Surfactants are essential in the manufacture of polymeric nanoparticles by emulsion formation methods and to preserve the stability of carriers in liquid media. The deposition of non-ionic surfactants at the interface allows a considerable reduction of the globule of the emulsion with high biocompatibility and the possibility of oscillating the final sizes in a wide nanometric range. Therefore, this review presents an analysis of the three principal non-ionic surfactants utilized in the manufacture of polymeric nanoparticles; polysorbates, poly(vinyl alcohol), and poloxamers. We included a section on general properties and uses and a comprehensive compilation of formulations with each principal non-ionic surfactant. Then, we highlight a section on the interaction of non-ionic surfactants with biological barriers to emphasize that the function of surfactants is not limited to stabilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles and has a broad impact on pharmacokinetics. Finally, the last section corresponds to a recommendation in the experimental approach for choosing a surfactant applying the systematic methodology of Quality by Design.

Curcumin is a polyphenol that is obtained from Curcuma longa and used in various areas, such as food and textiles. Curcumin has important anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that allow it to be applied as treatment for several emerging pathologies. Remarkably, there are an elevated number of publications deriving from the terms “curcumin” and “curcumin brain diseases”, which highlights the increasing impact of this polyphenol and the high number of study groups investigating their therapeutic actions. However, its lack of solubility in aqueous media, as well as its poor bioavailability in biological systems, represent limiting factors for its successful application. In this review article, the analysis of its chemical composition and the pivotal mechanisms for brain applications are addressed in a global manner. Furthermore, we emphasize the use of nanoparticles with curcumin and the benefits that have been reached as an example of the extensive advances in this area of health.

As an emerging science, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine focus on developing materials to replace, restore or improve organs or tissues and enhancing the cellular capacity to proliferate, migrate and differentiate into different cell types and specific tissues. Renewable resources have been used to develop new materials, resulting in attempts to produce various environmentally friendly biomaterials. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is a biopolymer known to be biodegradable and it is produced from the fermentation of carbohydrates. PLA can be combined with other polymers to produce new biomaterials with suitable physicochemical properties for tissue engineering applications. Here, the advances in modified PLA as tissue engineering materials are discussed in light of its drawbacks, such as biological inertness, low cell adhesion, and low degradation rate, and the efforts conducted to address these challenges toward the design of new enhanced alternative biomaterials.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a sophisticated and very selective dynamic interface composed of endothelial cells expressing enzymes, transport systems, and receptors that regulate the passage of nutrients, ions, oxygen, and other essential molecules to the brain, regulating its homeostasis. Moreover, the BBB performs a vital function in protecting the brain from pathogens and other dangerous agents in the blood circulation. Despite its crucial role, this barrier represents a difficult obstacle for the treatment of brain diseases because many therapeutic agents cannot cross it. Thus, different strategies based on nanoparticles have been explored in recent years. Concerning this, chitosan-decorated nanoparticles have demonstrated enormous potential for drug delivery across the BBB and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, gliomas, cerebral ischemia, and schizophrenia. Our main objective was to highlight the high potential of chitosan adsorption to improve the penetrability through the BBB of nanoformulations for diseases of CNS. Therefore, we describe the BBB structure and function, as well as the routes of chitosan for crossing it. Moreover, we define the methods of decoration of nanoparticles with chitosan and provide numerous examples of their potential utilization in a variety of brain diseases. Lastly, we discuss future directions, mentioning the need for extensive characterization of proposed nanoformulations and clinical trials for evaluation of their efficacy.

Nanoparticles possess a huge potential to be employed in numerous biomedical purposes; their applications may include drug delivery systems, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. However, the in vivo use in biomedical applications requires that nanoparticles exhibit sterility. Thus, diverse sterilization techniques have been developed to remove or destroy microbial contamination. The main sterilization methods include sterile filtration, autoclaving, ionizing radiation, and nonionizing radiation. Nonetheless, the sterilization processes can alter the stability, zeta potential, average particle size, and polydispersity index of diverse types of nanoparticles, depending on their composition. Thus, these methods may produce unwanted effects on the nanoparticles’ characteristics, affecting their safety and efficacy. Moreover, each sterilization method possesses advantages and drawbacks; thus, the suitable method’s choice depends on diverse factors such as the formulation’s characteristics, batch volume, available methods, and desired application. In this article, we describe the current sterilization methods of nanoparticles. Moreover, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of these methods, pointing out the changes in nanoparticles’ biological and physicochemical characteristics after sterilization. Our main objective was to offer a comprehensive overview of terminal sterilization processes of nanoparticles for biomedical applications.