on strengths, respectively, limitations in respect to industrial applicability and regulatory requirements concerning liposomal drug formulations based on FDA and EMEA documents.

Dendrimers are nano-sized, radially symmetric molecules with well-defined, homogeneous, and monodisperse structure that has a typically symmetric core, an inner shell, and an outer shell. Their three traditional macromolecular architectural classes are broadly recognized to generate rather polydisperse products of different molecular weights. A variety of dendrimers exist, and each has biological properties such as polyvalency, self-assembling, electrostatic interactions, chemical stability, low cytotoxicity, and solubility. These varied characteristics make dendrimers a good choice in the medical field, and this review covers their diverse applications.

Current discoveries of different forms of carbon nanostructures have motivated research on their applications in various fields. They hold promise for applications in medicine, gene, and drug delivery areas. Many different production methods for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been introduced; functionalization, filling, doping, and chemical modification have been achieved, and characterization, separation, and manipulation of individual CNTs are now possible. Parameters such as structure, surface area, surface charge, size distribution, surface chemistry, and agglomeration state as well as purity of the samples have considerable impact on the reactivity of carbon nanotubes. Otherwise, the strength and flexibility of carbon nanotubes make them of potential use in controlling other nanoscale structures, which suggests they will have a significant role in nanotechnology engineering.

PLGA-Based Nanoparticles as Cancer Drug Delivery Systems Nanotechnology;poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA);drug delivery;anticancer drugs; Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is one of the most effective biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). It has been approved by the US FDA to use in drug delivery systems due to controlled and sustained-release properties, low toxicity, and biocompatibility with tissue and cells. In the present review, the structure and properties of PLGA copolymers synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of DL-lactide and glicolide were characterized using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Methods of preparation and characterization, various surface modifications, encapsulation of diverse anticancer drugs, active or passive tumor targeting and different release mechanisms of PLGA nanoparticles are discussed. Increasing experience in the application of PLGA nanoparticles has provided a promising future for use of these nanoparticles in cancer treatment, with high efficacy and few side effects.

Undoped and Pr-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using a simple sonochemical method, and their sonocatalytic activity was investigated toward degradation of Acid Red 17 (AR17) under ultrasonic (US) irradiation. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. The extent of sonocatalytic degradation was higher compared with sonolysis alone. The decolorization efficiency of sonolysis alone, sonocatalysis with undoped ZnO and 5% Pr-doped ZnO was 24%, 46% and 100% within reaction time of 70min, respectively. Sonocatalytic degradation of AR17 increased with increasing the amount of dopant and catalyst dosage and decreasing initial dye concentration. Natural pH was favored the sonocatalytic degradation of AR17. With the addition of chloride, carbonate and sulfate as radical scavengers, the decolorization efficiency was decreased from 100% to 65%, 71% and 89% at the reaction time of 70min, respectively, indicating that the controlling mechanism of sonochemical degradation of AR17 is the free radicals (not pyrolysis). The addition of peroxydisulfate and hydrogen peroxide as enhancer improved the degradation efficiency from 79% to 85% and 93% at the reaction time of 50min, respectively. The result showed good reusability of the synthesized sonocatalyst.